TEXT: 1
  JAGS Revised
  JAGS Revised
  By 
  Marco Chacon
  Featuring the incredible artwork of 
  Santiago Ibora
  Grey Thornberry
  and Empty Room Studios:
  Mike Hamlett
  Ed Herrera
  Joe Slucher
  Erik roman
  Olga Bosserdt
  Rick Hershey
  Bob Cram
  Colin Throm
  Tim Hibbetts
  copyright (C) 2006 by Marco Chacon
  Editing and Layout Help: Eric Chacon
  Combat Tracker: Hisayo Kurihara
  Proofing and Commentary: Lassi ‘Cursed’ Into and Gian Battista ‘Watcher’ Clerici
  
  JAGS Revised
  2
  Hello, Welcome to JAGS Revised 
  9
  What Is JAGS? 
  9
  JAGS and JAGS-2 
  9
  Why JAGS? 
  10
  What’s Changed in Revised? 
  10
  Notations and Glossaries 
  11
  Glossary of Terms 
  11
  Important Note 
  11
  Dice Mechanics 
  12
  JAGS Roll 
  12
  Target Number (a.k.a. “Rolls” or “X or less”) 
  12
  Degrees of Success or Failure (“Made it By/Missed it By”) 
  13
  Guiding Principles 
  13
  Types of Rolls (Overview) 
  14
  Roll Type Overview / Reference Table 
  14
  Stat and Skill Checks 
  15
  Description 
  15
  When Do I Roll? 
  15
  Skill/Stat Check Rules 
  16
  Skill/Stat Roll Timing 
  16
  Interruptions & Reactions 
  16
  Modifiers 
  17
  Modifier Guidelines 
  17
  Combining and Ignoring Modifiers 
  18
  Results (Success and Failure) 
  18
  Making the Roll 
  18
  Degree of Success 
  18
  Failing the Roll 
  19
  Success Points 
  20
  Risks and Side-Effects with Skill/Stat Rolls 
  20
  Resisted Rolls (Stat v. Stat or Skill v. Skill) 
  20
  Description 
  20
  When Do I Roll? 
  21
  Rules 
  21
  Results (Success, Failure, and Degrees of Both) 
  21
  Resisted Rolls (Number v. Number) 
  21
  When Do I Roll? 
  22
  Rules 
  22
  Deciding Who Rolls 
  22
  Calculating the TN (Both Values under 20)  
  22
  Calculating the TN (Values over 20)  
  23
  Results 
  23
  Effect Rolls 
  23
  Description 
  23
  When Do I Roll? 
  24
  Rules 
  24
  Drama Rolls 
  24
  Character Definition 
  25
  Basic Character Concepts and Glossary 
  25
  Character Characteristics 
  26
  Steps in Character Creation 
  26
  Step 1: Decide what Kind of Characters you’ll play 
  27
  Character Points and Archetype Points 
  27
  Understanding Character Points 
  27
  Restricted Characteristics 
  28
  Step 2: Character Concept 
  28
  Character Background Capabilities and General Specialties 
  28
  Name, Looks, and Style 
  29
  Relationships with Other PCs 
  29
  Key Elements (“What Matters”) 
  29
  Step 3: Spend CPs and APs (Buy Characteristics) 30
  Buying Stats (with Character Points) 
  31
  Primary and Secondary Stats 
  31
  Primary Stats List 
   
   
               31
  Physique 
  31
  Strength (STR) 
   
   
   
                31
  Build (BLD) 
   
   
   
                31
  Constitution (CON) 
   
   
                31
  Reflexes 
  31
  Coordination (COR)   
   
   
                31
  Reaction Speed (REA) 
   
   
                31
  Agility (AGI) 
   
   
   
                31
  Intellect 
  31
  Reason (RES) 
   
   
   
                31
  Memory (MEM) 
   
   
   
                31
  Willpower (WIL)  
   
   
                31
  What Stats Mean and How they’re used 
  32
  Stat guidelines and notes 
  32
  How Stats are used 
  32
  Purchasing Primary Stats 
  33
  Primary Stat Cost Chart 
  33
  Purchasing or Changing Secondary Statistics 
  33
  Secondary Stat Cost Chart (Cost is CPs) 
  34
  Using the Chart 
  34
  Secondary Stat Modifier Traits 
  35
  Physique Modifiers 
  36
  Strength Modifiers 
  36
   
  Powerful [ Increase ] 
  36
   
  Weaker [ Decrease ] 
  36
   
  Puny [ -5 ] 
  36
  Build Modifiers 
  36
   
  Light/Short [ 0 ] 
  36
   
  Slight [ Decrease ] 
  36
   
  Fat/Obese [ -3/-5 ] 
  36
   
  Big/Tall [ Increase ] 
  36
   
  Emaciated [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Consitiution Modifications 
  36
   
  Resilient [ Increase ] 
  36
   
  Sickly [ Decrease ] 
  36
   
  Fragile [ -5 ] 
  36
   
  Ill [ -1, -3,  -5 ] 
  36
  Reflex Modifications 
  37
  Coordination Modifications 
  37
   
  Coordinated [ Increase ] 
  37
   
  Klutz [ Decrease ] 
  37
   
  Crippled Hands [ -6 ] 
  37
  Reaction Speed Modifications 
  37
   
  Quick [ Increase ] 
  37
   
  Slow [ Decrease ] 
  37
   
  Sluggish [ -7 ] 
  37
  Agility Modifications 
  37
   
  Agile [ Increase ] 
  37
   
  Clumsy [ Decrease ] 
  37
   
  Uncoordinated [ -8 ] 
  37
  Intellect Modifications 
  37
  Reason Modifications 
  37
   
  Smart [ Increase ] 
  37
   
  Smart [ Increase ] 
  37
   
  Dull/Simple [ Decrease ] 
  37
   
  Clueless [ -4 ] 
  37
   
  Retarded [ -5 ] 
  38
  Memory Modifiers 
  38
   
  Photographic Memory  
  38
   
  Forgetful [  Decrease ] 
  38
   
  Empty Headed [ -7 ]  
  38
  Willpower Modifiers 
  38
   
  Strong Willed [ Increase ]  
  38
   
  Weak Willed [ Decrease ]  
  38
   
  Wishy Washy [ -4 ]  
  38
   
  Weak Minded [ -5 ]  
  38
  Buying Traits (Character Points) 
  39
  List of Traits 
  40
  SPs and Traits 
  40
  Temptation 
  40
  Buying Skills (Character Points) 
  41
  
  3
  JAGS Revised
  How JAGS Skills Work 
  41
  How Skill Roll and Level Are Related 
  42
  Level and Roll Chart 
  42
  Having a High Level and Doing a Lower Level Task (or vice versa) 
  43
  Anatomy of a Skill 
  44
  Name 
  44
  Cost 
  44
  Stat 
  44
  Description 
  44
  Levels 
  44
  Acrobatics (Dodge) 
  44
  Buying Skills 
  45
  Roll Cost: Expensive Skill 
  45
  Expensive Skill Not Linked to STAT 
  45
  Expensive Skill Linked to STAT 
  45
  Roll Cost: Standard Skill 
  45
  Standard Not Linked to Stat 
  45
  Standard Skill Linked to Stat 
  45
  Level Cost (Expensive and Standard) 
  45
  Customization 
  46
  Skill List 
  46
  Buying Archetype Abilities 
  47
  JAGS Revised Archetypes 
  47
  List of Unusual Traits 
  48
  Step 4: Calculate Figured Stats 
  49
  Figured Stats Overview 
  49
  Base Damage (Hand-to-Hand Damage) 
  49
  Charisma Scores 
  49
  Charm 
  50; Intimidate 
  50; Persuade 
  50; Re-
  cruit 
  50; Computing Charisma 50
  Damage Points (DP)  
  51
  Grapple Score 
  51
  Ground Speed 
  52
  Initiative Roll 
  53
  Perception Roll 
  53
  Wound and Condition Levels 
  53
  Telling the Difference (Wound Level vs. Condition Level) 53
  Wound Levels 
  53
  Condition Levels 
  55
  Understanding the Condition Chart 
  55
  Filling out the Condition Chart 
  56
  Character Def Appendix 1: Skill List 57
  Level Zero Skills 
  57
  Combat Skills 
  57
  Use Your Skill To Hit 
  57
  Use Your Skill To Block 
  57
  Extra Damage 
  57
  Grapple Bonus 
  57
  Special Moves 
  57
  Acrobatics (Dodge) 
  58
  Bow (Long Bow) 
  58
  Boxing 
  59
  Fencing 
  59
  Firearms 
  59
  Heavy Weapons 
  59
  Jujitsu 
  59
  Karate 
  60
  Knife Fighting 
  60
  Kung Fu 
  60
  Melee Weapons 
  60
  Shield 
  60
  Streetfighting 
  61
  Staff 
  61
  Tae Kwon Do 
  61
  Tai Chi 
  61
  Tangle Weapons 
  62
  Thrown Knife 
  62
  Thrown Weapon 
  62
  Wrestling 
  62
  Hard Sciences 
  63
  Astrophysics 
  63
  Bio Sciences 
  63
  Computers 
  64
  Chemist 
  64
  Doctor 
  64
  Engineer 
  64
  Mathematics 
  64
  Physics 
  64
  Street Skills 
  65
  Con Games 
  65
  Disguise 
  65
  Escape Artist 
  66
  Forgery 
  66
  Gambling 
  66
  Hacker 
  66
  Sleight of Hand 
  67
  Locksmith 
  67
  Security Systems 
  67
  Spycraft 
  67
  Streetwise 
  67
  Military Sciences 
  68
  Climbing/Rappelling 
  68
  Demolitions 
  68
  Stealth 
  69
  Strategy and Tactics 
  69
  Survivalist 
  69
  Traps 
  69
  Areas of Knowledge (Education) 
  70
  Archaeology and Anthropology 
  70
  Art Appreciation 
  70
  History 
  71
  Law 
  71
  Literature 
  71
  Linguist 
  71
  Occult Knowlege 
  71
  Philosophy (Theology) 
  72
  Psychology 
  72
  Occupational Skills 
  72
  Art (Painting, Sculpting, Photography)  
  72
  Business Administration 
  72
  Craft Skills 
  73
  Musical Skill (Singing, Dance) 
  73
  Navigation 
  74
  Operations Skill 
  74
  Police Procedure 
  74
  Research (Journalist) 
  74
  Sports 
  75
  Vehicle Operation (Driving, Pilot, Riding) 
  75
  Social Skills 
  75
  Diplomat 
  75
  Etiquette 
  75
  Revelry 
  75
  Showmanship 
  76
  Vamp 
   
  76
  General Skills 
  77
  Ranged Weapon Skill 
  77
  HTH Weapon Skill 
  77
  General Science Skill 
  77
  Academic Discipline 
  77
  Occupational Disciplines 
  77
  Experience  
  78
  Trivia 
  78
  Character Def Appendix 2: Traits List 
  79
  Physical Traits 
  79
  Ambidextrous [12] 
  79
  Asthma [-4] 
  79
  Bad Eyesight  [-1, -3] 
  79
  Beautiful Voice [4] 
  79
  
  JAGS Revised
  4
  Blind [-15] 
  79
  Conditioning [1,2,4] 
  79
  Contact/Ally [1,2,4] 
  79
  Crippled [-2,-4] 
  79
  Deaf [-2,-4] 
  79
  Fast Runner [1,4] 
  79
  Hearty [2] 
  79
  Hunchback [-2] 
  79
  Iron Jaw [8, 16] 
  79
  Nasal Voice [-2] 
  79
  Out Of Shape [-2, -3] 
  79
  Natural Fighter [2] 
  79
  One Eyed [-1,-2] 
  79
  Peg Leg [-1,-4] 
  79
  Toughness [ varies ] 
  79
  Ugly [-2,-4] 
  79
  Visible Mark [-1] 
  80
  Young [-1] 
  80
  Mental Traits 
  80
  Addictive [-2,-4] 
  80
  Artistic Genius [2,4] 
  80
  Bad Judgment [-2] 
  80
  Disturbed [-2,-4] 
  80
  Flair [1,2,4] 
  80
  Hard to Fool [2,4,8] 
  80
  Leader [2,4,8, 12] 
  80
  Likeable [2,4,8, 12] 
  80
  Mathematical Genius [4] 
  80
  Musical Genius [4] 
  80
  Perceptive/Keen Senses [1,4,8] 
  80
  Phobic [-1,-2] 
  80
  Presence [2,4,8,12] 
  80
  Sense of Direction [1,2,4] 
  81
  Speed Reader [4] 
  81
  Background 
  81
  Baaad Reputation [1,2,4,8] 
  81
  Bad Reputation [-1,-2,-3,-4] 
  81
  Enemy [-1,-3,-5] 
  81
  Good Reputation [2,4,8,12] 
  81
  Relationship [1,4] 
  81
  Sense of Duty [2,-2,-4] 
  82
  Special Status [-2, 1, 2] 
  82
  Ward [-2,-4] 
  82
  Wealth [1,2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Write Up [-2] 
  82
  Personality and Appearance 
  82
  Attractive [2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Bad Temper [-2] 
  82
  Big Mouth [-2] 
  82
  Coward [-4] 
  82
  Curious [-2] 
  82
  Envious [-1,-2] 
  82
  Exotic [2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Greed [-2] 
  83
  Grim [-1] 
  83
  Honorable [-2] 
  83
  Lousy Liar [-3] 
  83
  Lousy Driver [-2] 
  83
  Lustful [-2] 
  83
  Naive [-2] 
  83
  Obnoxious [-1,-2,-3] 
  83
  Personality Type [1] 
  83
  Pride [-2] 
  83
  Problems With Authority [-4] 
  83
  Rugged [3] 
  83
  Slick [-2] 
  83
  Sloth [-2] 
  83
  Statuesque [2,4,8,12] 
  83
  Swashbuckler [-2] 
  83
  Character Def Appendix 3: Archetype 
  Traits List 
  84
  Dreamer [ 2 AP ]  
  84
  Extraordinarily Tough [ 16 AP ] 
  84
  Hard To Kill [ 2 AP] 
  84
  Lucky Miss [ 4 AP] 
  84
  Lucky [ 2,8,16 AP ] 
  84
  Instinct [ 4 AP ] 
  84
  Malice [ 4 AP ] 
  84
  Nature Friend [ 4 AP] 
  85
  Psychic Link [2 AP] 
  85
  See Inner Person [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Sensitive [ 4 AP ] 
  85
  Shadow Friend [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Storm Friend [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Synchronicity [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Twisted Genius [ 8, 12 AP ] 
  85
  Unusual Gear [ 2,4  AP] 
  85
  Will To Fight [ 4 AP ] 
  85
  Introduction to Combat 
  103
  The Mechanics of Combat 
  104
  The Combat as a Whole 
  104
  Initiative Roll 
  104
  Ties and Tie Breakers 
  104
  Surprise 
  106
  Other Things That Happen at the Start of the Round 
  106
  Advanced and Optional Initiative Rules 
  106
  Six Second Rounds 
  106
  Advanced Rule: Waiting 
  107
  Ending the Round 
  108
  Advanced: Falling Objects or Fast Moving Ones 
  108
  Advanced: Mounted Movement 
  108
  Advanced: Special Initiative Bonuses 
  108
  Taking Your Turn 
  109
  Common Actions Chart 
  109
  REA Cost 
  110
  Action Speed 
  110
  Reaction (a.k.a. Response) Moves 
  111
  Too Fast To React To 
  111
  Advanced Reaction Rules 
  112
  Advanced: Guardian Actions 
  112
  Advanced: Covering Someone 
  112
  Advanced: Blind Response--responding to an Action You 
  Cannot See 
  112
  Resolving Actions 
  113
  Ending Your Turn 
  113
  Attack 
  113
  Expanded List of Attack Actions 
  114
  Choosing a Target 
  114
  Rolling To Hit 
  115
  Unskilled Attacks 
  115
  Negative Modifiers to the To-Hit Roll 
  115
  AGI Bonus 
  115
  Stationary Target 
  116
  Range Modifier 
  116
  Reach (Hand to Hand Attacks) 
  116
  What Reach Means 
  117
  Being Inside Someone’s Reach 
  117
  Speed Modifier 
  117
  Visibility Modifier 
  118
  Advanced: Size and Speed 
  118
  Fighting On The Ground (Ground Fighting, being Prone) 
  119
  Being Hit From Behind 
  119
  Off-Hand Penalty 
  119
    High Winds 
  119
  Blast Radius 
  119
  Cover 
  120
  Fighting Underwater (or in Space) 
  120
  Advanced: Grenade Bounce 
  120
  Advanced: Shooting Through Cover 
  120
  Specific Attack Actions 
  121
  
  5
  JAGS Revised
  Unarmed Strikes 
  121
  Breakdown of Strikes 
  121
  Name 
  121
  REA Cost 
  121
  Roll to Hit 
  121
  Reach 
  121
  Damage Type 
  121
  Damage 
  121
  Advanced: Striking for 4 REA at Expert Level 
  121
  Description 
  122
  List of Unarmed Strikes 
  122
  Punch 
  122
  Kick 
  122
  Cross 
  123
  Head Butt 
  123
  Bite 
  123
  Grab 
  123
  Karate Chop 
  123
  Hand-to-hand Weapon Actions 
  124
  Drawing 
  124
  Maximum Strikes Per Turn 
  124
  Extra Swing Cost 
  124
  Spear Hand (Karate) 
  124
  Large Weapon Bonus 
  125
  Minimum Strength 
  125
  Damage Bonus  
  125
  Weapons Chart 
  125
  Advanced: Maximum Strength 
  125
  Melee Weapon Moves 
  126
  Fencing Weapons 
  126
  Fencing Weapons List 
  126
  Full Strike 
  126
  Feint 
  126
  Flails 
  127
  Block Neg 
  127
  Flail Weapon List 
  127
  Tangle Weapons 
  127
  Grapple 
  127
  Escape 
  127
  Lunge (Fencing) 
  127
  Armor 
  128
  Damage Points (DP) 
  128
  Ready/Recover 
  128
  Grapple Chart 
  128
  Tangle Weapons List 
  129
  Advanced: Tangling the Legs 
  129
  Thrown Weapons 
  130
  Drawing 
  130
  To-Hit 
  130
  Rate of Fire 
  130
  Defenses 
  130
  Range 
  130
  Carry 
  131
  Ranged Weapons 
  131
  AGI Bonus 
  131
  Range 
  131
  Rate of Fire (ROF) 
  131
  Advanced: Wind-Up 
  131
  Recoil 
  132
  Firearms Actions 
  132
  Advanced: Bipods and Tripods 
  132
  Advanced: Point Blank Range 
  132
  Shoot Gun 
  132
  Double Tap 
  133
  Automatic Fire 
  133
  Controlled Burst 
  133
  Supression Fire 
  134
  Aim 
  134
  Advanced: Sights and Scopes 
  134
  Continuing Beam Sweep 
  135
  Firearms Table 
  137
  Shotguns 
  137
  Standard Buckshot 
  137
  Spread: Near Miss 
  137
  Spread: PEN Value 
  137
  Spread: Damage Reduces 
  137
  Spread: Targets 
  137
  Bows and Arrows 
  138
  Drawing The Bow 
  138
  Bow Table 
  138
  Move Actions 
  139
  Mired 
  139
  Stuck 
  139
  Slick 
  139
  Move Chart 
  140
  Full Move 
  141
  Step 
  142
  Drive Vehicle 
  142
  Turn To Face 
  142
  Turn Around 
  143
  Advanced: Free Step 
  143
  Advanced: Step and Keep Moving 
  143
  Advanced: Step Inside Reach 
  143
  Advanced: Reaction Move 
  143
  Advanced: Strike While Moving 
  144
  Advanced: Charge 
  144
  Advanced: Circling 
  144
  Overrun 
  145
  Get Up 
  145
  Advanced: Crawl 
  145
  Advanced: Jump 
  145
  Advanced: Super Jumps 
  146
  Pounce 
  146
  Teleport 
  146
  Phase Out (Insubstantial) 
  146
  Super Step 
  146
  Flight 
  147
  Defensive Moves 
  148
  Calculating Defensive Roll 
  148
  What You Need To Roll 
  148
  Performing a Defensive Reaction 
  148
  Defensive Actions 
  149
  Block 
  149
  Dodge 
  150
  Retreating Block 
  150
  Hit the Deck 
  150
  Roll With Strike 
  150
  Shields 
  151
  Blocking With A Shield 
  151
  Shield Bonus 
  151
  STR Min 
  151
  Shield Table 
  151
  Grappling Combat 
  152
  The Grab Action 
  152
  Grab Actions 
  152
  Advanced: Multiple Grapplers 
  152
  Grab 
  152
  Advanced: Hanging Onto Clothing or Grabbing Moving 
  Targets 
  153
  Grab Weapon Arm 
  154
  Take Something Away 
  154
  Choke (Throttle) 
  154
  Break Grab 
  154
  Grappling Actions 
  155
  REA Cost 
  155
  Range 
  155
  To-Hit Roll 
  155
  Damage 
  155
  Push/Pull 
  155
  Return Grab 
  155
  Defenses 
  156
  Description 
  156
  Chart 
  156
  Establishing a Grapple 
  156
  The Grapple Chart 
  156
  Falling Down and Ground Fighting 
  156
  
  JAGS Revised
  6
  Grappling Actions 
  156
  Basic Grapple (“Cinch”) 
  157
  Takedown 
  157
  Wrestling Shoot (Wrestling Tackle) 
  158
  Imobilize Limb 
  158
  Pick Up 
  159
  Slam 
  160
  Hold 
  161
  Lock 
  161
  Pin 
  162
  Jujitsu Throw 
  162
  Jujitsu Arm Bar 
  163
  Grappling Choke 
  164
  Mount 
  164
  Defensive Moves 
  165
  Super Throw (Jujitsu Lvl 4) 
  165
  Super Grapple 
  165
  Break-Fall 
  165
  Resist Grapple 
  165
  Break Grapple 
  165
  General Actions 
  166
  Casual Actions vs. Tracked Actions 
  166
  Two Examples To Illustrate Casual vs. Tracked 
  166
  Manipulate Object (Simple) 
  167
  End of Actions 
  168
  Manipulate Object (Complex) 
  168
  Talking 
  168
  Dropping Something/Sheathing a Weapon 
  168
  Looking Around 
  168
  Damage 
  169
  Types of Damage 
  169
  Damage Modifier 
  169
  Penetration Doubling 
  169
  Damage Roll 
  170
  Weapons 
  170
  Figuring Damage 
  170
  Damage Charts 
  173
  Impact Damage Table 
  173
  Penetration Damage Table 
  173
  Exceptions and Odd Cases: 
  173
  Armor and Armor Saves 
  174
  Damage Reduction 
  174
  PEN Defense Value 
  174
  Fantasy Armor 
  174
  STR 
  174
  Stealth Mod (Stealth) 
  174
  Fantasy Armor  
  174
  Modern Armor 
  174
  Partial Coverage 
  175
  Force Fields 
  175
  Power (a.k.a. Field Strength) 
  175
  Penetration Resistance 
  176
  Field Degradation 
  176
  Field Reinforcement 
  176
  Damage: Effects of Wounds 
  177
  The Wound Chart 
  178
  Understanding the Wound Table 
  178
  The Wound Effects Table 
  180
  Wound Effects 
  181
  No Effect 
  181
  Stunned 
  181
  Dazed 
  181
  Advanced: Defenses Drop 
  181
  Advanced: Dazed Modifiers 
  182
  Unconscious 
  183
  Internal Damage 
  183
  Dying 
  184
  Dead 
  185
  Condition vs. Wounds 
  185
  Advanced: Automatic Death 
  185
  Bleeding Speed 
  186
  Advanced: Condition Effects 
  186
  Stopping Bleeding 
  187
  Optional Rule: Medical Dramas. 
  187
  Rationale 
  187
  General Advanced Damage Rules 
  187
  Lightning Damage 
  187
  Fire Damage 
  187
  Explosives 
  188
  Bonuses to Hit 
  188
  Base Damage 
  188
  Reducing Damage By Distance From Ground Zero: The 
  Easy Way 
  188
  Reducing Damage By Distance From Ground Zero: The 
  More Complex Way 
  188
  Radius (RAD) 
  188
  Damage Modifier 
  188
  Explosives Table 
  189
  Streaming Attacks 
  189
  Pinning Someone With A Streaming Attack 
  189
  Unusual To-Hit Modifiers 
  189
  Aura Attack 
  189
  Gaze Attack 
  189
  Touch Attack 
  189
  Other Hazards 
  189
  Advanced: Escaping From a Streaming Attack 
  189
  Called Shots 
  190
  Attack to the Head 
  190
  Other Optional Wound Effects 
  190
  Attacking a Leg 
  190
  Attacking an Arm 
  190
  Shooting a Gun out of Someone’s Hand 
  191
  Inanimate Objects and Machines In 
  Combat 
  191
  The Simple Way 
  191
  Advanced: Bigger Targets Take More Damage 
  191
  Chart (Examples) 
  192
  Advanced: Different Damage Types 
  192
  The More Complex Way 
  193
  Structure Rolls (STC) 
  193
  Reducing Structure 
  193
  Types of Damage and Inanimate Objects 
  193
  Complex Machines 
  193
  Core Systems 
  193
  Cutting Beams 
  194
  Making an STC Roll 
  194
  Steps for Resolving Structure Rolls 
  194
  Failure Chart 
  194
  A Closer Look At Failures 
  194
  Advanced: No Failure Check 
  194
  Minor Failure 
  195
  Major Failure 
  195
  Walls and Doors 
  195
  Critical Failure 
  195
  Resisted Attacks 
  195
  Resisted Attack Chart 
  195
  Effects and Results 
  196
  Example Resisted Attacks 
  196
  Poison 
  196
  Paralysis 
  196
  Terror 
  197
  Taser 
  197
  Blinding (Blinding Flash) 
  197
  Flash Bang 
  198
  
  7
  JAGS Revised
  Death Ray 
  198
  Tear Gas (Mace) 
  198
  Charisma Attempts 
  199
  Charisma and Skills 
  199
  When to Use Social Skill Rules 
  199
  Persuade 
  200
  Recruitment 
  200
  Charm 
  200
  Intimidation  
  200
  End of Combat Section 
  201
  Situation Creation 
  202
  Basic Overview 
  202
  The Steps of Situation Creation 
  202
  Step 1: Discussion of Approach to the Game 
  202
  Step 2: Creation of the Situation Foundation 
  204
  Step 3: Creating the Dramas 
  204
  Step 4: Creating the Characters 
  205
  Step 5: The GM Creates the Situation 
  205
  Best Practices 
  205
  Opening the Game 
  205
  End of Situation Creation 
  205
  JAGS Revised Tools 
  206
  Core Guiding Principles 
  206
  Game Balance: Unusual Combat Situations 
  206
  Verisimilitude  
  208
  Physics: Throwing, Jumping, Falling, etc. 
  208
  Mass 
  208
  Force 
  208
  How Far Does It Go? 
  209
  High Numbers (Super Strength) 
  209
  Very Low Masses 
  209
  Calculating Force 
  209
  Knockback 
  209
  Knockback Distance 
  210
  Directional Knockback 
  210
  Damage to Targets Hit 
  210
  Resisting Knockback 
  210
  Lifting 
  210
  Normal STR Ranges for Lifting 
  211
  Making a STR Roll 
  211
  How Encumbrance Works 
  211
  Jumping Distance 
  212
  Standing Broad Jump 
  212
  Super Strength Standing Broad Jump 
  212
  Running Broad Jump 
  212
  Super Strength Running Broad Jump 
  213
  High Jump 
  213
  Super Strength High Jump 
  213
  Throwing Objects 
  213
  Object Weight 
  213
  Advanced: Falling Down 
  213
  Super Strength Throwing 
  214
  Collisions 
  214
  Falling Objects 
  214
  Advanced: Hang Time 
  214
  Falling 
  215
  Falling Damage Modifier (DM) 
  215
  Falling into Soft Earth or Spikes 
  215
  Endurance 
  215
  Strenuous Activity 
  215
  Suffocation 
  216
  Drowning or Asphyxiating  
  216
  Chokes 
  216
  Healing 
  216
  Natural Recovery 
  216
  Hospital and Doctor Care 
  217
  Cinematic Pain Killer Rule 
  217
  Patching Someone Up Rule 
  217
  Bleeding Dramas (See Drama Rolls Section) 
  217
  Advancement 
  218
  Skill Level Advancement 
  218
  Narrative Conventions of the Game 
  218
  Success Points For Normal Rolls 
  219
  Risks and Side Effects (Unintended Results) 
  219
  Where Risks and Side-Effects Come From 
  219
  GM-Assigned 
  220
  Player-Requested 
  220
  Impact of Risks and Side-Effects 
  220
  Risk and Side-Effect Impact 
  220
  Risk Assessment Table 
  221
  GM-Assigned Risks and Side-Effects (Deeper look and 
  Guidance) 
  221
  Player Requested Risks and Side-Effects (Deeper look and 
  Guidance) 
  222
  Negotiating Side-Effects and Risks 
  222
  Some Standard Conventions 
  222
  When Do You Use Drama Rolls? 
  224
  To Make Something A Drama 
  224
  Creating the Drama 
  225
  Running The Drama 
  226
  What Dramas Do I Need to Make? 
  227
  Character Specific Dramas 
  227
  Scenario Creation: Implicit Dramas 
  227
  On The Fly Dramas 
  228
  The Basic Elements of a Drama 
  228
  Types of Dramas 
  229
  Basic Open-Ended Target Number Drama 
  229
  The Required Ability Level 
  229
  Required SPs for Success 
  230
  Time(and resources) For Each Roll 
  231
  The Three Roll Challenge 
  231
  The Combat Drama 
  232
  Rules For The Combat Drama 
  232
  Example Comparison Chart 
  233
  Other Types of Dramas with Combat Effects 
  233
  Deadliness Effects Chart (Sample) 
  233
  Giving and Taking Damage 
  234
  Three Roll Target Number Drama 
  234
  Consolidated Dramas 
  235
  Example Consolidated Roll Drama 
  235
  Elements of Dramas 
  236
  Choosing the Basic Type 
  237
  Primary Skill 
  237
  Tie Breaker 
  237
  Time/Resource Scale and Round Sequence 
  237
  Using Resources 
  237
  Choose Step 
  238
  What’s a Choose? 
  238
  Do I Need A Choose Step? 
  239
  The Choose Bonus 
  239
  The Level Bonus and Bids 
  239
  Bonuses for Advantages 
  239
  Bonus Ranges 
  239
  Special Moves List 
  240
  Take Additional Risk (or Pushing It) 
  240
  Blocking Action 
  241
  Improve Position 
  242
  Direct Opposition 
  242
  Strategizing  
  243
  Advanced Techniques 
  243
  Getting Help 
  244
  Roleplaying 
  244
  Example Dramas 
  245
  
  JAGS Revised
  8
  End Note 
  251
  Gloss-Dex: A Glossary-Index for JAGS Revised 
  251
  Resisted Roll Rules 
  258
  Primary Stat Cost 
  259
  Secondary Stat Cost 
  259
  Build Modifier                                     Ground Speed 
  259
  Condition Level 
  259
  Skill List 
  260
  Skill Cost 
  260
  Roll Cost: Expensive Skill 
  260
  Expensive Skill Not Linked to STAT 
  260
  Expensive Skill Linked to STAT 
  260
  Roll Cost: Standard Skill 
  260
  Standard Not Linked to Stat 
  260
  Standard Skill Linked to Stat 
  260
  Level Cost (Expensive and Standard) 
  260
  Basic Actions Charts 
  262
  More Basic Actions 
  262
  Modifier Chart 
  263
  Speed Modifier 
  263
  Prone Modifiers 
  263
  Cover 
  263
  Visibility Modifier 
  263
  Combat Moves List 
  264
  Unarmed 
  264
  Armed 
  264
  Firearms 
  264
  Move Chart 
  264
  Grab Chart 
  265
  Grapple Actions 
  265
  Grapple Chart 
  266
  Impact Damage Table 
  266
  Penetration Damage Table 
  266
  Exceptions and Odd Cases: 
  266
  Wound Effects Table 
  266
  Resisted Attack Chart 
  266
  Grappling Tables 
  267
  
  9
  JAGS Revised
  Hello, Welcome to JAGS Revised
  Welcome to JAGS Revised—we’re glad to have you! If you’re new to RPGs in general we 
  suggest you check out some table-top-RPG resources (we’ll give you some links) and start 
  there. If you’re new to JAGS, we’ll explain what it is and why you might like it. If you’re returning 
  to JAGS, that’s great: we’re thrilled.
  JAGS (Just Another Gaming System) is a table-top universal RPG. You can use it to play in any 
  world in any genre. It’s extensible (lots of great material for different types of games), flexible 
  (with mechanics that range from the “gritty” to the “cinematic”), and (we hope) well put together. 
  It’s also free!
  JAGS appeared on the Internet in 2001 and we learned quite a bit in the intervening years. One 
  thing we learned was that JAGS, the parent system, was hard for newcomers to pick up right 
  away so we created JAGS2, a lighter compatible version. We also learned that some things like 
  decimal numbers and even the basic die-roll mechanic of JAGS could be removed or improved 
  on and so we present the next iteration of JAGS: JAGS Revised.
  What Is JAGS?
  JAGS is a table-top role-playing game (RPG). When it’s played, you, and your friends sit around 
  a table (or on the Internet … or on the floor) and use the rules to play a game that creates a story 
  in an imaginary reality. There are many RPG resources with better and fuller explanations of 
  RPGs than we could give here and we advise you to check them out.
  Here are some URL Links:
  RPG.net (www.rpg.net) One of the largest RPG communities on the web. A great place 
  to go to ask questions, learn about different games, and meet people who play RPGs from all 
  over the world.
  John Kim’s RPG Pages (www.darkshire.net/~jhkim/rpg/). John Kim has one of the largest 
  index of RPGs on the web as well as thoughtful articles on how RPGs may be played and 
  some of the different kinds of experiences you could have.
  The Forge (www.indie-rpgs.com). A site devoted to creator-owned RPGs, it has one of the 
  largest and most extensive Actual Play archives on the net where you can read about how 
  people played games (many small-press and alternative games—but if you use the search 
  function you can even find JAGS there).
  JAGS and JAGS-2
  JAGS is a rules-heavy game. That means it has a lot of game-mechanics to help you determine 
  how things happen in the simulated reality. It also means it can be a lot to learn. We’ve made it 
  as easy as we can with tools, Q/A forums, and quick-references. We’ve also got software tools 
  that will assist you making characters.
  If you are looking for something that’s compatible with the JAGS World books, you can download 
  JAGS-2 from our website. JAGS-2 is less than half the size of JAGS and it’s compatible. It’s 
  not as “complete” as JAGS: It doesn’t handle some of the more detailed JAGS situations (like 
  wrestling) but if you’re looking for something to get started with JAGS-2 quicker to pick up.
  The JAGS Website (www.jagsrpg.org). Here’s where you can download and order all 
  kinds of great JAGS content. From the post apocalyptic JAGS Have-Not to the modern-day 
  surreal horror of JAGS Wonderland we’ve got a ton of stuff for anyone interested in JAGS!
  JAGS Stories
  In the original JAGS we couldn’t afford 
  much artwork so we put in a lot of, well, 
  story-text to, um, kind of illustrate the rules. 
  It sounds kind of goofy—but it worked. A 
  bunch of people told us the stories made the 
  book. So they’re back (there are even some 
  new ones). There’ll be other things in the 
  margins—and even some blank space—but 
  the JAGS Stories remain.
  This:
  ◊◊◊
  tells you where one story ends and another 
  picks up.
  
  JAGS Revised
  10
  Why JAGS?
  Why a universal system at all? There are a lot of arguments for them (it’s easier to learn one 
  thing and then re-use it) and plenty of good ones against it (a system that does one specific thing 
  really well should do that better than a generalist one). We’re not going to argue those: here are 
  things we like about the JAGS System.
  • 
  Scalability of Character: from the upper end where Kaiju (big Japanese monsters like 
  Godzilla) do 33K points of damage with a bite to the lower end of high school students 
  or even younger characters JAGS provides some pretty useful scaling rules. For 
  example, you can have characters with “beginner” or “master” level skills that represent 
  different ends of the power-range but don’t simply saddle you with a frustratingly low 
  roll or such a high one that rolling dice becomes academic.
  • 
  Variance in Lethality: In JAGS there are rules that allow characters to be really tough 
  without simply being inhuman (although you can do that too) or mortal and easily killed 
  by one good centerline shot or a thrust with a dagger. In JAGS it’s possible to have 
  a “physically human” action-hero who survives lethal attacks (gunshots!) by virtue of 
  never being directly hit—and this is distinctly modeled in the rules.
  • 
  Distinction of Character: In RPG-land there’s talk about “niche protection” where 
  one character’s shtick isn’t overrun by another character accidentally. JAGS is pretty 
  good at that: if you design your character to be very good at something there are some 
  powerful ways to help ensure that you aren’t made obsolete by someone else at the 
  table who accidentally (or on purpose) tries to do your thing as well as you do it and 
  something else besides.
  • 
  Lots of Special Abilities: We like special abilities for characters (although we don’t 
  necessarily want the GM to have to memorize thousands of special feats). The JAGS 
  Archetype system is designed to help with that and we think it does a credible job 
  of giving characters cool special talents without simply creating a huge dictionary of 
  abilities that have to be absorbed before play.
  There’s more—we could go on all day—but that’s a taste of why we like JAGS. While your 
  mileage may vary, we hope you’ll like it too! Thanks for coming onboard and welcome to JAGS.
  What’s Changed in Revised?
  A few things have changed in JAGS Revised and here’s a list to give you a taste of them:
  • 
  Drama Rolls. The Drama Roll system was introduced in JAGS2 and we’ve refined it 
  since then. Succinctly, when you are involved in some in-game task that is considered 
  to be dramatic or exciting, you can get more deeply involved than just “making a skill 
  roll.”
  • 
  Secondary Stats: You can still buy Secondary Statistics the way you used to in 
  JAGS—but we also have some of the enhancements that came about in JAGS2 to give 
  me more colorful options. Instead of just buying up your BLD you can take Fat as a 
  character descriptor.
  • 
  Rules for Armor and Autofire: these were complex in JAGS and we’ve simplified them 
  a good deal while (we hope) keeping playability.
  • 
  Skills are purchased as they are in JAGS2, with the option to “base” them on stats or 
  not. We’ve also rearranged some of the skills and added some new ones. The weird 
  fractions are gone.
  • 
  The JAGS Roll: in the original game this was 4d6-4. Now it’s 4d6 treating 6’s as 
  zeroes. Easier to add up and with the same mathematics!
  Drama Rolls: A Big Addition!
  A big addition to JAGS Revised from 
  JAGS (and even JAGS-2) is the 
  expansion of the Drama Rolls rules. In 
  JAGS/J2 when you make a skill roll there 
  might be some analysis of how well you 
  succeed or how badly you fail (and if you 
  fail, how you try again). In JAGS Revised, 
  though, skill rolls can go from a simple 
  one-roll pass/fail (or even pass/fail a 
  little/fail a lot) to an extended, dramatic 
  resolution system.
  When invoking Drama Rolls, a Player 
  gets to make decisions about what they 
  are doing during the “roll process.” Things 
  like hacking computers, a race car race, 
  sports contests, social manipulation, and 
  even things like painting a painting can be 
  “expanded” into multi-step events where 
  the Player(s) can do things to influence 
  the results during the resolution.
  Drama Rolls are a somewhat advanced 
  concept and you can play the game 
  profitably without them—but we 
  recommend you check them out when 
  you consider playing games where there 
  will be a strong focus on some character 
  activities like medical or legal dramas, 
  sports activities, dogfights, hacking, and 
  so on!
  Change
  Change
  
  11
  JAGS Revised
  Using This Book
  The book is divided into the following sections:
  Dice Mechanics: How the dice are used to resolve things in the game.
  Character Definition: The rules for creating imaginary people in the game. Players will create 
  the characters they will portray (these are PCs or Player Characters). The GM will create all 
  other characters (although very rarely to the same degree of detail as PCs. These are called 
  NPCs or Non-Player Characters).
  Combat Example and Combat System: JAGS Revised has an intricate combat system which 
  we provide a detailed set of examples for.
  Situation Creation: The rules the GM uses to create the imaginary situation the PCs will interact 
  with.
  Tools: A variety of concepts and rules used to inform and improve the gaming experience.
  Usually we start with a brief overview and then get into the mechanical complexity of whatever 
  we’re talking about. We’ll also try to give a lot of examples done in such a way as to stand out.
  Finally, where there’s an important rule, we’re going to put a symbol marker by it so you don’t 
  miss it!
  Welcome to JAGS, here’s hoping you stay a while!
  Notations and Glossaries
  Throughout the book we’ll use several notations to direct you to things we want to call out and 
  discuss:
  Glossary of Terms
  Here are some of the terms we’ll use in the following rules:
  Game Master (GM): The referee of the game. Also, usually, the person responsible for coming 
  up with the Starting Situation.
  Non-Player Character (NPC): A character in the game who is run by the GM.
  Player: one of the actual people sitting around the table (or on the net) playing the game with 
  one or more Player Characters.
  Player Character (PC): A fictional character in the game who is run by a Player.
  Participants: a term for all the people playing the game (GM and Players).
  Starting Situation: The state of the fictional world when play begins.
  Situation Foundation: When organizing a game, the participants will agree on a basic premise 
  to start the game with. From here PCs will be created and the Starting Situation will be fleshed 
  out.
  Statistics (STATS): A measure of how strong, fast, and smart a character is.
  Skills: An area of knowledge a character has (usually either through experience or training).
  Trait: Some description of the character which usually has game-rules effects. Some are 
  usually good (having a character be charismatic) and some are generally bad (a notation that a 
  character is abrasive). 
  Important Note
  This call-out signifies an rule important you don’t want to miss: 
  This is a rule you don’t want to miss!
  Important Note
  !
  The blue boxes mean that we’ve got an 
  example of the rule or concept in use. 
  Hopefully this’ll make it easier to figure out 
  what we’re talking about!
  Example
  Where we have diverged greatly from 
  JAGS or JAGS-2 we’ll sometimes make 
  a note of it so that if you played with the 
  previous rules you’ll be more aware of the 
  distinction. 
  Change
  Sometimes we want to talk about how 
  we see the game rules being applied in a 
  context outside of the straight mechanics. 
  These boxes might be our take on “best 
  practices” with the rules we’ve presented 
  or some explanation or insight into why we 
  did what we did. 
  Designer’s Notes
  
  Dice Mechanics
  There are lots of situations in JAGS where you use dice to decide what happened. Much of the 
  rest of this book describes how to figure out exactly how to use the dice and when. Before we 
  jump into specifics, this section describes a few fundamental dice concepts including
  • 
  The “JAGS roll” and related basic concepts (“Target Numbers” and “Degrees of 
  Success or Failure)
  • 
  Guiding Principles for when to bring out the dice
  • 
  Five common “types” of rolls that you’ll encounter later in the rules and general rules 
  for using them
  JAGS Roll
  At the core of the JAGS system is a simple dice mechanic known as the JAGS-roll:
  The JAGS Roll: Roll four six-sided dice (noted as 4d6) and treat 6’s as zeros.
  Important Note
  !
  = 2 + 0 + 5 + 3 = a roll of a 10!
   5+5+
   5+5 = 20
   0+0+
   0+0 = 0
  1. Roll four six-sided dice.
  2. Add up the numbers treating 6’s as zero.
  3. Your number is between 0 and 20!
  Note: Most of the rolls are between 8 and 12. The average roll in JAGS is 10.
  The meaning of the roll depends on what type of roll it was (see below) and how difficult the roll 
  was (see “Target Number” below)
  The game rules call for a roll. The Player rolls four dice. The numbers rolled are: 6,5,3,1. The 
  roll is a 9 (0+5+3+1=9).
  Example
  Target Number (a.k.a. “Rolls” or “X or less”)
  Most rolls have a Target Number (sometimes abbreviated TN) that the roll must be less than or 
  equal to for it to be a success. This means that rolling low is (in most cases) good.
  Target Numbers are expressed as a Number ‘X’ with a ‘-’ sign after it and read as “X 
  or less” chance of success. A skill roll of “14-” means the player must roll a 14 or 
  less.
  Important Note
  !
  The rules below will tell you how you figure out what the Target Number is. In most cases, it’s 
  written on your character sheet somewhere. Target numbers are also called “rolls” as in, “What’s 
  your Psychology Skill Roll?” asks for the unmodified Psychology Skill Target Number.
  A character attempts something that requires a roll with a Target Number of 10-. This means 
  that the Player needs to make a JAGS roll that that is less than or equal to 10. He rolls four 
  six-sided dice, getting 4,5,6,2. The 6 counts as zero, so the sum is 4+5+0+2 = 11. This fails 
  the roll so the attempt does not work.
  Example
  Karg clung to the cliff-wall. Beneath him, 
  making noises like rustling leaves, the 
  column of army ants flowed like a dark river. 
  He had seen executions in the kingdoms 
  where men were chained with irons before 
  the path of the insects. The subject would 
  be covered, screaming, in a black carpet of 
  movement as they devoured him, eyes first.
  The screaming, he knew, killed them faster 
  than the flaying of the thousands of bites: 
  when the subjects died it was because their 
  lungs had filled with ants. Grimacing, he 
  continued to climb. It wasn’t an easy climb 
  and most men would’ve lost their grip and 
  fallen—but Karg wasn’t most men. He had 
  been trained in the elimination camps as a 
  child—the sole survivor of a group of twenty 
  who had perished under the harsh training. 
  It had made him strong. His muscles worked 
  ceaselessly as he scaled the surface. He 
  climbed methodically, his hands finding 
  scant ledges and his fingers seeming to dig 
  into the rock itself. This was something he 
  knew how to do.
  He smiled as he reached the top. The ant 
  armies could sometimes swarm for days. Let 
  the men following him try to catch him now! 
  ◊◊◊
  Matrices of data came together like waves 
  crashing into each other. Claire watched the 
  computer simulation falter and then stall 
  completely. Worried, she took another sip of 
  coffee. 
  “We need more power,” she told Grant. Her 
  boss looked down at the screen and nodded. 
  “They’re going to kill us if we don’t get more 
  computer speed. I … can’t do this with what 
  we have.”
  “You’re good, Claire,” he assured her. “One 
  of the best. We’ll get you what you need 
  before it’s too late.” 
  But he looked worried too.
  ◊◊◊
  Dice Mechanics
  12
  
  13
  Degrees of Success or Failure (“Made it By/Missed it By”)
  For rolls used to determine if some attempted action was a success or a failure, sometimes the 
  degree of success is important. In this case, the more you rolled under your Target Number, the 
  better. The more you rolled over, the worse.
  The question “What did you make your roll by” means how many points under your target 
  number did you actually roll?
  Drama Rolls (see below) introduce the idea of “success points” which are accumulated over 
  several roles (or awarded by the GM). The number of success points generated by a roll is the 
  amount it was made by. Success points are never negative. No matter how badly you roll, you 
  never lose success points from a bad roll. You just get 0 if you miss the roll. On the other hand, a 
  roll “made by 0” is still a success in many cases.
  A character rolls against a Target Number of 15. He rolls a 4,3,5,2 for a sum total of 14. The 
  GM asks, “What did you make your roll by?” The answer is 15 – 14, or “One point.” If he’d 
  rolled a 15 – rolling the Target Number exactly – the answer would be, “Made it by zero.”
  Example
  The character rolls again, this time rolling 5,5,5,5 – the worst roll in the game: a sum total 
  of 20. When the GM asks, “What did you make it by?” the player, after a moment of silence 
  says, “I blew it. I missed it by 5 points.”
  Example
  Guiding Principles
  These are some general principles that tell you when to use the dice. Each of these cases has 
  exceptions, but for the most part they describe the roll-focused rules decisions in the rest of this 
  book.
  Rolls are generally called for
  • 
  When you try to physically hurt someone (“combat”)
  • 
  When you try to physically defend yourself
  • 
  To see if a weapon blow penetrated a target’s armor
  • 
  When you interact with the physical world in an extraordinary manner
  • 
  When you try to accomplish something difficult through the use of skill
  • 
  You try to overcome a special weakness (e.g. resist temptation)
  Rolls are sometimes called for (GM or player discretion) when
  • 
  You try to use your charisma to influence an NPC
  • 
  When you are in a contest (called a “drama”) with other characters
  • 
  When you are trying use a skill to achieve a long-term goal
  • 
  When the GM wants to determine if a random even occurs (e.g. to see if you run into 
  unexpected trouble during a journey through monster-infested wilderness)
  Rolls are almost never used
  • 
  During normal character creation (some special “life path” rules may be an exception 
  to this)
  • 
  To influence PC’s with charisma (Players may decide to allow themselves to be 
  influenced; otherwise charisma rules apply uniformly to NPCs)
  • 
  To influence “important” NPCs with charisma (GM discretion)
  Blood spilled from the mouth of the Baron’s 
  man and Trevor didn’t feel the least bit sorry. 
  Murdering bastard, he thought, viciously, 
  feeling the resistance of the sagging body as 
  he withdrew his sword. 
  He could hear the girl’s so�, terrified 
  cries from further down the stone walled, 
  candle-lit hall. It’s a good thing the 
  guard died silently, Trevor thought as he 
  started towards the sound. If he didn’t get 
  the girl out of here, the Baron’s tribute—a 
  merchant’s daughter taken as a show of the 
  absolute power and depravity the Baron Von 
  Lem was capable of —wouldn’t live to see 
  the dawn. 
  Trevor’s feet made no noise as he glided them 
  across the stone. There’d be two guards at 
  the door, he knew, edging towards the corner: 
  and he’d have to strike fast—and strike true 
  to take them both before the alarm was raised 
  and men with the crossbows came. 
  Candles flickered. The girl continued to 
  sob. A nightingale cried out from beyond a 
  distant window. Trevor moved forward. He 
  felt strangely calm.
  ◊◊◊
  Dice Mechanics
  
  14
  Types of Rolls (Overview)
  JAGS Revised describes four types of rolls. The first three are the basis for most of the rules 
  describing what characters can do and how they do it (combat, skill use, etc.). The last one 
  (“Drama Rolls”) are used in special situations and are described in detail later in the book 
  (they’re “optional” rules).
  The table below gives a “Quick Look” followed by detailed descriptions of each roll type.
  • 
  Skill or Stat Check
  • 
  Resisted Rolls (Skill v. Skill or Stat v. Stat)
  • 
  Resisted Rolls (Value v. Value)
  • 
  Effect Rolls
  • 
  Drama Rolls
  Roll Type Overview / Reference Table
  Skill or Stat Check
  Description
  • 
  Player must roll under the Target Number (a character’s statistic or skill)
  • 
  Yields immediate success or failure
  • 
  Modifiers for difficulty apply to the Target Number
  • 
  The more the character makes (or fails) the roll by, the better (or worse) the 
  outcome
  Examples
  • 
  Hit an opponent in combat (Target Number = Character’s skill with 
  the weapon he’s using, or Agility Stat if the character has no skill)
  • 
  Hold breath for a long time (Target Number = Character’s 
  Constitution Stat)
  • 
  Drive recklessly in heavy rain (Target Number = Character’s Vehicle 
  Operations skill, modified by GM’s estimation of road conditions)
  Resisted Rolls (Stat v. Stat or Skill v. Skill)
  Description
  • 
  Two characters oppose each other in a contest that directly pits their skill or 
  physical characteristic against each other
  • 
  Both characters roll against their Target Numbers of the relevant Stat or Skill
  • 
  Yields immediate success or failure: the character who makes his roll by the 
  most wins (if they both make their rolls or miss them by the same amount, 
  the contest is a tie)
  Examples
  • 
  A simple arm wrestling contest could be resolved by both 
  contestants rolling their Strength Stats and whomever makes it by 
  the most wins
  • 
  A simple foot race could be resolved by each contestant rolling their 
  Reaction Speed (REA) Stat
  Resisted Rolls (Number v. Number)
  Description
  • 
  Two forces oppose each other with value scores that are neither Skills or 
  Stats (e.g. Weapon’s damage rating against an armor’s protection rating)
  • 
  The difference in the opposing statistics modifies a base 10- Target Number 
  roll
  • 
  One party rolls
  • 
  Yields immediate success or failure; if the character rolling makes the 
  modified 10- roll, his desired outcome occurs
  Examples
  • 
  When an armored target is hit with a weapon, the armor gets an 
  “armor save” which determines if the armor gets penetrated or not
  • 
  Characters wrestling use “grapple scores” which are not strictly 
  “Stats”
  Effect Rolls
  Description
  • 
  Used to determine how effective some event or action was
  • 
  Outcome usually refers to a table or chart from the rules
  • 
  Rolling high is usually better (unlike every other roll in the game)
  • 
  Yields an immediate outcome (the effect from the appropriate table or chart)
  Examples
  • 
  Rolling to determine how much damage a hit with a weapon did
  • 
  A character asks if his cell phone has a camera. The GM decides 
  that if he rolls under an 8 it will. This is just an arbitrary decision 
  based on the GM’s assumption that more than 75% of cell phones 
  have working cameras
  Drama Rolls
  Description
  • 
  May represent extended contests between multiple characters
  • 
  May represent long-term projects
  • 
  Often have special rules based on the type of drama being played out
  Examples
  • 
  Examples are provided in the Drama section
  Dice Mechanics
  
  15
  Dice Mechanics
  Stat and Skill Checks
  Characters have Statistics that measure their physical and mental abilities and Skills that 
  represent their degree of training (or, sometimes, natural ability) in specific disciplines. When 
  they try to use these to do something where the outcome is important and in question Skill or 
  Stat checks are used to see if they were successful.
  Description
  Stat and Skill Checks are one of the most common roll-types in the game. Skill checks are used 
  in combat (to attack and defend), to perform medical tests, look for clues, or do other things 
  that require training or experience. Stat checks are often used when characters push their limits 
  physically or mentally.
  When Do I Roll?
  Stat and Skill checks are usually called for in three conditions
  • 
  The rules call for them. The combat and skill rules provide specific rules for what checks 
  must be made and when. In general, most offensive and defensive actions in combat 
  require a Skill Check. When a character takes damage a Stat Check (against Constitution) 
  may be required
  • 
  A character decides to use a skill or innate ability and requests a check 
  • 
  An event occurs in the game world and the GM instructs the character(s) to make checks to 
  determine their reactions to it
  Characters are not required to roll to perform common, every day actions unless they have 
  specific limitations or disadvantages (which make ordinary feats ‘exceptional’ for them).
  When Stat or Skill checks might be called for:
  • 
  A Computer skill roll might be called for to write a program of any complexity
  • 
  A Strength roll might be called for to see if something heavy can be picked up
  • 
  Rolls would not be called for, for example, to pick up a cup of coffee
  • 
  A roll to dig a ditch would probably not be required if the character has all 
  afternoon, but might be required if there was a pressing time limit
  Example
  You can also use Stat and Skill checks to help make arbitrary decisions about the character’s 
  past or current condition in the game. This use is more unusual and should be treated as an 
  optional rule.
  Non-traditional Stat Check: The characters travel to a town not-too-far from their home. 
  They ask if they know anyone local. The GM decides to ask for MEM checks to see if the 
  PC’s “remember” anyone who lives here.
  Example
  Non-traditional Skill Check: A player asks if his hot-shot lawyer character can afford an 
  expensive sports car. JAGS has lots of rules for money, but in this game no one’s been 
  paying attention to finances, and although all the characters are successful professionals, the 
  car is at the outer limit of what such a character could easily afford. The GM decides to have 
  the character roll against his Law Skill roll, assuming the roll will represent the size of the 
  character’s last bonus.
  Example
  The Mental-Hygiene report was framed 
  against the tabletop where the analyst looked 
  balefully at it. Hammerhead, she though, 
  again. The Ministry of Employment red-
  flagged anyone who was outside the program 
  and reports, like nerve-signals climbing a 
  spinal-column, filtered upwards and collated, 
  and landed on her desk.
  Social-aggressive. Physical-bias. Anger 
  issues. She looked at the grid. The virtual 
  simu-paper made her nose wrinkle as though 
  it had a smell: Neanderthal. She typed into 
  a keyboard and brought up the screen-cam 
  of her assistant. The view out the monitor 
  showed a girl (unaware she was being 
  watched, of course) with an immaculately 
  clean desk (the Analyst had mandated a mild 
  OCD-chip for cleanliness from the agency). 
  On the monitor the assistant studied her 
  nails.
  “Emily,” the Analyst spoke—the girl 
  jumped—”I’d like a work-reassignment 
  order. Set up three cascade interviews. We’re 
  looking for a specific personality matrix in 
  the choice of Mr. McLear’s superior. I’ve sent 
  a batch of test candidates. Run the tests and 
  get back to me: we’re going to reassign him 
  by Friday.”
  “Yes ma’am.” The information, in 
  translucent mirror-writing came up as the 
  assistant viewed it. “Right away.”
  The Analyst smiled and looked at the image 
  of McLear on her own desk. He was certainly 
  not going to like this.
  ◊◊◊
  Dice Mechanics
  
  16
  Dice Mechanics
  Skill/Stat Check Rules
  Most of the time these rolls are very straightforward: The GM or player explains what they’re 
  trying to do and rolls against a Skill or Stat on his character’s sheet. Success or failure is 
  immediately determined, and the game moves on. This is how you do it:
  • 
  The GM determines what Stat or Skill is applicable (in many cases this will be obvious or 
  the rules will be specific)
  • 
  The GM determines if there will be any modifiers to the difficulty of the attempt and 
  determines what the modifier is (“This is a really hard task so the difficulty is -3!”)
  • 
  The Target Number is the Stat or Skill applicable, modified by the difficulty of the check
  • 
  The GM should determine before the roll what success or failure of the roll means; in most 
  cases the GM should discuss this with the Player prior to the roll being made. Results 
  Decisions commonly include
  o If the character fails, can he re-try? Will there be a re-try penalty
  o Does ‘degree of success or failure’ matter in this case? If so, what effect would it 
  have?
  o What will other characters know about the attempt if it succeeds? If it fails? (e.g. 
  will others notice the character has attempted something)
  o Does the character have any options that would affect his chances (e.g. being 
  sneakier may make some rolls more difficult. Taking more time may make some 
  rolls easier)
  o What does success / failure mean in this case (does a successful computer 
  programming roll mean a flawless, bug-free program? Or does it just represent a 
  program that’s ready for serious testing but probably still has some defects?)
  o Are there any side effects of taking this attempt the character would be aware of?
  • 
  The Player for the character attempting the action rolls the dice
  Skill/Stat Roll Timing
  Stat or Skill checks are made for attempted actions when the action is declared, enough time 
  has passed that it is too late to abort, and success is in question and important to a person at the 
  table.
  The amount of time a Stat or Skill check makes can be highly variable. Where there are not 
  specific rules, the GM should use his judgment. Some illustrative examples: 
  • 
  In combat attack rolls are measured in six-second rounds
  • 
  A roll representing a programming task might represent hours, days, or weeks of effort
  Interruptions & Reactions
  In some cases rolls may be interrupted through actions taken by other characters. The combat 
  rules provide several of these cases. For other cases, the GM should decide if the interrupting 
  character could reasonably see what was happening and take some action to prevent or delay it.
  Interactions & Responses
  • 
  In combat, the rules specify that characters being attacked can interrupt the attack 
  with defensive move (e.g. a block or a dodge maneuver)
  • 
  A team of thieves are trying to pick a lock. Since this usually takes several minutes 
  (at least), any one of them could decide to abort the operation and take steps to 
  prevent the roll from being made. A character being attacked could probably not 
  make a lock-pick roll (or would have to do so at a significant negative, assigned by 
  the GM)
  • 
  A medic is making a First Aid skill roll to try to save a wounded soldier. This takes 
  a few minutes (to bandage wounds, etc.) and the GM rules that a fellow infantry 
  man has time to notice what’s happening and come to help (maybe adding to the 
  medic’s roll) 
  Example
  Chance of Success or Failure
  This table shows the chances of getting 
  the listed number or lower on a JAGS roll!
  JAGS Roll Percentage Table
  ‘X or Less’
  Percent
  0
  %0.063
  1
  %0.359
  2
  %1.156
  3
  %2.719
  4
  %5.393
  5
  %9.752
  6
  %15.855
  7
  %23.939
  8
  %33.624
  9
  %44.428
  10
  %55.701
  11
  %66.505
  12
  %76.100
  13
  %83.963
  14
  %90.208
  15
  %94.563
  16
  %97.326
  17
  %98.878
  18
  %99.642
  19
  %99.931
  20
  %100.00
  So a character with a 15- Lawyer skill will 
  make an unmodified, unopposed roll 94% 
  of the time!
  Designer’s Notes
  Dice Mechanics
  
  17
  Modifiers
  The GM or JAGS rules may assign modifiers for tasks that are more difficult or easier than 
  “average” for that skill or statistic.
  Modifiers are applied the Target Number. When a Modifier says “+2 to a roll” or “-1 
  to a roll” or something like that, the plus or minus is applied to the Target Number, 
  not the dice roll. If you are rolling with a 14 or less and the modifier is +2, you are 
  rolling 16-.
  Important Note
  !
  Many modifiers apply to the rolling character’s Target Number, so 
  • 
  Harder tasks have negative modifiers (reducing the number the character has to roll 
  under)
  Hard task modifier: For example, a Chemist trying to analyze an alien metal might be told 
  to “roll at -4” this means their skill is reduced by 4 for purposes of making that roll. If the guy 
  had a 14- Skill (“Fourteen or less”) then the Target Number becomes a 10- (increasing the 
  chances of failure). 
  Example
  • 
  Easy tasks have positive modifiers
  Easy task modifier: A character with a 13 Agility has a 13- chance to hit a human-sized 
  target in a fight. In this case, however, he’s swinging (quickly, in combat) at a target that is 
  held completely immobile! This makes the guy a lot easier to hit: the modifier is +5, bringing 
  the blow to an 18-. The attacker almost can’t fail!
  Example
  Modifiers are expressed as ‘+’ or ‘-’ a number that is applied to The TN.
  Modifier Guidelines
  Situation
  Common Modifier
  You are using a Skill above 
  your level of training (see 
  Skills)
  -3 to the Skill roll per “level” the GM rules you are out of your 
  depth (if the attempt is allowed at all).
  Trying to hit a small, moving, 
  or agile target.
  -1 or more (commonly -2 or -3 to the roll). Even worse if 
  visibility is bad.
  A task is ruled “Difficult or 
  Extremely difficult”
  -1 to -10 (-1 indicates “a little difficult). A -6 modifier is 
  “extremely difficult. A -10 Task is usually “nearly impossible.”
  A task is ruled Easy or 
  Beneath your level of 
  expertise (for a skill).
  +1 to +6 (or better). 
  Hitting a stationary target at 
  close range
  +5 (it’s just sitting there, you aren’t likely to miss).
  Sometimes Success Doesn’t Succeed?
  Let’s say the PCs decide they are going to 
  get some dirt on a mayoral candidate they 
  don’t like and think is crooked. They make 
  plans to break into his office and crack his 
  safe and “get the goods.”
  The problem with that plan is that the 
  GM has determined the mayor, despite 
  appearing crooked, isn’t. In this case the 
  PCs can do “everything right” (they make 
  all their rolls to accomplish the mission) 
  but fail to get what they wanted.
  There are a few possible takes on this 
  situation:
  • 
  Live with it: If the participants are 
  interested in exploring a fictional 
  reality then, sometimes, things you 
  don’t know (the fact the mayor’s not 
  crooked) can come up in potentially 
  frustrating ways (the PCs go through 
  a number of steps to get the goods 
  and still don’t get what they wanted).
  • 
  The GM Informs the Players: 
  It’s legitimate for the GM to inform 
  the Players that their plan will fail 
  (assuming the Players are explicit 
  about their plan). This gives the 
  Players some information their 
  characters don’t have—but if the 
  participants are all okay with that, it 
  can lead to great gaming. In this case 
  the Players might have the characters 
  might abort the mission for some 
  not-clearly-related reasons and do 
  something that will be judged by the 
  group to be more fun.
  • 
  Set the stakes! If the Players are 
  explicit about what’s at stake and 
  the GM determines and (we strongly 
  advise) shares the approximate 
  level of difficulty and danger with the 
  Players then you can continue the 
  game and have the GM change the 
  world to match the players success—
  if they break in, the mayor turns out 
  to be crooked. NOTE: If you are 
  going to do this then the discussion of 
  stakes and risks is paramount to this 
  working as a game. There are some 
  rules to help with this later on. 
  Designer’s Notes
  Dice Mechanics
  
  18
  Combining and Ignoring Modifiers
  In some cases more than one modifier may be at work for a check (the road is wet, the car 
  is damaged, and the turn is very sharp). In other cases characters with expert level skills or 
  excellent equipment can ignore some negative modifiers.
  Multiple modifiers: A character is driving an armed and armored car in a vicious post-
  apocalypse battlefield. The car is moving at high speeds over uneven ground and has been 
  rammed so it is “out of control.”
  Ahead is a mine field and the driver, a highly skilled veteran, has a 16- Expert Level Vehicle 
  Operations skill (see the Skills section for a full description). Unfortunately:
  • 
  The sharp turn to avoid the mines and the high speed gives a -3 modifier
  • 
  The uneven ground gives a -1 modifier
  • 
  Τhe car, having been hit, is at -4 to control for this turn (it’s on two tires)
  This gives the driver a total of -8 modifiers, dropping his roll to an 8 or less (8-). He’s in 
  trouble!
  Fortunately, he is an Expert driver and, because of the way the skills work, can remove -3 pts 
  of those modifiers. He also has a car with a special combat suspension made for this kind of 
  terrain. It removes the “uneven ground” modifier. That leaves him with a total of -4 Modifier 
  remaining and a much better roll of a 12-!
  Example
  Results (Success and Failure)
  So what does a made (or missed) roll mean? This section describes
  • 
  What success and failure mean in game terms (in general)
  • 
  How you can determine the difference between a decent success and a really 
  phenomenal success (and a mild failure versus a catastrophic one)
  • 
  How you can use Success Points to modify successes you’ve achieved
  Making the Roll
  If you rolled your Target Number (modified) or under you “made your roll.” This means you 
  succeeded. So what does that mean?
  • 
  If you’re in combat the rules tell you exactly what that means.
  • 
  If you’re using a skill, the skill should give you general guidelines, but exact meaning 
  should be worked out with your GM (preferably prior to the roll)
  • 
  If you were using one of your Stats to accomplish something it means you 
  accomplished it. Some common examples:
  o Perception rolls are used to notice subtle (or hidden) but important clues, 
  events, etc. If the GM asks you to ‘make a perception roll’ and you make it, 
  you probably saw something interesting
  o Agility rolls can be called for to navigate narrow ledges. If you made it, you 
  probably got to the other side without falling
  • 
  Sometimes how much you made it by matters. 
  Degree of Success
  Statistic and, especially, Skill rolls have a degree of success in JAGS. A roll that’s way below 
  the Target Number represents a much better success than one that’s dead equal to it. Here are 
  some terms you’ll see commonly used:
  Dice Mechanics
  
  19
  Term
  What it is
  Notation
  Success 
  (also minor 
  success)
  Rolled equal-to or less than the 
  target number.
  “made it by 0” means you rolled the 
  exact target number.
  Major 
  Success
  Rolled 5 or-less than the target 
  number.
  You would say “I get a major success” 
  or “Made it by plus five.” (or “plus six” or 
  whatever).
  Critical 
  Success
  Rolled 10 or-less than the target 
  number.
  “Crit-success” or “plus eleven” (or 
  whatever margin you made it by.
  Failure 
  (also minor 
  failure)
  Rolled more than the target number 
  by 0 to 4.
  “Missed it.”
  Major 
  Failure
  Rolled between 5 and 9 more than 
  target number.
  “Major failure” or -7 or whatever it was 
  missed by.
  Critical 
  Failure
  Rolled 10 or more above target 
  number.
  “critical failure” (also “I’m screwed”)
  Failing the Roll
  When you miss a Stat or Skill Check, what does that mean? Most simply, it means that the result 
  of the attempt was not what you could’ve asked for. Something, to some degree, went wrong. 
  However, the result doesn’t have to simply be “you couldn’t do it” or “you screwed up stupidly.” 
  There are lots of things failure could mean.
  Failure
  Possible Effect
  Ask the Player 
  What Went 
  Wrong
  Sometimes when a roll is blown the GM can ask the player “What went wrong?” Whatever it was, it doesn’t have to be the 
  character’s fault. For example, if an Etiquette roll is missed, it may not mean the character acts uncouth or doesn’t remember 
  his manners—it could mean that someone else spoils the moment (another NPC at the party) or that the character turns 
  around at the wrong moment and accidentally runs into a waiter carrying drinks—not the character’s fault—but not likely to 
  win points with the guests either. If the character has Expert Level in the skill it’s more likely that the attempt went wrong for 
  reasons unrelated to expertise. If the character’s a novice it’s more likely a matter of lack of knowledge. One advantage of this 
  technique is that if the GM and players are in synch it can be a very interesting way to introduce new information (characters, 
  etc.) into the game world. While entire chapters could be written on this, a general rule is that players would be wise to work 
  with the GM when introducing new information about important characters or locations—and that includes other NPC’s that 
  are created by other players as well (wards, contacts, and other people the players have “brought into the game” in some 
  fashion).
  The character 
  needs to 
  complete 
  another task
  If you try to hack mega-corp’s bank and blow the roll the GM may rule that you don’t get in through front-line security—but you 
  have figured out the name of the employee you need to call and try to talk into giving out their password over the phone. If an 
  expert mechanic tries to repair a car and fails, it’s not likely that he “doesn’t know how to fix it” but “needs to get a new part.” 
  How hard this secondary task is and what different skills it might require will be dictated by how badly the roll was blown and 
  how expert the character is.
  Something 
  Else Went 
  Wrong
  Maybe while trying to steal a car the cops showed up. Maybe while putting the moves on a target you want to charm 
  information out of, you got unexpected competition—from the target’s suddenly arrived wife. Whatever the case, the roll didn’t 
  work because of unexpected interference. Depending on how badly you blew it you may be able to turn the situation around.
  More time is 
  needed
  For science and engineering rolls (mainly—but for other things as well) a miss by a little (the roll blown by -1 or -2, for an 
  Average or Expert level skill) might just mean you need more time and then you’ll be successful. That might be a few more 
  days—or, in a combat zone, a few more minutes. It’s up to the GM.
  Empowerment and Failure
  One of the more annoying things that 
  can happen is to have a character who is 
  supposed to be very good at something 
  keep failing at it in the game due to bad 
  luck. The strong bell-curve of JAGS helps 
  prevent this to a degree—but it can still 
  happen.
  By using some of the failure options 
  described on the next page, the 
  participants can portray the difference 
  between a character who has things go 
  badly and one who simply isn’t all that 
  skillful. In terms of the fictional narrative, 
  failure on a Player’s die roll may not 
  indicate that what went wrong was the 
  character’s fault.
  Designer’s Notes
  Dice Mechanics
  
  20
  Success Points
  Your character may have “Success Points” or SPs. SPs represent a character’s tendency to 
  succeed heroically or against small odds. They may be “spent” when a check is called for by 
  saying “I spend SPs!” and marking them off on your sheet. Here is how they are spent:
  Before the Roll is Made
  Before you roll, you may spend SPs to:
  • 
  You may spend SPs to remove negative roll modifiers
  • 
  You may spend SPs to remove negative damage modifiers
  • 
  You may not spend SPs to improve the chance of making a roll in the first place
  After the Roll is Made
  • 
  You may increase what you made it by, by spending SPs
  • 
  You may (thus) increase Damage Modifiers for an attack that hit
  • 
  You may change a Block roll from a failed block/dodge to a successful block/
  dodge if you made your combat roll—but did not make it by enough to block/
  dodge.
  How many SPs may be Spent?
  There is often a limit on the number of SPs that can be spent for any one roll. The standard limit 
  is 2 SPs per roll with each 2 SPs spent after that acting as one additional. However, the GM can 
  alter this limit. In some rolls (Drama Rolls) the use of SP may be more carefully governed. 
  Risks and Side-Effects with Skill/Stat Rolls
  A Skill or Stat roll is a dice-based check that is used when a Player wants to have a character do 
  something and the outcome is in question. The dice roll, as you’ve see, determines “success or 
  failure.” 
  Sometimes, however, more is at stake than just the basic “did it work or didn’t it work” question a 
  Skill roll answers. For example, sometimes even trying something can have risks (taking a shot 
  at a target in a crowded room: if you miss your target, you might hit someone else!). 
  The Risk/Side-Effect rules are described on Page 220 in the Tools Chapter at the end of the 
  book. They provide a way to handle situations such as:
  • 
  A computer programmer stays up all night for several weeks, risking his health to try to 
  get a project finished.
  • 
  In a sword fight, one character tries to maneuver around another to get a slight 
  advantage on their next blow (but, because of all the maneuvering takes a negative to 
  hit on their current one).
  • 
  A character in a legal debate plans to not only make a great case but also impress the 
  opposing council that he’s trying to woo—so the Side-Effect of making a good Lawyer 
  Skill roll can also result in impressing her.
  Resisted Rolls (Stat v. Stat or Skill v. Skill)
  Stat v. Stat and Skill v. Skill checks are used to resolve direct, but usually non-combat, conflict 
  between characters. Both characters make Stat or Skill Checks and the character who made his 
  roll by the most wins. 
  Description
  Let’s say two characters with Computer Skill are working against each other. One is the System 
  Network Administrator, trying to protect the system and the other is a hacker! In this case the 
  rules say that it’s one Computer Skill roll against the other. Whoever makes their roll by more 
  wins the contest (Note: it may not quite be that simple, see Drama Rolls at the end section—but 
  this is the simplified, quick version). If both values being compared are Skills or Stats (erm, with 
  one exception) then it’s pretty simple: both parties roll and you compare. If it’s a tie, the battle is 
  even.
  Success Points
  Success Points are new to JAGS. Players 
  (and perhaps some NPCs) are awared 
  SPs based on the role-playing of Traits, 
  certain characteristics (this is explained 
  in the revised Archetype rules), and their 
  level of success in Drama Rolls.
  In the game, they represent a reason why 
  the character is somewhat better at things 
  than their raw numerical scores might 
  indicate. They are a way to reward players 
  and empower PCs in the imaginary 
  environment of the game.
  Change
  Martin’s converted V-8 roared with rage 
  as he punched the car out, slewing crazily, 
  onto the highway. He could feel the vehicle 
  underneath him, its steel body like a 
  second skin. He smiled, bringing it under 
  control. The hot-rod racing away from him 
  maneuvered badly and he closed the distance 
  like a predator running down prey. He was 
  almost on top of it when he felt something 
  falter—and then, across his dashboard, the 
  gauges begin to fall. Dammit, he thought, 
  not now!
  ◊◊◊
  Dice Mechanics
  
  21
  When Do I Roll?
  • 
  In some cases skill descriptions indicate when Skill v. Skill rolls are called for. 
  • 
  Exotic weapons can require a Stat v. Stat roll to determine their effect on the target. 
  • 
  In general, the GM will require a Skill v. Skill or Stat v. Stat roll in non-combat, 
  competitive situations that don’t require the complexity or detail of Drama Rules.
  Rules
  1. 
  The GM determines which Skills or Stats are appropriate based on the situation, and 
  who’s rolling.
  2. 
  The GM determines any appropriate Modifiers, Risks, or Side-Effects using the Stat or 
  Skill Check rules above
  3. 
  The GM should discuss what “winning” and “losing” the contest will mean with the 
  players involved if the situation is covered by specific JAGS rules. If the JAGS rules 
  don’t specify how to interpret the outcome, the GM may wish to rule on
  o What happens if both players miss their rolls (does the one who missed it by 
  less “win” or do they both “lose?”
  o What happens if they make/miss their rolls by the same amount (is the 
  contest “a tie” or do they continue to roll until someone wins?)
  o Does the amount of the difference between the contestants matter, and if so, 
  how?
  4. 
  Both players roll and determine what they “made their rolls by”
  5. 
  The character who made his roll by the most “wins”
  6. 
  If the degree of victory matters, the exact amount of the difference between the 
  winner’s success and the loser’s success is determined and the outcome is applied
  Results (Success, Failure, and Degrees of Both)
  In most Stat v. Stat or Skill v. Skill contests the player who made his roll by the most “wins”
  If both characters make / miss their rolls by the same amount, the contest may be declared a tie, 
  or the players may continue to roll until someone wins
  The GM may decide (before rolling) that degree of success matters. JAGS generally defines five 
  gradations of victory/effect. The GM should only determine the outcome to this level of detail if 
  there’s a compelling reason. In general, victory is victory.
  Difference between 
  winner and loser
  Result
  0-3
  Standard Victory: Whatever was attempted was accomplished.
  4-6
  Major Victory: The victory was substantial.
  7-9
  Critical Victory: The victory was pretty complete.
  10+
  Catastrophic Victory: The victory was extreme.
  Resisted Rolls (Number v. Number)
  Now we get to the slightly more complex case. Stats and Skills are both expressed as Target 
  Numbers with ranges that tend to center around 10- and rarely go beyond 20-, even in extreme 
  circumstances. But not every value in the game is expressed as a roll (Target Number). 
  Weapons and armor have values that often go beyond 20 and resist each other during combat. 
  To understand how we get a Value vs. Value comparison, let’s look ahead at deadly combat.
  In the Combat section there is a concept of Armor vs. Weapons. That is: if you are hit with a gun 
  and are wearing body armor, then the armor may have a chance to “blunt” the damage and keep 
  you from getting penetrated! That’s a good thing.
  However, guns and armor values aren’t expressed as X- “Target Number.” A gun might do 31pts 
  of damage (that’s a standard hunting rifle). A modern day Abrams M1 Army tank might have 
  What Sorts of Things Call For 
  Resisted Rolls?
  These are the places where Resisted Rolls 
  are used in JAGS Revised.
  • 
  Armor Saves: when armor is hit by a 
  penetrating weapon it gets a “save” to 
  “resist penetration. This is a Number 
  vs. Number check and only the 
  character with the armor rolls.
  • 
  Grappling contests. When two 
  people are wrestling they use Grapple 
  Scores which are usually not Strength 
  scores exactly. This is a Number vs. 
  Number: the acting (the character 
  who is taking an action at that time) 
  rolls.
  • 
  Resisted Attacks: Poison, Mind 
  Control, and the like are all handled 
  with Resisted Rolls. This is a Stat 
  vs. Stat Check where the GM (or 
  Poisioning Player) rolls for the poison 
  and the target rolls for their CON.
  • 
  Charisma Attempts: When I try to 
  charm you, I apply a number (my 
  Charm rating, say) against your WIL 
  roll. This is a Stat vs. Stat check 
  where the influencing character rolls 
  for their Charisma and the GM rolls 
  the target’s WIL.
  • 
  Contests of Skills: If two computer 
  hackers are battling against each 
  other then it’s a roll of skill vs. skill 
  (there may be several over the course 
  of a battle, see the Drama Rolls 
  section). This is a Skill vs. Skill check 
  where each party rolls their skill roll 
  against the other.
  • 
  Stealth vs. Perception: All 
  characters have a “Perception roll” 
  to notice things. Some sneaky 
  characters have a Stealth Skill. In this 
  case if I’m sneaking past you (or up 
  on you) then I roll my Stealth Skill and 
  if I make it by more than you make 
  your Perception roll (and there’s 
  some possibility that you could miss 
  me—Stealth isn’t invisibility) then I 
  sneak by. This is a Skill vs. Stat check 
  where the stealthy character rolls for 
  their Stealth skill and the observers 
  roll for their Perception Stat (note the 
  skill Surveillance might be used here 
  as well).
  Designer’s Notes
  Dice Mechanics
  
  22
  2000pts of armor on its front! Neither of these translate to a “roll” (a roll of “2000 or less” doesn’t 
  make any sense, really).
  So how do you compare these numbers to get a roll to see who prevails if you shoot your hunting 
  rifle at a tank? It’s a trick question: the tank wins. Okay, what if you fire a hand-gun at someone 
  wearing body armor? That’s a little closer. Let’s look and see how these rules work.
  When Do I Roll?
  Value v. Value rolls are usually explicitly called for by the rules. JAGS defines two cases:
  • 
  Armor saves
  • 
  Grappling contests
  The GM may choose to use these rules in other salutations where non-Target Number values 
  directly oppose each other.
  Rules
  Value v. Value Resisted Rolls (unlike Stat v. Stat and Skill v. Skill) are resolved by one player 
  rolling, and the contest is resolved immediately, with a single roll.
  Deciding Who Rolls
  For armor saves and grappling contests, the rules specify who rolls. In generally we’ll call the 
  two sides the “rolling party” and the “resisting party.” The “resisting party” doesn’t actually do 
  anything.
  Calculating the TN (Both Values under 20) 
  When both values are under 20, it’s easy to calculate the Target Number. You just subtract the 
  rolling party’s value from the resisting party’s value and add the result to the base 10- Value v. 
  Value target number.
  Value v. Value Calculation for Small Numbers (both under 20):
  (10) + (Rolling Party’s Adjusted Value) – (Resisting Party’s Adjusted Value)
  Important Note
  !
  Simple Value v. Value Calculation: Two ordinary men with Grapple Scores of 12 and 14 
  respectively get in a fight in a bar that turns into a wrestling match. The guy with the score of 
  12 is the “Rolling Party” and tries to pin the guy with the score of 14.
  Since both numbers are under 20, the roll is 10- + (12-14) or 10 – 2 = 8- Target Number
  The weaker (lower-value) grappler is at a disadvantage, rolls a 10 and fails.
  The next turn big guy (Grapple Score = 14) tries to pin the smaller guy. His odds are 10- + 
  (14-12) = 10 + 2 = 12- Target Number.
  He rolls a 10, and makes the roll by 2, which is a success.
  Example
  In Stat vs. Stat/Skill vs. Skill checks 
  both parties roll the dice and the 
  person who makes their roll by more 
  wins.
  In Number vs. Number checks, only 
  one person rolls the dice and the 
  mechanics ‘assume’ the opposing 
  value’s roll had been a 10. 
  Number vs. Number checks usually 
  happen in combat where a lot of other 
  rolls are already going on and having 
  only one person roll speeds things up.
  Skill vs. Skill (or Stat vs. Stat)
  Both parties roll and compare.
  Number vs. Number
  Opposing
  Numerical 
  value
  Character’s
  Numerical 
  value
  Only one person rolls using the 
  comparison of values to determine 
  what they must roll against.
  Important Note
  !
  Dice Mechanics
  
  23
  Calculating the TN (Values over 20) 
  If one ore more of the values are over 20, things get a bit more complicated. You’re going to 
  divide both numbers by the same divisor to “convert them to rolls,” and then do the subtraction. 
  The divisor you choose comes from the chart below:
  Smaller of Two Compared Numbers
  Divisor
  The smaller of the two is between 1 - 20
  1
  The smaller of the two is between 21 - 100
  5
  The smaller of the two is between 101 - 200
  10
  The smaller of the two is between 201 - 500
  25
  The smaller of the two is between 501 - 1000
  50
  The smaller of the two is between 1001 - 1500
  75
  10 + (Rolling Party Value / Divisor) – (Resisting Party Value / Division)
  Here are quick examples of both the simple and more complex rules to demonstrate how these 
  get used.
  Example & Values
  Roller
  Divisor
  Modified Target Number
  9mm handgun (Damage Value 6) shoots a 
  Kevlar bullet-proof vest (Penetration Defense 
  Value 16)
  Armored Vest
  Both values (6 and 16) are 
  under 20. Divisor = 1
  10 + (16 – 6) = 20-
  .356 handgun (Damage Value 13) shoots a 
  Kevlar bullet-proof vest (Penetration Defense 16)
  Armored Vest
  Both values (13 and 16) 
  are under 20. Divisor = 1
  10 + (16 – 13) = 10+3 = 13-
  AK 47 Assault Rifle (Damage Value 21) shoots a 
  Kevlar bullet-proof vest (Penetration Defense 16)
  Armored Vest
  Lowest value: 16 Divisor 
  = 1
  10 + (16 – 21) = 10 – 5 = 5-
  A powerful round from a .30-06 hunting rifle 
  (Damage Value 31) shoots a Kevlar vest 
  (Penetration Defense 16)
  Armored Vest
  Lowest Value: 16
  Divisor = 1
  10 + (16 – 31) = 10 – 15 = negative 
  5 TN, or no chance to win the roll
  A .30-06 rifle round (Damage Value 31) hits an 
  armored car (Penetration Defense 45)
  Armored Car
  Lowest Value: 31
  Divisor = 5, according to 
  the table (31 is more than 
  20, less than 100)
  10 + (45 / 5) – (31 / 5) = 10 + 9 – 6 
  =13-
  An insurgent Rocket Propelled Grenade 
  (Penetration Value 600) hits the top armor of an 
  Armored Personnel Carrier (Penetration Defense 
  1000)
  Armored Personnel 
  Carrier
  Lowest Value: 600.
  Divisor = 50 (600 is more 
  than 500 and less than 
  1000)
  10 + (1000 / 50) – (600 / 50) = 10 + 
  20 – 12 = 10 + 8 = 18- TN
  Results
  Results are usually provided by the rules indicating a Value v. Value roll. In cases where degrees 
  of success or failure are required, the Stat v. Stat / Skill v. Skill chart is applicable.
  Effect Rolls
  Sometimes when you do something there is a roll to see “how well you did.” In this case you may 
  be rolling on a specific chart or just rolling to get as high a value as you can.
  Effect rolls can also be used to represent basic probability in the game world. Let’s say it’s 
  suddenly important to see if you have a Bicentennial Quarter in your pocket.  JAGS doesn’t give 
  any odds for that, but the GM could simply assign a probability Target Number and have you roll.
  Description
  Effect Rolls are the simplest of all the JAGS rolls. Sometimes the game rules will instruct you 
  to “Roll on a table.” When you do so, the amount you make or miss your roll by will yield some 
  result. The most common case of this is rolling for the damage of an attack. You make a roll and 
  Dice Mechanics
  
  24
  consult the damage table and that tells you how much damage you did (this is discussed in the 
  Combat section in more detail). 
  Another common application of the Effect Roll is making a Constitution Roll on the Wound 
  Effects Table to see how well you sustained damage that was done. In this case the Constitution 
  roll is a Stat Check—but it is listed here because you don’t just roll to see if you made or missed 
  it: you consult the Wound Effects Table to get a specific result based on how you rolled.
  When Do I Roll?
  You roll when the rules tell you to. Combat rules indicate a couple of effect rolls, and some 
  settings provide tables for random encounters, the results of prospecting activities, and so-forth.
  Rules
  Effect rolls often come with tables, whose specific rules (including Results and Modifiers) are 
  explained along with the table.
  Unlike most other rolls in the game, it’s often preferable to roll high for Effect rolls. This can seem 
  counter intuitive, but we did this because we felt it makes modifiers easier to handle: Positive 
  modifiers are still “good” and negative modifiers are “bad.”
  Drama Rolls
  Drama Rolls are described in the Tools Chapter at the end of the book. They are a way of taking 
  standard Skill or even STAT checks and expanding them into complex sub-systems for purposes 
  of enhancing the pacing and excitement of the check. Drama Rolls involve making a number of 
  dice rolls to resolve some conflict the PCs are involved with in a fashion similar to the Resisted 
  Rolls system but allowing for tactical decisions between each roll on the part of the participants.
  Dice Mechanics
  
  25
  Character Creation
  Character Definition
  This section provides rules for defining characters in JAGS terms. The rules here are adequate 
  for defining characters from fantasy, modern-day, and near-future games. JAGS Revised 
  provides a variety of world and genre books that provide additional rules for defining characters 
  from those worlds
  There are a few key decisions that the people in the game need to make collaboratively before 
  these rules can be fully used. The next section – Situation Definition – describes what we think 
  are good ways to make these decisions, but however you do it, you’ll need to decide how 
  generally powerful the characters will be and what optional abilities are available.
  Basic Character Concepts and Glossary
  Before a JAGS Revised game starts, the players need to define the characters they’ll play in 
  JAGS Revised terms. During the game the GM will want to define non-player characters (NPCs) 
  in the same terms when it’s important, and player characters may change or, in some cases, be 
  replaced.
  • 
  Characters are defined through a set of “characteristics”  that describe them physically, 
  mentally, and in other ways
  • 
  Character characteristics are bought with “points” to allow players to fully customize 
  their characters while ensuring all player characters are “relatively equal” in power and 
  ability
  o Before a game begins, the players and GM work together to decide how 
  many points the players get to buy characteristics
  o The next section (Situation Definition) describes how we suggest the players 
  can work together to make these definitions
  o Characters created by the GM are not restricted to the player character 
  point-totals. The GM can make characters however he feels necessary; the 
  point total for non-player characters – if they are calculated at all – are simply 
  guidelines
  • 
  There are two kinds of points, generally speaking
  o Character Points (abbreviated CP) which are used to buy basic 
  characteristics (Stats, Skills, and Traits) that are available to anyone.
  o Archetype Points (abbreviated AP) that are used to buy highly unusual or 
  genre-specific
  • 
  In addition to point totals, there are a few key decisions the players and GM will need 
  to make prior to character definition
  o What archetype abilities are available? If you’re playing characters in a 
  fantasy or science fiction world, those setting descriptions come with lists 
  of fantastic powers that are not generally available to characters from other 
  worlds
  o Are extra-ordinary, but mundane abilities allowed? Even if the Players have 
  enough points to purchase extraordinary skill levels for their characters, the 
  group or GM may decide to restrict the purchase of the highest level of skills.
  
  Character Creation
  26
  Character Characteristics
  JAGS Revised defines characters through the following characteristics:
  Purchased 
  With…
  Characteristic
  Description
  Examples
  Purchased With…
  Character Points 
  (CP)
  Statistics (“Stats”)
  Define what the character is like 
  mentally and physically
  A character’s Strength (STR) is a measure of their 
  physical muscle power.
  Traits
  Are unusual or colorful aspects of the 
  character. Traits can be good things 
  or bad things
  The Trait “Peg Leg” indicates that the character has 
  suffered an injury and has lost a leg. The Trait “Greedy” 
  means the character values material wealth.
  Skills
  Represent training or natural ability
  The Skill “Karate” is one of several Martial Arts combat 
  skills.
  Not Bought With Points
  Goals, Personality, 
  general background
  A character will come with some form 
  of background, goals, etc. These are 
  considered free but essential. Where 
  possible they should be discussed 
  with the GM.
  A player with a character with several enemies could 
  specify to the GM which one(s) he is most interested in 
  seeing in the game and how they might show up.
  Figured Statistics
  Are statistics which are calculated 
  from the character’s other 
  characteristics – in many cases traits, 
  stats, and even skills affect the value 
  of figured stats, but they usually 
  cannot be bought directly
  A character’s Damage Points (DPs) are a numerical 
  rating that determines how much physical damage the 
  character can take before dying (or going unconscious). 
  This is a Figured Statistic based on the character’s 
  Constitution (CON) Statistic and their size.
  Purchased with … 
  Archetype Points 
  (AP)
  Archetype Abilities
  Describe powerful, genre-specific, or 
  character-type-specific abilities that 
  may not available to all characters
  • 
  Cybernetics
  • 
  Super powers
  • 
  Mutant Abilities
  • 
  Psychic powers
  • 
  Unusual, but not supernatural abilities
  Steps in Character Creation
  There are five basic steps in character creation
  1. 
  Decide (with the GM and other players) what kinds of characters you’ll be playing
  a. 
  What genre, game world, and character roles
  b. 
  How many CPs and APs players can spend
  c. 
  What ability lists are appropriate / allowed
  2. 
  Develop a general concept and background for your character (we recommend 
  working with the other players and the GM closely during this step)
  a. 
  Think about your character’s background, capabilities, and general 
  specialties
  b. 
  Decide what your character looks like
  c. 
  Work with the other players and the GM to work out the character’s 
  relationship to the other characters and the game world
  d. 
  Think about and talk about what interests you in playing the character and 
  how you’d like to see that reflected in the game
  3. 
  Spend Character Points and Archetype Points
  4. 
  Calculate Figured Statistics
  The next several pages will look at each step in some detail.
  
  27
  Character Creation
  Step 1: Decide what Kind of Characters you’ll play
  When you sit down to play JAGS Revised, we recommend that all the players and the group 
  talk about what the game will be about. The goal is to ensure that the game is something that’ll 
  interest everyone at the table and to help the players work together to define characters that will 
  make for an interesting and engaging game.
  The next section – Situation Definition – provides our best advice on how to do this, but even if 
  you take a different approach, you’ll need to make three key decisions:
  • 
  How many Character Points the players get
  • 
  How many Archetype Points the players get
  • 
  Which characteristics the players  are allowed to purchase and which ones can’t be 
  purchased without specific GM permission (and maybe which characteristics are 
  mandatory)
  Character Points and Archetype Points
  Generally speaking the number of character and archetype points you have to buy 
  characteristics determines how skilled and powerful your character is. Usually the PC’s are built 
  on the same number of points, but this is just a common convention. During the first step of 
  character definition you’ll need to work with the GM and other players to determine how many 
  points of each type you get.
  Point Total Example Table
  Character Types
  CPs
  APs
  Competent  High-School Students, average adults. Starting-out fantasy-world adventurers (who probably 
  should spend more time training before they set out)
  30
  0-8
  Competent Adults (Trained soldiers, policemen / police detectives, experienced investigators), fantasy 
  world adventurers who are inexperienced, but ready to go
  50
  8
  Experts (Highly skilled FBI agents, TV-show police detectives, reasonably successful fantasy-world 
  adventurers. Captains of small merchant ships
  75
  8-16
  Special forces soldiers, heroic adventurers, cinematic starship captains
  100
  16
  Super-Spies (from non-realistic movies), great heroes, 
  150
  16-48
  Understanding Character Points
  • 
  More character points represent more training, more experience, tougher, stronger, 
  and faster characters. Young characters, inexperienced characters, and characters 
  with lower stations in society tend to be defined with fewer character points
  • 
  More archetype points represent more unusual or specific-genre-defining abilities. 
  In many cases they represent powers that are not available in most games (e.g. 
  cybernetics that are only available in cyberpunk or other science fiction games). More-
  powerful characters tend to have more archetype points, but there are exceptions. 
  High-archetype point characters
  o Have access to unusual (although not-necessarily supernatural or flashy) 
  abilities
  o May be more colorful and less “realistic” than low-archetype point characters
  o In almost all games there are severe restrictions on what AP’s may be 
  spent on (allowed lists are usually limited to the list in this book and genre-
  appropriate lists from the source-books)
  • 
  Characteristics that are weaknesses (usually Traits) give your character points of the 
  appropriate type (usually character points). Note: unlike some games, JAGS Revised 
  does not give lots of points for most negative characteristics. There’s a sidebar that 
  explains the thinking behind this, but be aware that it’s possible to pick up a few extra 
  points by taking some characteristics your character probably wishes he didn’t have.
  Making NPCs
  The GM will make and run Non-Player 
  Characters (note: it is acceptable for 
  Players to do some of this work but the 
  GM has final say). NPCs need not (and 
  usually will not) be made out to the same 
  level of detail as Player Characters. Things 
  like point-totals, exact listings of Skills 
  or Traits—and often even Stats can be 
  left unspecified if it’s not important to the 
  game.
  When NPCs are made, they can be simply 
  “sketched” out in game terms or expressed 
  only in general terms of their important 
  Traits or Skills or exceptional Stats.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  Character Creation
  28
  Character Definition Parameters: The GM has a game set in a near future and assigns 
  us 75 CPs and 8 APs. There will be no major cybernetics and absolutely no mutations or 
  psionics (or magic for that matter). We’ll need to know more to make the characters, of 
  course—but on 75 they’re going to be quite capable but without any substantial unusual 
  abilities. 
  Example
  Restricted Characteristics
  In most games any of the stats, traits, and characteristics listed in this book are available for 
  purchase. The GM is always the final decision makers about any characteristic, but things go 
  smoothly if the basic guidelines are worked out collaboratively and discussed before any points 
  are spent.
  The players and GM should determine which archetype lists and skill levels are appropriate for 
  the game being played and the type of characters they (collectively) want to describe.
  This would include 
  • 
  Any specific Archetype Ability lists appropriate to the genre & game world
  • 
  Magic and Magical Abilities
  • 
  World-class mastery skill levels (which are usually not available)
  In some cases, the players may create other, game / genre-specific restrictions:
  Genre-Specific Characteristic Restrictions: The characters are to be teenagers; 
  professional-level skills are not allowed. 
  Example
  Note that in some cases, the players may define certain characteristics as being required:
  Required Characteristics: The characters are to be soldiers. The players develop a basic 
  set of weapons, medical, and orienteering skills that represent the common training the 
  characters have been through 
  Example
  Step 2: Character Concept
  Before you spend any points (or even write anything down), we recommend that you spend 
  some time with your fellow players working out who your character is, how he relates to the other 
  characters, and what’s interesting or fun about playing him.
  None of these things cost points of any kind, but this kind of high-level thinking up-front helps 
  everyone make characters that will fit into the game. The Situation Definition section (next) 
  provides more guidance and our view of leading-practices for working together with the other 
  players, but here’s what we think goes into a “character concept”
  Character Background Capabilities and General Specialties
  When it comes time to spend points, you’ll want to buy stuff that represents what he’s good at, 
  what’s he’s bad at, and what he’s great at. Some players like to develop detailed backgrounds 
  for their characters to explain these capabilities. Another way to do it is just to sketch out who the 
  character is when the game starts, and think up the background during play.
  If your character has non-player characters (e.g. family, friends, enemies, etc.) who are 
  important, this is a good place to bring it up. Likewise, if he owns a bar, or is famous (or 
  infamous) figure out why and let everyone know.
  “I’ll take him,” she said, looking at the 
  muscled naked man standing immobile 
  under the lights. “What’re his specs?”
  The portly man smiled: a customer with 
  expensive tastes brought a gleam to his eye. 
  “The EX-131 Escort Bioroid is one of our 
  prestige models,” he started. “It’s designed 
  with a sensuous personality and several 
  experience modules that—”
  She broke him off. “Conditioning specs,” 
  she corrected him. “Strength, endurance, 
  flexibility, reaction speed?”
  “Ah-hem.” The merchant coughed. “You’re 
  expecting a bit of a work out?” he asked, 
  caught slighty off balance. The row of 
  pleasure constructs stood as statues, their 
  expansive muscled chests rising and falling 
  in machine-calibrated unison.
  “Yes,” the woman said, her expensive neo-
  silk fabrics suggested a fragility her tone and 
  directness belied. “It’s going to get a hell of a 
  crash test.”
  On the merchant’s tablet, maximum-li�, 
  weight and mass, endurance, immunological 
  response, and reflex-metrics flowed down the 
  screen like a waterfall. 
  The woman’s dark eyes watched 
  unblinkingly applying her mental 
  calculations against some standard the flesh-
  vendor could only guess at.
  ◊◊◊
  
  29
  Character Creation
  In some games the characters will start the game as part of the same “team” with different 
  specialties. This is particularly true in certain kinds of game fiction:
  • 
  In some kinds of heroic fantasy games different adventuring professions have certain 
  exclusive specialties
  • 
  In a science fiction game, where the characters are the bridge crew of a star ship, the 
  ship’s posts may require different skills (E.g. Science Officer, Helm, Fire Control, etc.)
  JAGS Revised doesn’t have “classes” or other game mechanics that ensure that a team of 
  characters will respect each other’s specialties; we recommend collaboration during this phase 
  to make sure the team doesn’t end up with too many wizards and not enough Science Officers, 
  or whatever.
  Name, Looks, and Style
  Figure out what your character comes off to those around him. Is he handsome? Mysterious? 
  Does he have a distinctive accent? How does he dress? In subsequent steps things like 
  exceptional beauty or an arresting sense of style cost Character Points, so you’ll want to have 
  an idea of what’s important to the basic concept.
  Don’t forget to choose a name for your character.
  Relationships with Other PCs
  We suggest that every character have some relationship to the others—in fact, although it 
  may sound goofy (or in some places actually be impractical), all the others. By “relationship” 
  we mean: anything that binds the characters together in some way—even if the characters 
  themselves are not aware of it.
  A strong and obvious relationship is blood: the characters are siblings. Lasting friendship or just 
  professional relations are easy to come up with too (the characters are members of the same 
  treasure hunting team). But there are other possibilities that are less obvious but can still be very 
  powerful:
  • 
  Shared goals. A character might have some strong goal shared with another character 
  and not realize it when the game begins (the Players will know, however). This might 
  well be done intentionally to create dramatic impact and bond the characters when 
  they realize it.
  • 
  Rivals. If the characters don’t exactly like each other—but are rivals and have stakes 
  in outdoing the others then that is, in fact, a relationship and can increase the energy 
  level of the participants. Note: before becoming competitive with another player, we 
  suggest discussing it with the participants. Some people, legitimately, do not like 
  playing competitively against each other in RPGs.
  • 
  Common History. Characters might’ve crossed paths before, fought in the same 
  battle, etc. They might not even know it—but if a shared history is chosen as a 
  Character Relation then either it should be something that is pretty clear (both 
  characters are obviously war veterans) or is expected to come out somehow.
  Key Elements (“What Ma�ers”)
  There’s something that interests you about playing this character and how you expect that to be 
  reflected in the game. It’s important to figure this out for yourself and then tell your GM and fellow 
  players.
  This could be completely informal – a discussion about what kinds of game situations and 
  encounters you like or your feelings on the level of combat you’d prefer.
  Here are some suggestions we have for rounding out your character with the group:
  • 
  Key Traits and Skills. If there is some Trait you feel is especially relevant to your 
  character, make sure the GM knows. If there is a Skill you feel is important to the 
  character’s portrayal, again, make a note of that. We suggest giving the GM a list of 
  The GM has determined that the game 
  will place us in a so-sweet-it’s-saccharine 
  future utopia where just about everyone has 
  “happy chips” in their heads and listens to 
  easy-listening music. It’s a safe, passive, 
  and clean future (in the cities, at least—
  there are some “unincorporated zones”) 
  and we are playing moderate-to-major 
  malcontents (but the GM asks the players 
  to stop short of “rebels”) who just aren’t 
  happy in this overly-sunny future world.
  The game begins, the GM tells us, when we 
  get a job offer of a very unusual nature—
  something malcontents would probably find 
  very interesting.
  I make Hammerhead McLear, a 
  maladjusted cynical loner who combines 
  a love of old-fashioned polluting, eco-
  destroying muscle cars with mechanical 
  abilities. I envision him as rugged looking, 
  wiry and strong, and with a dark sense of 
  humor. In this world he’s something of a 
  loser … and he knows it.
  Example
  My fellow player is making a computer 
  programmer who does hacker-style 
  vandalism from time to time since he’s had 
  it with the oppressively smug majority of his 
  co-workers. Both of us seem to be having 
  problems keeping our current jobs.
  Me: “Hey—maybe our characters meet in 
  the unemployment office?”
  Him: “Yeah—both of us having to explain 
  a list of ‘negative references’ from our past 
  bosses.”
  Me: “But we don’t say anything to each 
  other—but we’re both like ‘that guy’s 
  getting’ a raw deal.”
  Him: “Okay. How do you dress?”
  Me: “Jeans, white t-shirt, boots. Brown 
  leather jacket.”
  Him: “What the--! Me too! So we’re like 
  dressed alike.”
  Me: “Heh. That’d be cool. We might 
  remember each other.”
  Him: “Right.”
  Example
  
  Character Creation
  30
  one to three key-elements to the character with a note about how you feel about each 
  one.
  • 
  Character background. Some background elements you pay or get points for (such 
  as being very rich or very poor) but most are neutral. Deciding who your character is 
  and where the character came from can help greatly in building the game for the GM 
  and other Players. In fact, you get 2 additional character points for writing this down. 
  Consider it.
  • 
  Character Dramas. In the Tools section we cover Drama Rolls. These are a way to 
  bring the rules into play to focus on something a character does. For example, if your 
  character is a doctor, your group might have a Medical Drama in the game that is 
  invoked when someone is having a medical emergency and needs to be saved. If you 
  can think of any of these you’d like, make a note of them for the GM.
  • 
  Goals. Finally, having some discrete goals for a character can be handy. The more 
  you know about the world, the more you’ll have to work with—and be careful of having 
  goals that are out of place with the group (if the entire group is going south and your 
  character is going north, it might not be such a good fit). 
  Step 3: Spend CPs and APs (Buy Characteristics)
  You know what’s important to your character conception and how many points you have. The 
  next set of rules describes what things like Stats, Skills, Traits, and Archetype Abilities cost.
  Buying characteristics broken into four steps
  1. 
  Buy Statistics with Character Points. The character’s general physical and mental 
  characteristics are determined.
  2. 
  Buy Skills with Character Points. What areas the character has been trained or has 
  experience in are chosen.
  3. 
  Buy Traits with Character Points. This is broken down into general traits (such as 
  whether the character is good looking, has an abrasive personality, or is especially 
  resilient) and background (enemies, friends, whether the character is wealthy or poor, 
  etc.)
  4. 
  Buy Archetype Abilities with Archetype Points. Special abilities will be bought 
  as allowed (in a far future game a character might spend points to be an alien or a 
  cyborg. In a modern game a character might spend APs to be unusually lucky or have 
  exceptional instincts).
  Hammerhead’s Starting Elements
  When I am making the character I do 
  not, precisely, know what the game will 
  involve—however: I have been told by the 
  GM what the world is like and I have been 
  told that the starting scenario will involve 
  the character getting an offer of a strange 
  job that he will take. 
  How this works is explained in detail in the 
  Scenario Generation rules (after Character 
  Creation) but at this point, knowing this 
  small detail about the game, I want to make 
  a character who fits in well … so I decide 
  to give Hammerhead a conflict with the 
  Ministry of Employment (which I as a player 
  just made up—but I check with the GM and 
  he says it’s perfect!). 
  So I decide he has a bad job and has quit 
  or is looking for new work and make up an 
  “Employment Officer” who has it in for him. 
  This gets fleshed out a little later—but it 
  makes sense for the character, works for 
  what is known about the starting situation, 
  and the other player thinks it’s cool!
  Note: The character might have a lot of 
  other stuff going on as well—enemies, 
  psychological issues, etc. However: this 
  conflict is one I have called out as being 
  “interesting” to me as a Player.
  Example
  
  31
  Character Creation
  Buying Stats (with Character Points)
  Stats are numbers that represent the physical and mental attributes of your character. In this 
  section we’ll look at what they are, what those numbers mean, and how you buy them.
  Primary and Secondary Stats
  JAGS Revised Characters have two kinds of statistics: Primary Stats, and Secondary Stats.
  Primary Stats List
   Name (Abbreviation)
  Describe a physical or mental aspect of the character broadly
  Physique (PHY)
  A measure of strength, size, and toughness
  Reflexes (REF)
  A measure of speed, agility, and coordination
  Intellect (INT)
  A measure of mental faculties
  In most cases, if your character is an adult human, your Primary Stats start at the human 
  average: 10. Each Primary Stat has three Secondary Stats (equal to the Primary unless specially 
  modified) associated with it, which can provide further detail about your character:
   
  Physique
  Reflexes
  Intellect
  Strength (STR)
  Raw muscle power. It affects damage with a 
  punch, how much you can lift and carry, etc.
  A 10 STR can bench press up to about 130 
  lbs. Each +1 STR adds 75 lbs within the 
  human range.
  Coordination (COR)
  Eye-hand coordination. Hitting with ranged 
  weapons, fine-motor work (jewel cutting).
  Reason (RES)
  Problem solving ability, general 
  perceptiveness, measured IQ.
  A 10 RES represents an average IQ. A 16 
  RES is genius level.
  Build (BLD)
  Physical mass. Bigger guys hit harder, are 
  harder to wrestle with, and get stuck easier 
  in small places. Each point of BLD is about 
  15lbs of body weight.
  Reaction Speed (REA)
  How fast you are. This effects when you go in 
  combat, how fast you run, etc.
  Memory (MEM)
  How well you recall things. It’s also a 
  measure of how quickly and well you are 
  trained in some kinds of tasks. A MEM of 16 
  is considered photographic or eidetic. At 14-
  15, feats of memory are exceptional.
  Constitution (CON)
  How healthy and resilient you are.
  Agility (AGI)
  Gross-Motor and balance skills. Important in 
  combat.
  Willpower (WIL)
  Raw ability to force yourself to do things you 
  don’t want to do.
  Which Order to Buy?: You can buy 
  characteristics in any order you like 
  – however, be aware that the cost of skills 
  can be affected by your Statistics – In 
  general it’s best to buy stats first.
  Figured Statistics: Stats, Skills and Traits 
  can all affect your Figured Characteristics. 
  If a figured statistics is really important to 
  your character, you may want to calculate 
  it each time you buy a characteristic that 
  affects it. Otherwise, save some time and 
  wait until you’ve bought everything you 
  want to calculate your Figured Statistics
  Important Note
  !
  
  Character Creation
  32
  Secondary Stats are Equal to the Primary Stat Unless Specially Modified by Traits: 
  A character with a 13 PHY (Physique) will have a 13 Strength, a 13 Build, and a 13 
  Constitution, unless he takes traits that change those values.
  Example
   
  What Stats Mean and How they’re used
  Stats provide a numeric range that defines, through the game mechanics, how strong, fast, 
  smart, etc. your character is. The higher the number, the better your character is in that area. 
  Stat guidelines and notes
  Average, adult humans have Stats of 10
  Most people have Stats that range from 8 to 12
  Stats below 8 (for adult humans) usually represent serious defects
  Stats above 12 are remarkable and progressively rare
  Humans almost never have stats above 16. Even super computers and inter-galactic aliens 
  don’t have stats over 20.
  Your average neighborhood “tough guy” probably has a Strength of 11 or 12
  The smartest kid in your school (unless you went to a really exceptional school) probably had 
  an Reason of 12
  If he was a stereotypical nerd, he might have had a Physique of 9
  Professional, active duty soldiers, who train for physical accuracy, endurance, and strength 
  often have Physiques and Reflexes of 11
  Elite commandos (E.g. special forces troops) can have Stats that are considerably higher (13 
  Reflexes are not uncommon)
  Ninja have 13 Reflexes
  Mad Scientists in movies have Reasons of 16 or better
  Pre-teen children might well have Physiques of 6 or 7
  Professional athletes have physical stats in the 13 - 14 range. Maybe the best-that-ever-was 
  has a 16 or greater.
  How Stats are used
  Stats are used in JAGS Revised in the following basic ways
  • 
  Having a high Stat makes buying Skills that are related to that Stat cheaper (if you are 
  really smart it is cheaper to be a rocket scientist). See the rules for Buying Skills
  • 
  Physical stats are important in combat. See the Combat rules. Some examples:
  o CON helps determine how well you take damage. 
  o STR helps determine how much punishment you dish out with a hand-to-
  hand weapon (or your bare hands)
  o REA helps you strike first (or run away before the other guy can get his gun 
  out)
  o COR and AGI determine how well you hit with ranged attacks or hand to 
  hand strikes
  o AGI makes you harder to hit with weapons (less so for ranged weapons)
  o Etc.
  • 
  They allow you to resist the affects of things like poison. WIL helps you resist being 
  brainwashed or interrogated (a high WIL means you’re harder to break). See the 
  Charisma rules and the Resisted Attack rules
  • 
  When you’re trying to do something tricky (physically or mentally) that isn’t directly 
  related to a Skill, the GM may ask you to make a Stat roll. See Tools and Dice 
  Mechanics. Examples
  Physique (PHY)
  Strength (STR)
  Build (BLD)
  Constitution (CON)
  Reflexes (REF)
  Coordination (COR)
  Reaction Speed (REA)
  Agility (AGI)
  Intellect (INT)
  Reason (RES)
  Memory (MEM)
  Willpower (WIL)
  Secondary Stats are Equal to the 
  Primary Stat They are Under: Unless 
  you take an explicit character Trait to 
  change one of your Secondary Stats 
  (increasing or decreasing it), they are all 
  equal to whatever your Primary Stat is.
  Important Note
  !
  
  33
  Character Creation
  o Walking along a narrow, slippery ledge of a building might require an AGI 
  check if the character doesn’t have Acrobatics skill
  o Holding your breath a long time might require a CON check (see Tools for 
  drowning)
  o Remembering the middle name of your High School sweetheart might 
  require a MEM check
  Purchasing Primary Stats
  Primary Stats, as noted, start at 10 for normal human adult characters and are either increased, 
  left as average, or decreased from that point.
  Using the Chart
  To determine what your cost for Primary Stats are, choose the number you want the stat to be 
  across the top and the price you pay is in the row beneath that.
  Primary Stat Cost Chart
  STAT
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  COST
  -8
  -5
  0
  5
  15
  30
  50
  75
  105
  140
  180
  255
  275
  Buying Primary Stats: A low-point character for a fantasy game who is imagined as a 
  young, physically unimpressive magician with average reflexes might come out like this:
  Cost
  STAT
  Value
  Secondary Stats
  -5
  PHY
  9
  STR 9
  BLD 9
  CON 9
  REF
  10
  COR 10
  REA 10
  AGI 10
  15
  INT
  12
  RES 12
  MEM 12
  WIL 12
  10
  total
  Example
  Purchasing or Changing Secondary Statistics
  When a Secondary Stat is changed it is usually done by buying it at -2 to +2 from the Primary (so 
  a character with a Physique of 12 might buy their Strength up to as high as 14 or reduce it down 
  to as low as 10).
  How much this modification cost depends on what your Primary Stat was to begin with and how 
  much you are changing the Secondary Stat by. There is a chart (below) that tells you how to 
  determine the cost for a “normal change to the Secondary Statistic.”
  However, for special cases (such as a character ravaged by disease or injury) there are special 
  Traits that will let you greatly reduce or otherwise modify your stat and these have a fixed cost 
  and do not use the Chart.
  Hammerhead’s Stats
  Hammerhead McLear is certainly no 
  wimp—he’s a tough-guy. But he isn’t slow 
  or dumb either (although he probably 
  comes off like a Neanderthal). We’ve got 
  75pts for Stats, Skills, and Traits—so let’s 
  start him with a good Physique, quick 
  Reflexes, and an above average mind.
  We’ve spent 35 of our character points on 
  Primary Stats. That’s about half of what 
  we started with—but understand this: 
  Hammerhead’s going to have a bunch of 
  “negative” Traits that’ll get him an extra 4 to 
  8 more points to play around with. Half of 
  the points spent on Primary Stats isn’t that 
  bad either. He isn’t supposed to be world-
  class in his skills or training.
  cost
  stat
  value
  15
  PHY
  12
  15
  REF
  12
   5
  INT
  11
  35
  Total
  Example
  Behind him were the southern lands and a 
  war-party of angry Hintians who wanted 
  him slowly dismembered, each internal 
  organ, slow roasted over their fire pits. They 
  wouldn’t catch him though, he’d scale the 
  steps—plateaus of volcanic upli�—and with 
  the army ants on the march, cu�ing off the 
  riders chasing him, they would never catch 
  him.
  That le� him with only one problem: He 
  couldn’t go back. The Ve�in Pass before him, 
  with its high, snowcaps on either side had 
  two reputations. One, the ancient one, was 
  as a hard to reach pass back to the inhabited 
  western lands—an old passage that had been 
  forgo�en at the collapse of the Last Great 
  Age.
  The second reputation, though, was this: 
  those who did try to walk the old road 
  through the forbidden valleys either didn’t 
  come back—or came back broken, and mad. 
  Karg examined the lush green hills between 
  the high mountains and shouldered his axe. 
  He started walking.
  ◊◊◊
  
  Character Creation
  34
  Secondary Stat Cost Chart (Cost is CPs)
  STAT     
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  COST     
  1
  2
  2
  2
  3
  5
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  Using the Chart
  You pay for each point of Stat increase:
  • 
  Increasing a Secondary Stat one point, from 11 to 12 costs 3 CP
  • 
  Increasing a Secondary Stat two points, from 11 to 13 costs 8 CP in total:  3 CP to 
  increase to 12, and then another 5 CP to increase from 12 to 13
  Likewise, you get CP back for each point of Secondary Stat decrease:
  • 
  Decreasing a Secondary Stat from 10 to 9 yields 2 CP in return
  • 
  Decreasing the same Stat to 8 yields 2 CP for the decrease to 9 and another CP for 
  the decrease from 9 to 8 for a total of 3 CP
  Buying Secondary Stats: Talon, a wilderness tracker born under the sign of the bear is 
  hearty and resilient (but not really big or strong). He has a 10 PHY but has the Trait (listed 
  below) Resilient for +2 CON. The cost is +2+3=5pts. That is 2pts to go from 10 to 11 (the cost 
  listed under 11 is “2”) and then another 3pts to go from 11 to 12 (the cost listed under 12 is 
  “3”).
  Example
  Buying Secondary Stats: Uber scientist Quin T. Sential is brilliant (14 INT) but has the 
  trait Forgetful (absent minded) for a -2 MEM score. Selling her MEM down is -7-5=-12pts. 
  She gets 7pts back for going from a 14 to a 13 and then 5pts back for going from a 13 to a 
  12. She’ll have to make a lot of MEM rolls, though, to remember which dangerous science 
  experiments she’s left running!
  Example
  A Weak Character: A character with a 12 Physique (robust!) has a debilitating disease and 
  the Player buys Fragile for him. This reduces the character’s STR to a lowly 8 and the cost of 
  the Trait is -5pts (note: this is not “worth it” in terms of cost-effectiveness and it isn’t intended 
  to be).
  Example
  Pay Attention To These Limits
  Here are the rules for changing Secondary Statistics
  • 
  You can change no more than three Secondary Stats per character. Each 
  change comes with a name that helps explain why the character’s statistic is 
  different (such as “Wishy Washy” for a character who sold Willpower).
  • 
  The cost of the Trait is either based on the Secondary Stat Cost Chart or 
  specially noted for the Secondary Stat (Build, for example, may be increased 
  with Big/Tall or Fat and the cost will vary).
  • 
  No more than one Secondary Stat may be changed under a given Primary 
  Stat (exception is Light—a change to Build—which does not count against 
  the character’s maximum of three changes nor against other changes under 
  Physique).
  • 
  Unless otherwise indicated, no Trait can change Secondary Stats by more than 
  2pts.
  Important Note
  !
  Hammerhead’s Stats
  Hammerhead is a tough guy and he’s good 
  in a fight. So the Player decides to improve 
  his STR and AGI. He also envisions 
  Hammerhead as lean—so he takes the 
  Light Secondary Stat modifier: 
  Powerful: +1 STR (Gives STR of 13)
  Cost: 12 (5)
  Notes: The world has modern weapons and 
  the game does not focus on hand-to-hand 
  combat so the GM grants a STR bonus. 
  This is the cost for +1 STR (going from a 12 
  to a 13) but Hammerhead gets +2. 
  Agile: +1 AGI (Gives AGI of 13)
  Cost: 5
  Notes: This is the cost to go from 12 to 13. 
  Light: Reduces BLD by 3 to 9.
  Cost: 0 (Light is free)
  Note: Hammerhead’s weight is somewhere 
  around 135lbs and he’s tall with wiry 
  muscles!
  cost
  stat
  value
  15
  PHY
  12
  15
  REF
  12
   5
  INT
  11
  35
  Total
  Secondary Stats
  STR 13
  BLD 9
  CON 12
  COR 12
  REA 12
  AGI 13
  RES 11
  MEM 11
  WIL 11
  Total 10
  Example
  
  35
  Character Creation
  Illegal Secondary Stat Purchase: A character is supposed to be a 98lb weakling but is 
  pretty resilient. The player decides to take Weaker to reduce his Strength and Resilient 
  to raise his CON. This is illegal. It modifies two secondary stats under Physique and only 
  one modification is allowed.  The player could buy up PHY and then take Weaker and Light 
  (which is, always allowed as an exception) to accomplish the same thing.
  Example
  Example Modifying Stats: A martial arts master wants to have a 12 Reflexes (REF) and a 
  15 Agility (AGI). This would cost 15 for the REF and 5+7+8 for the AGI … but it’s illegal to 
  increase a Secondary Stat by more than +2. So he has to settle for either a higher REF or a 
  lower AGI (a 14).
  Example
  Secondary Stat Modifier Traits
  Here is a list of the descriptions of Secondary Statistic Modifiers. There could be more of these 
  (they’re only common examples). The basic idea is that if you think your character should be 
  described as “Strong Willed” or “Fat” you can determine (using this as a guide) how it might 
  impact your secondary statistics (the first increases WIL, the second BLD).
  All Secondary Stat Modifier Traits are purchased with Character Points.
  The Purpose of Light
  One of the biggest exceptions to the 
  Secondary Stat rules is the Trait Light 
  which lets you reduce your BLD by 1 to 3 
  points for no cost (or gain) and no effect 
  on Damage Points. The reason for Light 
  is that the characters exact size is mainly 
  aesthetic.  The rules system doesn’t 
  penalize, for example, female characters 
  (who tend to be lighter than males) by 
  giving them fewer Damage Points or a 
  higher point cost.
  It also doesn’t seem valuable to limit 
  changes to STR or BLD when the player 
  wishes to envision their character as 
  simply thin. So we’ve made an exception 
  to the rule.
  Now, a character can sell BLD. They can 
  actually reduce it by taking the Trait Slight. 
  This does reduce their Damage Points. 
  Can a character have both? Yes. We have 
  simplified this a bit by putting the Trait 
  Emaciated in the game.
  The one effect Light will have on the game 
  is in the hand-to-hand damage bonus for 
  strikes. 
  Designer’s Notes
  Karg was strong in a way that few men 
  alive were strong—his axe blow hammered 
  through the neck of the horse and clove into 
  its spine. He bellowed with the strike blow, 
  expelling air and spi�le as the great beast 
  fell.
  Then he spun, eyes as cold as the air around 
  him. There were too many, he knew, rather 
  than though. They were all around him. 
  Even his great strength wouldn’t save him 
  from their nets.
  ◊◊◊
  Physique Modifiers 
  36
  Strength Modifiers 
  36
  Powerful [ Increase ] 
  36
  Weaker [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Puny [ -5 ] 
  36
  Build Modifiers 
  36
  Light/Short [ 0 ] 
  36
  Slight [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Fat/Obese [ -3/-5 ] 
  36
  Big/Tall [ Increase ] 
  36
  Emaciated [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Consitiution Modifications 
  36
  Resilient [ Increase ] 
  36
  Sickly [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Fragile [ -5 ] 
  36
  Ill [ -1, -3,  -5 ] 
  36
  Reflex Modifications 
  37
  Coordination Modifications 
  37
  Coordinated [ Increase ] 
  37
  Klutz [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Crippled Hands [ -6 ] 
  37
  Reaction Speed Modifications 
  37
  Quick [ Increase ] 
  37
  Slow [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Sluggish [ -7 ] 
  37
  Agility Modifications 
  37
  Agile [ Increase ] 
  37
  Clumsy [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Uncoordinated [ -8 ] 
  37
  Intellect Modifications 
  37
  Reason Modifications 
  37
  Smart [ Increase ] 
  37
  Smart [ Increase ] 
  37
  Dull/Simple [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Clueless [ -4 ] 
  37
  Retarded [ -5 ] 
  38
  Memory Modifiers 
  38
  Photographic Memory  
  38
  [  Increase ] 
  38
  Forgetful [  Decrease ] 
  38
  Empty Headed [ -7 ]  
  38
  Willpower Modifiers 
  38
  Strong Willed [ Increase ]  
  38
  Weak Willed [ Decrease ]  
  38
  Wishy Washy [ -4 ]  
  38
  Weak Minded [ -5 ]  
  38
  
  Character Creation
  36
  Physique Modifiers
  Strength Modifiers
  Powerful [ Increase ]
  The character is stronger and more 
  powerful than normal. This may not indicate 
  an extremely bulked up character, however. 
  NOTE: In games with modern or post-
  modern weapons the GM may set the cost 
  of Increasing STR to be 2pts for the second 
  level of STR increase (the character pays 
  normally for the first level).
  Strength is increased by +1 or +2 with the 
  cost based on the Secondary Stat Chart.
  Weaker [ Decrease ]
  Rolls might be made to open jars, do yard 
  work effectively, change a tire, or otherwise 
  do anything requiring physical power. 
  Strength is decreased by -1 or -2 pts with 
  the cost being based on the Secondary Stat 
  Chart.
  Puny [ -5 ]
  The character’s STR is reduced to 8 and 
  the character may be called on to make rolls 
  to accomplish even ordinary tasks.  The 
  Secondary Stat Modifier Light should also 
  be taken to reduce BLD if the character is 
  supposed to be small.
  Build Modifiers
  Light/Short [ 0 ]
  A character can take a -1 to -3 reduction in 
  BLD at any time with no effect on Damage 
  Points or anything else.
  Slight [ Decrease ]
  The character is thinner and … less robust 
  than normal for their PHY. The character’s 
  reduction does lower their Damage Points 
  (as opposed to Light/Short which does not). 
  Build is decreased by -1 or -2 points with 
  cost based on the Secondary Stat Chart.
  Fat/Obese [ -3/-5 ]
  The character is overweight (either a little 
  or a lot). The character has the following 
  statistic modifications:
  • Fat: +3 BLD, +1 Damage Point, -2 
  Initiative
  • Obese: +8 BLD, +3 Damage Points, -3 
  Initiative, -2 AGI Bonus.
  Big/Tall [ Increase ]
  The character is larger than normal and 
  gets additional Damage Points based on 
  their new BLD. Build is increased by +1 or 
  +2 points with cost based on the Secondary 
  Stat Chart.
  Emaciated [ Decrease ]
  The character has a 7 BLD and appears 
  skeletal. This results in -4 Damage Points.
  Consitiution Modifications
  Resilient [ Increase ]
  An improved CON indicates a character 
  who can take it better than normal. 
  Constitution is increased by +1 or +2 with 
  the cost based on the Secondary Stat 
  Chart.
  Sickly [ Decrease ]
  A Sickly character will always be sniffling or 
  have the chills (or maybe fainting spells if 
  the Player chooses to be dramatic about it). 
  Rolls could be called for a character getting 
  caught in the rain unprepared (a failed roll 
  means you catch cold) or otherwise risking 
  disease. Constitution is decreased by -1 or 
  -2 with the cost based on the Secondary 
  Stat Chart.
  Fragile [ -5 ]
  The character has a 7 CON. The character 
  requires a respirator, oxygen tanks, etc. 
  Any adverse condition (getting caught in the 
  rain) will force a CON check that may result 
  in serious illness if failed.
  Ill [ -1, -3,  -5 ]
  The character suffers from some chronic 
  condition that is either simply defining (-1) 
  and under control, important enough to 
  the game to be tracked (-3), or creates a 
  significant hinderance (in an interesting 
  way) to the character during play (-5). 
  Usually, if this is taken, some scene(s) in 
  the game will revolve around the character 
  dealing with or being treated for their illness 
  (for example, there may be complications if 
  the character does not take his medicine).
  “I’m stuck!” 
  “What? I told you not to try this wearing 
  plate armor! You’ll get us all killed—and 
  keep your voice down.” 
  “It’s not my armor! Get back here—bring 
  the light!” 
  “What’s stuck? Your sword? Can you un-
  wedge it?” 
  “Bring the light you fool! It’s my head!” 
  ◊◊◊
  “Aragan’s a good man to have along—saner 
  than most mages and certainly no coward. 
  Just one thing: when he mixes the Phoenix 
  Blood potions—hide boy. I mean stand way 
  back!” 
  ◊◊◊
  “See this one? Got it mixing Phoenix Blood. 
  Those vials are dang slippery!” 
  ◊◊◊
  
  37
  Character Creation
  Reflex Modifications
  Coordination Modifications
  Coordinated [ Increase ]
  The character has excellent eye-hand 
  coordination! Coordination is increased 
  by +1 or +2 with the cost based on the 
  Secondary Stat Chart.
  Klutz [ Decrease ]
  Rolls may be called for to handle objects in 
  situations where it may be relevant for them 
  to be dropped or mishandled. Trying to do 
  any fine work (painting, gem-cutting, etc.) 
  may require a COR roll as well as a skill 
  check.  Coordination is decreased by -1 or 
  -2 with the cost based on the Secondary 
  Stat Chart.
  Crippled Hands [ -6 ]
  The character’s COR is reduced to 7 and 
  doing even basic things (such as typing) will 
  be very difficult and hit-and-miss.
  Reaction Speed Modifications
  Quick [ Increase ]
  You are faster than your REF would imply. 
  Reaction Speed is increased by +1 or +2 
  with the cost based on the Secondary Stat 
  Chart.
  Slow [ Decrease ]
  You tend to move too slowly (in a physical 
  sense) on things. Rolls might be called for 
  to catch a door that was closing or to run to 
  make the bus. Reaction Speed is decreased 
  by -1 or -2 with the cost based on the 
  Secondary Stat Chart.
  Sluggish [ -7 ]
  Your REA is reduced to 7 and you have 
  trouble moving fast enough to do many 
  things. This could be due to a neurological 
  condition.
  Agility Modifications
  Agile [ Increase ]
  The character has greater poise and 
  grace than their Reflexes implies. Agility is 
  increased by +1 or +2 with the cost based 
  on the Secondary Stat Chart.
  Clumsy [ Decrease ]
  The character must make rolls when doing 
  things like basic dancing, navigating a 
  narrow space (where they might bump into 
  someone or something), or walking along a 
  slick or narrow surface (but not one so slick 
  or narrow as to cause a normal person to 
  roll).
  Uncoordinated [ -8 ]
  The character has an AGI of 7 and requires 
  help walking, feeding themselves, etc.
  Intellect Modifications
  Reason Modifications
  Smart [ Increase ]
  The character has a better RES than their 
  INT implies. Reason is increased by +1 or 
  +2 with the cost based on the Secondary 
  Stat Chart.
  Dull/Simple [ Decrease ]
  The character may have to make RES rolls 
  when another character would not be asked 
  to—but they are not prone to do socially 
  stupid things (unlike Clueless) any more 
  than any other character (i.e. the GM may 
  call for a RES check as normal but the 
  conditions for special RES checks don’t 
  focus on blunders). Reason is decreased 
  by -1 or -2 with the cost based on the 
  Secondary Stat Chart.
  Clueless [ -4 ]
  The character’s IQ may actually test normal. 
  However, they may have to make RES rolls 
  to avoid doing bone-headed things that 
  another character wouldn’t. Often these 
  checks may be called for in social situations 
  or “common sense” style checks. It is 
  acceptable for this to apply only in certain 
  situations or specifically to some kinds 
  of mental processing (understanding the 
  opposite gender).
  “The taunt-the-dragon idea was probably the 
  worst of it. But propositioning the princess 
  was up on the list too.” 
  “Yeah and how about ‘We’re not with the 
  Thieves’ Guild?’ Almost got us all bloody 
  killed.” 
  “No, no: smash the glass case over the 
  mega-jewel: that nearly got us killed. Man, 
  I’m staying further back if he’s going along 
  again.” 
  “Shh! Here he comes.” 
  ◊◊◊
  “Okay, now this model—how bright is it?” 
  “Bright?” 
  “Learning capacity, reasoning, knowledge 
  base—I surely don’t have to train it.” 
  “Oh, no ma’am. The Ex-131 comes with 
  a categorical list of all area fine dining 
  establishments, a seven gigabyte database of, 
  well, intimate data, and is trained as a cook, 
  a masseur, and has rudimentary paramedics. 
  What was that?” 
  “I said the last one might come in handy.” 
  ◊◊◊
  
  Character Creation
  38
  Retarded [ -5 ]
  The character’s RES is 7 and they have 
  serious difficulty with figuring out many 
  aspects of normal life. NOTE: specific 
  disorders like Autism would be handled 
  differently (they do not lower RES per-se 
  but have other effects).
  Memory Modifiers
  Photographic Memory 
  [  Increase ]
  If a character buys +2 MEM they get +3 and 
  the ability to make rolls to recall just about 
  anything! 
  Forgetful [  Decrease ]
  The character may be asked to make rolls 
  to remember things another character 
  wouldn’t. There may also be “mental block” 
  style situations where rolls are asked for 
  often to remember something the character 
  is struggling with (like reloading a weapon 
  or missing an exit!). NOTE: Amnesia is not 
  handled this way (it doesn’t actually reduce 
  your MEM score). Memory is decreased 
  by -1 or -2 with the cost based on the 
  Secondary Stat Chart.
  Empty Headed [ -7 ] 
  The character’s MEM is 7 and they often 
  forget things that they were just told. The 
  character may come off as “air headed” or 
  super-distracted.
  Willpower Modifiers
  Strong Willed [ Increase ] 
  The character has a higher WIL than their 
  INT implies. In games without Magic, 
  Psionics, WIL-based Mutations, or Chi 
  Martial Arts, the cost of buying +1 WIL gets 
  you +2 for free!
  Weak Willed [ Decrease ] 
  The character has a lowered WIL and may 
  be asked to make rolls to stick to even 
  mildly onerous tasks (a diet, a dull job). 
  Willpower is decreased by -1 or -2 with the 
  cost based on the Secondary Stat Chart.
  Wishy Washy [ -4 ] 
  The character tends to be easily swayed. 
  Any time social pressure is applied to the 
  character they may be asked to make a 
  check or comply (see notes on Character 
  Hijacks in the Traits section, however, for 
  some “best practices” on imposing actions 
  on a PC). This does not decrease Willpower 
  but the character will have to make 
  Psychology checks and roleplay the results.
  Weak Minded [ -5 ] 
  The character’s WIL is 7 and they are 
  easily manipulated and often fall prey 
  to everything from advertising to peer-
  pressure, to all manner of temptations (such 
  a character may be involved in crimes due 
  to their inability to make decent decisions).
  
  39
  Character Creation
  Buying Traits (Character Points)
  Traits are things that help to define or distinguish your character. Looking good, being rich, and 
  having enemies are all Traits. They can tell you “who the character is” or perhaps “what aspects 
  of your character you feel are important.” Traits can be both good and bad aspects and, when 
  you take one that is generally seen as a “flaw” or perhaps “limiting” you can get points for it.
  Rules for Traits
  • 
  The most points any character can get from negative Traits is 10. An exception is that 
  with GM permission, if a character only has one or two negative Traits they can give 
  any value (so a character can take a Trait like Blind and Obnoxious for a lot of points).
  • 
  Traits (positive and negative) should be taken because they are interesting. You 
  don’t get a lot of points for them and they won’t make the character that much more 
  effective. We encourage the Players to take them when they are germane to the 
  character and their inclusion in the game is seen as a good thing (even for “negative” 
  Traits).
  • 
  Psychological Traits don’t force characters to behave in certain manners: What they do 
  is inform play. This means that a character with Greedy should, generally, be played as 
  a greedy person. It does not mean the GM has the right to control the character if they 
  aren’t “behaving right.” That said, if other participants (GM or Player) have an issue 
  with the way a character is played, that should definitely be sorted out between the 
  people. If you make a greedy lecherous lay about and play him like a saint you should 
  examine why you took those Traits in the first place. That group may not be right for 
  you.
  • 
  Having a Trait come up in a way that is interesting and/or significant to the game is 
  usually worth one or two Success Points from the GM. If a character with glasses 
  (who can’t see without them) looses them at times when it is meaningful, the GM 
  should grant the points. Note: this can be the Player’s idea (“Hey, while searching 
  the bookcase for the secret door, I trip and drop my glasses. While I’m on the ground 
  looking for them, and it opens, I crawl through, not knowing what triggered it or 
  realizing I’m in a secret room!”).
  What about Hammerhead? Well, he’s probably Rugged, Tough, and has a good presence. 
  He’s also been in a scrap or two. That gets us: 
  Trait
  Cost
  Rugged
  [3]
  Tough +4 DP
  [4]
  Presence Lvl 3
  [8]
  Natural Fighter
  [2]
  Total: 17pts
  As for negative Traits? The most points we can get for them is 10 (he didn’t sell any STATS) 
  and for him? That’s easy. We give him Obnoxious (sarcastic), an Enemy the Player is 
  moderately interested in dealing with (his boss), some conflicts with other authority figures 
  who might crop up, and we’ve got 10pts. But we’ll throw in Bad Temper because, well, it’s 
  Hammerhead.
  Trait
  Cost
  Obnoxious
  [-2]
  Enemy: His boss. Shows up by giving him assinments that bring him into 
  conflicts where he has to choose whether to be socially submissive and 
  acceptable or rebellious.
  [-3]
  Problems With Authority
  [-4]
  Bad Temper
  [--]
  Total Pts: -10
  Example
  Niche Protection
  We use the term Niche Protection to 
  refer to the concept that, whatever your 
  character does, they should be somewhat 
  “protected” by the game system in 
  ensuring that other characters don’t do the 
  same thing better plus a lot of other things. 
  In otherwords, the JAGS point-allocation 
  system should protect your niche.
  This is most easily seen in Fantasy games 
  where there are different roles for fighters 
  and spell casters. If someone builds a 
  fighter-spell-caster they must be worse in 
  some way at each of those roles than the 
  dedicated characters.
  The Archetype Point system does this (as 
  well as other things) by creating a limited 
  pool of points to spend on these special 
  defining abilities. 
  Note: until we apply the fixes we have in 
  mind for magic spells, they are still bought 
  with Character Points, so this isn’t the best 
  example it could be right now!
  Designer’s Notes
  
  Character Creation
  40
  List of Traits
  The full list of Traits is covered in the appendix at the end of the Character Definition Chapter. 
  This is the list. The notation  is the name of the Trait and the cost in Character Points.
  Physical Traits 
  79
  Ambidextrous [12] 
  79
  Asthma [-4] 
  79
  Bad Eyesight  [-1, -3] 
  79
  Beautiful Voice [4] 
  79
  Blind [-15] 
  79
  Conditioning [1,2,4] 
  79
  Contact/Ally [1,2,4] 
  79
  Crippled [-2,-4] 
  79
  Deaf [-2,-4] 
  79
  Fast Runner [1,4] 
  79
  Hearty [2] 
  79
  Hunchback [-2] 
  79
  Iron Jaw [8, 16] 
  79
  Nasal Voice [-2] 
  79
  Out Of Shape [-2, -3] 
  79
  Natural Fighter [2] 
  79
  One Eyed [-1,-2] 
  79
  Peg Leg [-1,-4] 
  79
  Toughness [ varies ] 
  79
  Ugly [-2,-4] 
  79
  Visible Mark [-1] 
  80
  Young [-1] 
  80
  Mental Traits 
  80
  Addictive [-2,-4] 
  80
  Artistic Genius [2,4] 
  80
  Bad Judgment [-2] 
  80
  Disturbed [-2,-4] 
  80
  Flair [1,2,4] 
  80
  Hard to Fool [2,4,8] 
  80
  Leader [2,4,8, 12] 
  80
  Likeable [2,4,8, 12] 
  80
  Mathematical Genius [4] 
  80
  Musical Genius [4] 
  80
  Perceptive/Keen Senses [1,4,8] 80
  Phobic [-1,-2] 
  80
  Presence [2,4,8,12] 
  80
  Sense of Direction [1,2,4] 
  81
  Speed Reader [4] 
  81
  Background 
  81
  Baaad Reputation [1,2,4,8] 
  81
  Bad Reputation [-1,-2,-3,-4] 
  81
  Enemy [-1,-3,-5] 
  81
  Good Reputation [2,4,8,12] 
  81
  Relationship [1,4] 
  81
  Sense of Duty [2,-2,-4] 
  82
  Special Status [-2, 1, 2] 
  82
  Ward [-2,-4] 
  82
  Wealth [1,2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Write Up [-2] 
  82
  Personality and Appearance 
  82
  Attractive [2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Bad Temper [-2] 
  82
  Big Mouth [-2] 
  82
  Coward [-4] 
  82
  Curious [-2] 
  82
  Envious [-1,-2] 
  82
  Exotic [2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Greed [-2] 
  83
  Grim [-1] 
  83
  Honorable [-2] 
  83
  Lousy Liar [-3] 
  83
  Lousy Driver [-2] 
  83
  Lustful [-2] 
  83
  Naive [-2] 
  83
  Obnoxious [-1,-2,-3] 
  83
  Personality Type [1] 
  83
  Pride [-2] 
  83
  Problems With Authority [-4] 
  83
  Rugged [3] 
  83
  Slick [-2] 
  83
  Sloth [-2] 
  83
  Statuesque [2,4,8,12] 
  83
  Swashbuckler [-2] 
  83
  SPs and Traits
  The GM may encourage the playing (or playing up) of Traits by awarding SPs when the player 
  really engages with them. The formula is like this:
  SP Award
  Action
  1
  Acting on a Trait in an interesting fashion during play.
  2
  Acting on a Trait in a truly significant fashion during play. Especially one against the character’s 
  interests.
  4
  Acting on a Trait above and beyond the “call of duty.” Making a significant statement or otherwise 
  really “nailing it” during play.
  Temptation
  A GM may tempt characters to engage with their Traits by offering SPs. This is done by the 
  GM placing 1 or 2 dice, with faces up, indicating the number of SPs the player will gain for 
  engaging with a Trait (if it isn’t obvious what the Trait is, the GM should say). There are usually 
  consequences for taking the GM up on it—these should be related to the action (i.e. a greedy 
  character who decides to steal from the mob will find themselves with a powerful enemy—the 
  consequence for absconding with the money should not be that the character is struck by a 
  meteorite).
  When this is done, the Player may act to logically minimize the consequences but shouldn’t 
  expect to truly avoid them. Temptation is especially meaningful if there is an important goal or 
  conflict in the character’s life that SPs will help with. See the Character Tags section to see how 
  characters might be constructed with such on-going dramas.
  “We shall never make it,” the girl whispered, 
  her voice hollow with fear despair. “There are 
  too many.” Trevor could hear the cacophony 
  of alarms spreading throughout the keep. He 
  smiled thinly, and nodded. “The Baron,” she 
  said, a hoarse breath in his ear, “has a cadre 
  of elite bow-men.”
  “I know,” Trevor told her, “Hold still. When 
  I tell you, you’ll run behind me—fast as 
  you’re able.”
  He could hear her breath—fast—hitching 
  as she watched, nearly paralyzed with 
  apprehension. From the dark ledge, Trevor, 
  whose night vision was the best of any man 
  he’d ever met, could see the crevice in the 
  wall on the other side of the courtyard: the 
  one he’d climbed down to enter the Baron’s 
  estate in the first place.
  What he couldn’t see, because it was dark, 
  was the lantern-thing he’d le� hidden there, 
  a thin, dark wisp of smoke rising as the slow 
  burning fire within it melted through the 
  wax plug near its top. He couldn’t see the 
  chamber above the fire, filled with his mix 
  of kerosene and a flash powder. He couldn’t 
  see the dark liquid he had splashed from his 
  wineskin over the hay and wooden roofing 
  he had climbed along, silent as a cat, to reach 
  the inner buildings.
  He dearly hoped no one else on the ground 
  could see it either.
  “When will we go?” the girl asked.
  “Don’t worry,” Trevor said. “Believe me: 
  you’ll know.”
  ◊◊◊
  
  41
  Character Creation
  Buying Skills (Character Points)
  Skills represent areas of knowledge, training, or experience. If you have traveled extensively, 
  mastered Kung Fu, or can program a computer then you have certain Skills. Like STATS or 
  Traits, Skills cost Character Points. This section explains how you purchase them.
  How JAGS Skills Work
  Each Skill has two components: a Roll (same as a STAT) and a Level of Mastery (or just Level). 
  Your Roll is the target (roll-under) number on a JAGS Roll to see if you succeeded. The Level of 
  Mastery determines how advanced your training is in that skill and exactly what kinds of things 
  you can do with it.
  How the Skill Roll works: A character has History Skill and has studied the ancient world. 
  The skill is listed as: History, Lvl 2, 14-. This means “History Skill, Professional Level, on a 
  14 or less roll.” When confronted with a spoon that bears a mark on it, the Player suggests a 
  History roll to place it. The GM agrees this is reasonable.
  The player makes a JAGS roll and gets a 10. This succeeds by 4pts (a good success) and 
  the GM informs the player the spoon is from the dining set of Louis XXIX! Very valuable.
  Example
  How Skill Levels work: Locksmith, the Skill, involves the creation and perhaps more 
  commonly, the opening of locks. There are four levels:
  Beginner Level (Lvl 1): Weak locks. Locks that are found on most automobile doors and 
  most interior locks, simple pad-locks can be defeated quickly with a roll.
  Professional Level (Lvl 2): Standard locks. A typical front door exterior house door locks 
  can be opened fairly quickly with a successful roll. If the character wants to lead a life of 
  crime, breaking into houses (without using crowbars, at least), this is the level you want.
  Expert Level (Lvl 3): Safecracking. Here the skill changes significantly. The character can 
  not only pick locks (and if it’s just a standard lock—like a house lock—even a good one—
  they get pluses) but they can also go after security safes (such as office safes). Very likely 
  this requires a lot of extra gear that the Lvl 1 and Lvl 2 versions of the skill do not. It may also 
  begin to involve some knowledge of electronics.
  Master Level (Lvl 4): Vaults. Again, the skill adds another significant level of knowledge: 
  the character has studied the manufacture and methods to defeat high security vaults (such 
  as bank vaults). Here the skill may confer things such as a basic knowledge of demolitions, 
  the use chemical thermite (or acids?), etc. It is also possible that a roll might not “get the 
  character in” but rather “come up with a plan” that will let a team of people create the right 
  conditions that allow the vault to be breached (i.e. the character studies the designs and 
  determines the weak point is the floor and the attackers must maneuver through the sewer 
  systems with hammers foundation-breaking gear).
  Example
  What If I Need A Skill That Doesn’t 
  Exist?
  Let’s say I want to play an Economist—
  there’s no Economics skill so what do I 
  do? The answer is in the last section of 
  skills: the General Skills area. We have 
  included a list of “template skills” that you 
  can use in order to create skills we haven’t 
  covered. When you create a new skill, 
  clear it with the Game Master and you’re 
  good to go.
  Designer’s Notes
  What If I Need a Skill I Didn’t Buy?
  Let’s take that Economics example—I’m 
  playing an Expert (Level 3) Economist but 
  I forgot to take Mathematics. In the game 
  I need to compute the odds of winning 
  at cards at a casino. Now: I don’t have 
  the Mathematics skill but a (credible) 
  argument can be made that economists 
  (especially very good ones) do lot of math. 
  So how does that work? It works by 
  applying some rules of thumb to the 
  situation and having the GM make the final 
  call.
  1. 
  If the skill I don’t have is related 
  discipline (i.e. it’s close) then I 
  can do it at one Level lower and/
  or at some negative to my roll.
  2. 
  If the skill I don’t have is 
  something I clearly should have 
  but didn’t get, I may be able to 
  “borrow points” from the GM and 
  pay them back with experience 
  points. This is usually fine for 
  Professional level skills with a 
  roll of 13- or less.
  3. 
  If the skill I don’t have is 
  something I clearly should have 
  and need at a high level then, 
  with GM permission, I can re-
  work my character to have it.
  In this case, the economist probably has 
  Mathematics, for statistical purposes, at a 
  Professional Level roll (enough to compute 
  probabilities of cards while playing at the 
  table) because it is a related discipline.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  Character Creation
  42
  How Skill Roll and Level Are Related
  Usually people with Master level skills don’t fail their rolls a lot. This chart shows how Skill Roll 
  and Skill Level usually match up.
  Level and Roll Chart
  Proficiency
  Skill Level
  Average Roll
  Notably bad
  Beginner (Lvl 1)
  7-
  Novice
  Beginner (Lvl 1)
  9-
  An average (grade ‘C’) high school student
  Beginner (Lvl 1)
  10-
  An exceptional (grade ‘A’) high school student
  Beginner (Lvl 1)
  12-
  A poor professional
  Professional (Lvl 2)
  11- to 12-
  An average professional 
  Professional (Lvl 2)
  13- to 14-
  A talented professional
  Professional (Lvl 2)
  15- or better
  An expert
  Expert (Lvl 3)
  13- to 14-
  The expert you fly in when things go wrong
  Expert (Lvl 3)
  15- to 16-
  World class expert
  Expert (Lvl 3)
  17- or better
  Acknowledged Master in the field
  Master (Lvl 4)
  15-
  One of history’s greats
  Master (Lvl 4)
  17- or better
  In JAGS we used to say that the most you 
  could have is a 12- roll if you had a Level 
  1 skill. We’ve removed that restriction but 
  we highly suggest that characters who are 
  contemplating high-roll low level skills (or 
  vice versa) have a good reason in mind 
  (such as being certain they really wish to 
  be expert in the Beginner Level skill set).
  Change
  
  43
  Character Creation
  Having a High Level and Doing a Lower Level Task (or vice versa)
  When you are an expert (Level 3) doing jobs that are hard for a Professional are much easier for 
  you. Usually this bonus comes in the form of ignoring negative modifiers and the work taking less 
  time (and being higher quality).
  The skill Chemistry lets you conduct analysis and make moderately common useful mixtures 
  of Chemicals at Lvl 2 (Chemist) but create new chemical compounds (Chemical Engineer) 
  at Level 3. So what happens if a character with a Level 3 Chemist skill wants to analyze a 
  strange powder that has appeared on cars and houses all over the neighborhood? This is an 
  analysis job (Level 2) and the character is Expert Level (Level 3).
  Example
  Level
  Common Modifiers
  Beginner Level
  Any GM assigned negative modifiers the GM would assign to the skill roll for a Professional (Lvl 2) roll are doubled.
  Professional Level
  Modifiers for difficult or easy tasks are taken as standard. If a task is judged to be “beginner level” the Professional 
  character may get a +1 or +2 to their roll.
  Expert Level
  Expert Level characters commonly ignore -3 points of negative modifier. For beginner level tasks they may get a +3 
  to the roll. Expert level characters can often do a Professional Level task in half the time the Professional would take. 
  Where quality of workmanship may be judged, the Expert’s work will be perhaps double that of the Professional.
  Master Level
  Master Level characters commonly ignore -6 points of negative modifier. For beginner level tasks they may get a +6 
  to the roll or simply never need to roll. A Master may complete work in a quarter or a tenth of the time a Professional 
  would take (and half or better that of the Expert). Work quality will be approximately four times better or more than that 
  of the Expert where it may be easily measured.
  
  Character Creation
  44
  Anatomy of a Skill
  This is the write-up of a JAGS Skill. Let’s take a look at it and see what the things mean (then 
  we’ll look at how you pay for one).
  Acrobatics (Dodge)
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are experienced in tumbling and gymnastics. This 
  is useful for Olympic tryouts—but in combat it allows for a better 
  dodge.
  Beginner 
  At Level 1 the skill is useful primarily for making rolls 
  and flips (instead of AGI).
  Professional 
  You can use Acrobatics skill as a 5 REA dodge (instead 
  of AGI).
  Expert
  You can perform an Acrobatics Dodge (using Acrobatics 
  skill instead of AGI) for 3 REA (like a Block).
  Master
  Your acrobatic dodge is at +2 if you spend 5 REA and it 
  applies fully against ranged attacks.
  Name
  The Name of the skill is pretty straightforward—but before we dismiss it, let’s examine 
  something: the name of a skill can change. During the rules we’ll refer to Skills by their proper 
  names (unless we make any mistakes) but, for example, there is a listing called Musical 
  Instrument. For this Skill (training to make music) you’ve got to pick one. On the character sheet 
  it might appear as “Guitar, Level 4 (Rock God) 17-” The fact that there is no Skill named ‘Guitar’ 
  doesn’t mean it won’t be on your sheet. The same with Vehicle Operation: a character might 
  have “Drive Car” listed on her sheet: it distinguishes from the pilot who has “Fly Space Shuttle.” 
  It’s a good idea to maybe note where the Skill came from—but we highly encourage 
  customization and the specific naming (there will be a little more on this later in the Skills Buying 
  section).
  Cost
  Skills fal into two categories: Expensive and Standard. Expensive Skills just plain cost more than 
  Standard Skills (in the Skill Buying section you will see the difference). Combat Skills and hard-
  science Skills are Expensive. Other Skills are Standard. Cost is in Character Points.
  Stat
  This is a notation of the Secondary Statistic the Skill may be “based on.” If you have a really 
  high Reason (RES) it’s more cost effective to play a nuclear physicist. If you are highly athletic it 
  may be more cost effective to have some of the physical skills. How this works is detailed in the 
  Buying Skills section—but understand this: if your character has the Stat listed at 13 or higher 
  you will want to “link” in order to get a better cost on related Skills.
  Linking a Skill to a Statistic has no bearing on anything but the cost the character pays. 
  The Skill still functions exactly the same way.
  Important Note
  !
  Description
  A pretty self-explanatory one, yes? But, again, this can change greatly and the Players and 
  GM should be ready to alter exactly what any of these do in order to fit the world or the specific 
  situation.
  Levels
  Each section (Beginner, Professional, Expert, and Master) gives some guidelines and notes 
  about how it functions differently at each level. 
  Beep . . . “Good morning, it’s the beginning 
  of a new and wonderful day. Remember: A 
  smile at dawn lasts all day long—” 
  McLear pounded the off bu�on on the 
  clock radio. It didn’t work even a�er he 
  hit it several times because the building 
  had decided he really needed to get up that 
  morning. Finally he took it and threw it hard 
  against the far wall. The unbreakable plastic 
  casing le� a small dent in the plaster. 
  “You have been downsized. Please report to 
  the Bureau of Vocational Reassignment so 
  you can find gainful employment and get 
  back on your feet as soon as possible.” 
  Hammerhead finally silenced the so�, perfect 
  female voice by pu�ing the unit in the sink 
  and covering it with water. 
  By noon they’ll have it shut off, he thought 
  grimly. It hadn’t really hit him yet. If 
  they didn’t reassign him he’d go on public 
  assistance—and that meant having a case 
  officer and everything. 
  He stared out the window, his body seemed to 
  ache from years of abuse. Finally, with great 
  deliberation, Hammerhead took the radio 
  from the sink, ba�ered through the window 
  with it, and hurled it out at the city below. 
  ◊◊◊
  “Welcome to the Plaza of Harmony—feel free 
  to enjoy our sparkling fountains, spacious 
  parks, and electronic malls. 
  “Here at the Bureau of Vocational 
  Reassignment we advance your future today. 
  Our friendly professionals match your skills 
  to the right job—satisfaction, as always is 
  guaranteed—so cheer up and—Mr. McLear, 
  please do not exit the moving vehicle—Mr. 
  McLear! . . . 
  ◊◊◊
  
  45
  Character Creation
  Buying Skills
  When buying skills for your character you pay for two things: the level and the roll. These are 
  purchased independently of each other. All Skill purchases use normal Character Points.
  When buying a skill, this is how you do it:
  Step 1
  Choose your skill: pick it from the list. Is the cost Expensive or Standard. That 
  will effect the price you pay for Roll and Skill Level.
  Step 2
  What level are you? Beginner? Average? Advanced? Or Expert? Pay for your 
  Skill Level using the chart.
  Step 3
  Do you want to Link the Skill to a Stat? Linking a Skill to a Stat means that if the 
  Stat listed is 13 or better you can get the Skill for a cheaper cost.
  Step 4
  Customization: Steps 1-3 give you the broad strokes and the cost of the skill. 
  You can take it one more step and customize it a bit.
  Roll Cost: Expensive Skill
  Expensive Skill Not Linked to STAT
  ROLL
  8-
  9-
  10-
  11-
  12-
  13-
  14-
  15-
  16-
  17-
  18-
  19-
  20-
  COST
  .25
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  12
  21
  29
  37
  45
  Expensive Skill Linked to STAT
  ROLL
  STAT-3
  STAT-2
  STAT-1
  STAT
  STAT+1
  STAT+2
  STAT+3
  STAT+4
  STAT+5
  STAT+6
  COST
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  6
  11
  15
  19
  23
  Roll Cost: Standard Skill
  Standard Not Linked to Stat
  ROLL
  10-
  11-
  12-
  13-
  14-
  15-
  16-
  17-
  18-
  19-
  20-
  COST
  .25
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  13
  21
  27
  35
  Standard Skill Linked to Stat
  ROLL
  STAT-2
  STAT-1
  STAT
  STAT+1
  STAT+2
  STAT+3
  STAT+4
  STAT+5
  STAT+6
  STAT+7
  COST
  .25
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  6
  14
  23
  31
  Level Cost (Expensive and Standard)
  Skill Level
  Expensive
  Standard
  Beginner (Lvl 1)
  -1pt (min .5)
  -1 pt (min .5)
  Professional (Lvl 2)
  0pts
  0pts
  Expert (Lvl 3)
  4pts
  2pts
  Master (Lvl 4)
  16pts
  12pts
  Expensive Skill: Shoot Gun (Firearms) is based on COR (eye-hand coordination) according 
  to its description. A gunslinger wants Shoot Gun at Expert Level (3) on a 16- roll. His COR is 
  12. The Level cost is 4pts (on the chart, an Expensive Skill at Expert Level costs 4pts). The 
  cost for the roll if the Skill is not linked is 13pts (on the chart, a roll of a 16- costs 13pts). It’d 
  cost 16pts if he did link it (STAT+4). He chooses not to link it. Total Cost: 4 + 13 = 17.
  Standard Skill: A lawyer has Law Skill (Stat is RES) at Level 2 (Professional) on a 14-. He 
  has a 12 RES (so he will not want to link). He paid zero (0) for the Level 2 Skill-Level and 
  4pts for the 14- roll not linked to Stat. Total cost: 0 + 4 = 4.
  Example
  Who Determines if a Skill is Linked?: 
  The Player determines if a skill is linked to 
  a stat or not. This is determined when the 
  skill is purchased.
  If I have a 7 RES can I have a 17- 
  Physics? 
  The game mechanics don’t prohibit it but 
  the GM can evaluate that as not making 
  too much sense. A case where that might 
  be acceptable would be a kind of “idiot 
  savant.”
  What if a Stat is lowered but a Skill isn’t 
  Linked? 
  What if my character’s RES is lowered 
  (say by a poison) and I have a non-linked 
  skill that is normally based on RES? The 
  official ruling is that if a reduced stat ought 
  to impair skill usage (as in the poison 
  case) then the same reduction to a stat 
  would apply even to a non-linked skill.
  Important Note
  !
  
  Character Creation
  46
  Customization
  You don’t have to stop with “Firearms L2 13-” on your sheet. That’s acceptable but it doesn’t 
  have to end there. The customization step allows you to add some flair to your skills and … it can 
  come in handy.
  When you write down a Skill we encourage you to tell a story about it if there is one—ideally in 
  ten words or less. You should have the general name of the Skill in there if it isn’t clear but you 
  can do things like the following:
  Roll 
  Cost
  Level 
  Cost
  STAT
  Skill
  Description
  Lvl
  Roll
  12
  16
  COR
  Firearms
  Father was expert trapper. 
  Taught him to shoot.
  4
  17-
  5
  4
  N/L
  Survival
  Mountain man.
  3
  15-
  7
  4
  N/L
  Knife
  Killed a bear in a fight with 
  one.
  3
  15-
  You can see you kind of get an idea of who this guy is just from looking at the descriptions. 
  But you can do more than just get an idea: in some cases the Player can request and the GM 
  may award pluses or minuses to a roll based on the descriptive elements. This guy might get 
  negatives to his Survival Skill in a desert or jungle but pluses in the mountains. It’s possible that if 
  the group meets some trappers the Player might request bonuses to a Charisma attempt on the 
  basis that maybe they knew his dad. 
  The GM might even give a +1 to the character’s Knife skill if he’s ever in a battle with another 
  bear.
  NOTE: Generic descriptions like “Killed a bunch of people” need not give bonuses to Skills at 
  the GM’s discretion. The objective behind using Customization is that there is a greater depth of 
  character created—not necessiarily a more effective one.
  Skill List
  The full description of all the standard JAGS Revised skills is given in the Appendix to the 
  Character Definiton Section. This is the list.
  Combat Skills 
  57
  Acrobatics (Dodge) 
  58
  Bow (Long Bow) 
  58
  Boxing 
  59
  Fencing 
  59
  Firearms 
  59
  Heavy Weapons 
  59
  Jujitsu 
  59
  Karate 
  60
  Knife Fighting 
  60
  Kung Fu 
  60
  Melee Weapons 
  60
  Shield 
  60
  Streetfighting 
  61
  Staff 
  61
  Tae Kwon Do 
  61
  Tai Chi 
  61
  Tangle Weapons 
  62
  Thrown Knife 
  62
  Thrown Weapon 
  62
  Wrestling 
  62
  Hard Sciences 
  63
  Astrophysics 
  63
  Bio Sciences 
  63
  Computers 
  64
  Chemist 
  64
  Doctor 
  64
  Engineer 
  64
  Mathematics 
  64
  Physics 
  64
  Street Skills 
  65
  Con Games 
  65
  Disguise 
  65
  Escape Artist 
  66
  Forgery 
  66
  Gambling 
  66
  Hacker 
  66
  Locksmith 
  67
  Sleight of Hand 
  67
  Security Systems 
  67
  Spycraft 
  67
  Streetwise 
  67
  Military Sciences 
  68
  Climbing/Rappelling 68
  Demolitions 
  68
  Stealth 
  69
  Strategy and Tactics 69
  Survivalist 
  69
  Traps 
  69
  Areas of Knowledge 
  (Education) 
  70
  Archaeology and An-
  thropology 
  70
  Art Appreciation 
  70
  Law 
  71
  History 
  71
  Literature 
  71
  Linguist 
  71
  Occult Knowlege 
  71
  Philosophy (Theology) 
  72
  Psychology 
  72
  Occupational Skills 72
  Art (Painting, Sculpting, 
  Photography)  
  72
  Business Administration 
  72
  Craft Skills 
  73
  Musical Skill (Singing, 
  Dance) 
  73
  Navigation 
  74
  Operations Skill 
  74
  Police Procedure 
  74
  Research (Journalist) 74
  Vehicle Operation (Driv-
  ing, Pilot, Riding) 
  75
  Sports 
  75
  Social Skills 
  75
  Diplomat 
  75
  Etiquette 
  75
  Revelry 
  75
  Showmanship 
  76
  Vamp 
  76
  General Skills 
  77
  HTH Weapon Skill 
  77
  Ranged Weapon Skill 77
  General Science Skill 77
  Academic Discipline 
  77
  Occupational Disciplines 
  77
  Experience  
  78
  Trivia 
  78
  Trevor led the horse through the forest while 
  his companion rode atop it. She looked ahead 
  at the bright patch where the trial exited the 
  woods. 
  “You’ll have to keep moving for a while,” 
  Trevor was saying. “Go south until you ask 
  and Von Lem’s name isn’t answered to. That 
  should do it. He’s vindictive but I think it’s 
  me he’ll want.”
  She looked tired, he thought. The poor girl 
  just wanted to go home—to her family—
  something that wouldn’t, he thought, happen 
  for quite a while yet.
  Then they exited the forest—and then they 
  saw the columns of smoke rising silently 
  from the small dale in which her village lay. 
  Trevor felt his calm finally dissolve. As the 
  girl stared with shock-white eyes, Trevor felt 
  a killing-rage blossom within him.
  ◊◊◊
  
  47
  Character Creation
  Buying Archetype Abilities (Archetype Points)
  Archetype Abilities are special powers or talents that are purchased with Archetype Points (APs). 
  Usually they represent things like super-powers, magical abilities, or cybernetics. The type of 
  game you are playing will determine what sorts of things can be bought with APs (for example: 
  if the game is a modern-day scenario where the characters play psychic high school kids, bio-
  metallic cyber-weapons are probably not allowed).
  We are updating all the Archetype Abilities. After JAGS Revised is published then Revised 
  Archetypes will come out. This will update and unify all the Archetype abilities in JAGS. 
  Until then, there will have to be some use of the old rules (in each separate Archetype 
  supplement) in order to use the books (so if you are making Chi Martial Arts characters, 
  you will have to use those rules for the present … which use normal Character Points 
  until we fix everything).
  Usually what we suggest is that if you wish to play in the spirit of the newly emerging 
  rules, the GM assigns a certain pool of APs that will be used to buy those abilities.
  Important Note
  !
  Buying Archetype Abilities
  When buying Archetype Abilities the first step is to determine what is legal for the game. This is 
  described in the Scenario Creation rules in the next chapter. Usually only a few of the possible 
  Archetype Abilities will be suited for any one game and the GM will make the final call if there are 
  questions.
  Secondly the players will determine what the must buy. In some games, every character will 
  have a set of Archetype Abilities based on what kind of people they are supposed to be. There 
  may be a few points beyond that to spread around.
  In a Psionic game all the characters have psychic abilities. The GM mandates that all of them 
  have Level 1 Telepathy. They can then spend 24 APs on whatever other psionic abilities they 
  wish, including more Telepathy. 
  Example
  JAGS Revised Archetypes
  Archetype Ability
  Notes
  Unusual Traits
  Also called “Weird Stuff,” these are relatively ‘normal’ Archetype Traits. They are listed in this book and are usually always 
  available (at least the 4pt versions). They include things like having really good (but not necessarily “supernatural”) 
  instincts and having weird dreams that seem to let you solve problems.
  Mutant Abilities
  In the JAGS Have-Not book there are scores of biological and bizarre mutational powers that can be used to create post-
  apocalypse mutants or, perhaps, alien races.
  Fantasy Races
  In the Fantasy book there are racial descriptions (elves, dwarves, like that) which cost Archetype Points. The values for 
  these will need to be heavily revised.
  Psionics
  Psychic abilities. These are listed in the JAGS Psionic Book and say (according to the old rules) that they use character 
  points. If using these, we recommend they be purchased at the listed rate with Archetype Points instead. Usually between 
  16 and 32pts will work.
  Chi Martial Arts
  Special “internal energy” fighting powers for video-game like martial arts characters. These use normal Character Points 
  in the old rules. We recommend following those rules for now. Even in the Revised rules, the mundane special fighting 
  moves will still use normal Character Points (although the Chi-Fire-ball stuff will use APs).
  Cybernetics
  Post-Modern bio-metallic enhancers, Cybernetics are good for science fiction games and cyberpunk futures. The old rules 
  say they use character points. The Revised rules will use APs.
  Magic
  Spell casting ability. The old rules for this use Character Points. The new rules will use APs.
  The tires shrieked over the sun-cracked 
  asphalt as Martin rode the controlled skid to 
  a stop. Off the shoulder, the desert sands had 
  exploded and the dark shapes of the mega-
  scorpions cla�ered out into the harsh light. 
  Ahead of him, down the dust-swallowed 
  road, was the bullet-riddled on-ramp 
  sign. Having reversed, Martin’s car was 
  temporarily at rest, facing the interstate. The 
  scorpions opened their claws, each capable of 
  rending the metal of his vehicle with a single 
  swipe. The air seemed perfectly still. The sky 
  overhead was an immaculate, cloudless blue. 
  For a moment, everything was frozen.
  Then Martin smiled—and punched it. He 
  felt the sheer thrill of driving—the sudden 
  speed, the roar of adrenaline, the leap of the 
  car under his body … and under his perfect 
  control.
  The scorpions charged but they were too 
  late. Plumes of sand rose behind him as he 
  raced upwards and swung across six lanes 
  as empty of traffic as the sky and stretching 
  from one horizon to the other.
  ◊◊◊
  
  Character Creation
  48
  List of Unusual Traits
  Here is a list of the Unusual Traits that are listed in this book. The full description of them is given 
  in the Character Definition appendix.
  Dreamer [ 2 AP ]  
  84
  Extraordinarily Tough [ 16 AP ] 
  84
  Hard To Kill [ 2 AP] 
  84
  Lucky Miss [ 4 AP] 
  84
  Lucky [ 2,8,16 AP ] 
  84
  Instinct [ 4 AP ] 
  84
  Malice [ 4 AP ] 
  84
  Nature Friend [ 4 AP] 
  85
  Psychic Link [2 AP] 
  85
  See Inner Person [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Sensitive [ 4 AP ] 
  85
  Shadow Friend [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Storm Friend [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Synchronicity [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Twisted Genius [ 8, 12 AP ] 
  85
  Unusual Gear [ 2,4  AP] 
  85
  Will To Fight [ 4 AP ] 
  85
  
  49
  Character Creation
  Step 4: Calculate Figured Stats
  Now you’re ready to calculate your character’s Figured Statistics. Figured Statistics are based 
  on Secondary Stat values and Traits. They describe aspects of your character like how fast she 
  runs, how tough she is to hurt, how well she spots things she’s are looking for, etc. 
  Figured Stats Overview
  Stat (Abbreviation)
  Short Description
  Calculated From
  Base Damage (Hand-to-Hand)
  How much damage you dish out with your bare hands or 
  with a hand-held weapon (e.g. a sword)
  STR, BLD, and Skill bonuses (e.g. Martial 
  Arts)
  Charisma Scores
  How charming, beautiful, intimidating, persuasive, etc. you 
  are
  10 +/- Traits
  Damage Points (DP)
  How hard you are to hurt (physically)
  CON+BLD Modifier + Traits
  Grapple Scores
  How good you are in a wrestling match. There are 
  offensive and defensive grapple scores
  STR, BLD and skills such as Martial Arts
  Ground Speed
  How fast you walk, run, and sprint
  REA (See the table for actual speed values), 
  influenced by Traits
  Initiative
  How fast you are in combat relative to others (i.e. a high 
  initiative lets you draw & shoot first)
  REA +/- Traits
  Perception
  How likely you are to notice subtle or hidden things around 
  you
  RES +/- Traits
  Wound & Condition Levels
  Levels of physical damage which make it harder for you to 
  fight, run, stay awake, etc.  
  Damage Points (DP) – See the tables below
  Base Damage (Hand-to-Hand Damage)
  How much damage you do with a punch (and with a sword or other melee weapon) is 
  determined by how big and strong you are. The formula:
  STR – 10 + [1pt for each 5 BLD above 10] + Martial Arts bonuses.
  Factor
  Description
  STR-10
  The human-average strength of 10 yields only a 0 Base Damage. Strengths below 10 give a negative base damage
  +1 for each full 5 BLD 
  above 10
  A BLD of 15 gives +1 Base Damage. A Build of 20, +2, and so-on. A BLD of 5 yields -1 Base Damage. A Build of 0, -2
  Martial Arts Modifiers
  Skills such as Martial Arts give Base Damage modifiers as described in the Skill description
  Other Modifiers
  Archetype Abilities may also affect Base Damage – usually by affecting STR or BLD, but sometimes directly. Refer to 
  the ability description
  Calculating Base Damage: Hammerhead has a great 13 Strength. His Build is only 09—so 
  he gets no bonus for that. He does 3pts of damage with a punch! That’s a lot (a normal 
  man does “0pts” with his 10 STR and 10 BLD). Note: Hammerhead is also an experienced 
  fighter—when we get to Skills he’ll probably get some damage bonuses.
  Example
  Charisma Scores
  Charisma Scores (called Psychology Scores in JAGS-2) are useful in situations where your 
  character may be trying to influence someone and the participants want the game system’s 
  mechanics to assist in figuring out how persuasive, threatening, etc. the character is.
  Charisma Scores are Resisted Rolls (see the Dice Mechanic section) that are done against 
  a target’s WIL when you try to influence them in some fashion. There are four basic kinds of 
  Charisma attempts:
  
  Character Creation
  50
  Charm
  • 
  The character simply tries to make the target like them. This can imply nothing more 
  than basic “likeability” or it may be an ‘entrance attempt’ where the character tries to 
  inspire love or lust (sexual attraction) in the target. It can be used to distract targets, for 
  personal reasons, to get information, or simply to be popular at parties. 
  Intimidate
  • 
  The character tries to make the target fear him. This is a psychological fear—if the 
  character is decked out with weapons and armor many will fear the character anyway. 
  Often an Intimidate attempt will be made when the character wishes to be feared more 
  than the circumstances would practically suggest (a single man staring down a room 
  full of tough biker types).
  Persuade
  • 
  The character tries to manipulate the target to do what he wants them to. This can 
  have a number of different approaches from fast talking a target to go along to simply 
  being charismatic guy that people want to help. It is different from Charm attempts in 
  that there is far less implied manipulation of the target and it is more appropriate when 
  you simply want to use your charisma to convince someone to see your point of view 
  rather than to like or be attracted to you. Unlike a Charm attempt, a Persuade attempt 
  must have a specific goal in mind (what you wish to persuade the target to do).
  Recruit
  • 
  This is the term for an attempt to inspire loyalty in someone or to take command of a 
  situation and, if necessary, lead. It usually applies to troops or henchmen under the 
  character’s command but it can also be used to rally crowds, calm down a hysterical 
  person, or otherwise “take command by force of personality.”
  Computing Charisma
  Charisma scores start at 10 for all attempt types. They may be modified by Traits (see the table 
  below), and by the character actions (the GM may assign bonuses based on the character’s 
  described behavior). 
  For specific Charisma Rules see the Combat chapter of JAGS Revised.
  Charisma Table
  Trait
  Cost
  Charm
  Intimidate
  Persuade
  Recruit
  Presence
  2,4,8,12
  +2 Level
  +1 Level 
  Likeable
  2,4,8,12
  +1.5 / Level
  +1.5 / Level
  Leader
  2,4,8,12
  +1 / Level
  +2 / Level
  Exotic
  2,4,8,12
  +2 / Level
  +1.5 / Level
  Attractive
  2,4,8,12
  +1.5 Level
  +1.5 Level
  Statuesque
  2,4,8,12
  +1 / Level
  +1 / Level
  +1 / Level
  +1 / Level
  Rugged
  3
  +2 
  +2 
  Flair
  1,2,4
  +1
  Bad Rep
  -2/-4
  -1 / Level
  +.5 / Level
  -1 Level
  -.5 / Level
  Baaad Rep
  1,2,4,8
  -.5 / Level
  +1 / Level
  +1 / Level
  Good Rep
  2,4,8,12
  +1 / Level
  +.5 Level
  +.5 Level
  Ugly
  -2/-4
  -2 or -6
  -1 or -3
  -1 or -3
  Obese
  -5
  -2
  Cute
  1
  +1
  -2
  -1
  Scary
  1
  -2
  +1
  -1
  Serious
  1
  -1
  -1
  +1
  Studious
  1
  -1
  -1
  +1
  Fun
  1
  +1
  -2
  -1
  Loud
  1
  -1
  +1
  -1
  Nasal Voice
  -2
  -1
  -1
  Beautiful Voice
  4
  +1
  +1
  Something wasn’t right, McLear thought, 
  si�ing in the too-clean café and drinking 
  a too-weak coffee. He had been out on “the 
  case” for 48 hours and he already knew 
  something didn’t add up. He just wasn’t 
  sure what.
  Byline, the host of Your 15 Minutes of Fame 
  was, perhaps, the most loved man on the 
  planet: in a culture where everyone lived 
  as close to their TV sets as they could get 
  without actually ge�ing inside, the show, 
  where you appeared as though you were a 
  famous celebrity guest to be interviewed and, 
  through talking to Eddie, people reported 
  incredible therapeutic transformative 
  experiences made him a real life Wizard of 
  Oz. He was seen as guru, savior, and father-
  figure by, well, literally billions.
  Hammerhead was convinced that the 
  man he’d seen on the console was the real 
  Eddie Byline—he’d go�en a crypto-signed 
  identity ticket. Those were supposed to be 
  mathematically un-forgeable. He’d started 
  with research. What he’d turned up was 
  confusing. Eddie was virtually a World-Gov 
  natural resource. He had to be protected 
  by the finest security forces on the planet. 
  He couldn’t get any actual data from the 
  authorities but he had a contact in city-
  records who’d promised to dig around and 
  call him back.
  Hammerhead’s pocket-pager now had fi�y-
  eight angry messages from the office and if he 
  didn’t make Eddie’s job happen he was going 
  to be in some big trouble since, if he didn’t 
  want to go on Gov-Assistance, he’d have to 
  agree to “disciplinary therapy.” He didn’t 
  want to think about what that might mean.
  So he waited, turning over the scant evidence 
  he had managed to pull up. Waiting for a call 
  … or a miracle.
  ◊◊◊
  
  51
  Character Creation
  A Military Commander has Level 2 Statuesque appearance (tall, lean, and chiseled looking), 
  Level 2 Leadership (a natural leader), and Level 1 Presence (a strong—but not overwhelming 
  aura of danger).
  Trait
  Lvl
  Charm
  Intimidate
  Persuade
  Recruit 
  Statuesque 
  L2
  +1
  +1
  +1
  +1
  Leader 
  L2
  +1
  +4
  Presence
  L1
  +2
  +1
  Roll
  11-
  13-
  12-
  16-
  Example
  Damage Points (DP) 
  Damage Points are a measure of how hard you are to hurt (physically speaking). Computing 
  your Wound Levels (which are based on Damage Points) tells you how likely you are to be 
  disabled by, say, a punch or a gun shot. 
  Damage Points Formula
  CON + BLD Modifier + Any other Modifiers (Trait: Tough)
  Factor
  Description
  CON
  The Character’s Constitution score
  BLD Modifier
  Bigger characters have more Damage Points. The amount is taken from the Build Modifier table below. Example: 
  A character with an 18 BLD (weighing between 270 and 300 lbs) would get an extra +28 DP according to the table. 
  Note that Traits and Archetype Abilities that affect BLD do NOT affect the BLD modifier. Fat affects DP as listed in the 
  Trait description (giving a single, flat bonus), and Light does not affect DP at all.
  Traits
  Traits such as Fat, Tough, and others affect Damage Points as described in the Trait write-up. 
  Other Modifiers
  Archetype Abilities and skills may affect Damage Points.
  Build Modifier Table
  BLD
  Damage Point Bonus
  7
  -4
  8
  -2
  9
  -1
  10
  +0
  11
  +1
  12
  +2
  13
  +4
  14
  +7
  15
  +11
  16
  +18
  17
  +23
  18
  +28
  19
  +38
  Grapple Score
  JAGS Revised has a detailed ground fighting system (wrestling or “grappling”). How good you 
  are in a grapple is, again, a measure of how big and strong you are—but the numbers are a bit 
  different. You have two Grapple Scores: Offensive and Defensive. 
  They are computed as follows:
  Offensive Grapple Score:
  STR + [1 per 5pts of BLD] + Skill bonuses + 20% (or +2, whichever is more)
  Defensive Grapple Score: 
  STR + [1 per 5pts of BLD] + Skill bonuses
  “Foul! That’s a red-card for Galman Sivv 
  and minus four for the Damos-Sector 
  Blueskins with a terminal decapitation 
  against Jorvan Five! What do you think 
  Earl?”
  “I think the ref’s were sleeping on that one, 
  Bradley. Jorvan’s head came clean off. You 
  can see Galman with it in the replay. Sure 
  it’s an illegal hit but the rules give points 
  for style. I say scoring with the head should 
  reduce that to a two-point orange-scale 
  warning.”
  “What about Jorvan?”
  “Well, his head’s gone. I’d say he’s out for 
  the season.”
  ◊◊◊
  Damage Point calculation: A character, who has a PHY of 12 (meaning CON, BLD and 
  STR are all 12) buys the Trait Big, for +1 BLD (BLD goes to 13).
  His DP is 12 (for CON) plus the Build Modifier of +4 from the table (13 BLD), for a total of 16 
  Damage Points 
  Let’s say that instead of Big the same character bought Fat. Fat increases BLD, but the 
  increase does not count for Damage Point calculation. Instead, reading the Trait description, 
  the character gets +1 Damage Points for being Fat. His total damage points, in this case, are
  12 (for CON)  + 2 (BLD modifier for a 12 BLD) + 1 for being Fat = 15 DP. His BLD for 
  purposes of character weight is base of 12 + 3 for being Fat, or 15.
  Example
  
  Character Creation
  52
  Factor
  Description
  STR
  Average human characters start with a 10 Grapple Score for their 
  STR
  +1 for each full 5 BLD
  Each 5 full points of BLD above zero yields +1 to the Grapple Score. 
  An average human (BLD = 10) gains +2 to Grapple. A very heavy 
  person (BLD = 15) would gain an additional +1. A young child (BLD 
  = 5) would only get +1 for BLD
  Skill bonuses
  Skills such as Martial Arts that stress ground fighting, throws, 
  wrestling, and other grappling techniques give bonuses to Grapple 
  Scores as describe in the Skill write-up.
  • 
  A skill roll of 12- or better is required to get a Skill Bonus 
  from a martial art.
  • 
  If a character has two or more skills that increase Grapple, 
  they get only the highest bonus with a +1 for an addional 
  Level 2 skill, +2 for an additional Level 3 skill, and +4 for 
  an additional Level 4 skill.
  Other Modifiers
  Archetype Abilities may also affect Grapple.  Refer to the ability 
  description
  +20% or + 2, 
  whichever is more
  Offensive Grapple is generally higher than defensive grapple by 
  20% or +2 points.
  Grapple Score calculation: An average person (STR = 10, BLD = 10) with no extra skills 
  has a Defensive Grapple of 10 + 2 (for Build) = 12 points
  An average person’s Offensive Grapple is 12 + 20% or 12 + 2 = 14.
  A street tough – a person with an 11 PHY (which brings both STR and BLD to 11) and some 
  basic Street Fighting Skill – would have a Defensive Grapple of 11 (for Strength) + 2 for BLD, 
  + 2 for Level 2 Street Fighting = 11 + 2 + 2 = 15. His Offensive Grapple would be 15 + 20% of 
  15, or 15+3 = 18 points.
  For the affect of skills like Street Fighting or Jujitsu on Grapple scores see the Skill 
  descriptions.
  Example
  Ground Speed
  If you need to find out how fast you run per second use this chart (speed is based on your REA). 
  If you are standing still or walking, you need to spend one Round (see the Combat chapter) 
  before you can Sprint. 
  REA
  Walking
  Running
  Sprinting
  7
  1 y/s
  2 y/s
  3 y/s
  8
  1 y/s
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  9
  2 y/s
  3 y/s
  5 y/s
  10
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  6 y/s
  11
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  6 y/s
  12
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  6 y/s
  13
  4 y/s
  5 y/s
  7 y/s
  14
  4 y/s
  5 y/s
  7 y/s
  15
  4 y/s
  5 y/s
  7 y/s
  16
  4 y/s
  8 y/s
  10 y/s
  17
  4 y/s
  8 y/s
  10 y/s
  18
  4 y/s
  10 y/s
  12 y/s
  +2 REA
  4y/s
  +2 y/s 
  +2 y/s
  Duke Zane’s ball was grand in every sense 
  of the word. The ladies in flowing gowns 
  seemed to glide above a lake of polished 
  marble that was the floor. The gentlemen 
  spoke, smoked, and drank, some of them 
  looking down from the gilded balconies 
  around the massive domed chamber.
  Trevor could see the gods and their winged 
  messengers locked in some eternal drama 
  in the massive overhead paintings. It was a 
  wonderful view—opulent and rich as well as 
  subtle and sublime. Trevor walked forward 
  with a purpose. 
  He was here to kill someone.
  “Von Lem,” he said sharply as he approached 
  a group of men, society members clearing the 
  way before him without even knowing who 
  he was. “We are to duel.”
  Von Lem was leaner than his fellows—
  younger and stronger. He was a man who 
  had killed for sport in arranged combats. He 
  turned, surprised, and laughed.
  “You!” he exclaimied. Then: “I am blessed 
  this evening—to think that you have 
  standing to challenge me? This is rich 
  indeed. We shall come to know each other 
  very well Trevor, over long conversations in 
  my dungeons.”
  Trevor waited. If this was a set up, he was 
  dead—well, if he could manage death that 
  was.
  Time stood still. The crowd looked on, enrapt, 
  appalled, excited.
  Then: “No, Baron, not as such.”
  Duke Zane’s voice was dead-calm. “I have 
  signed a le�er of agency. Trevor holds the 
  copy and seal. You will duel him in my 
  place—or decline, of course. The choice is 
  yours.”
  The Baron’s eyes narrowed. Zane had his 
  reasons—but the Baron was a skilled killer. 
  “Tomorrow then,” Von Lem said. “Tonight 
  we have a party to a�end. It’ll be your last, 
  Trevor; I hope you indulge it.”
  ◊◊◊
  
  53
  Character Creation
  Initiative Roll
  If the rules call for an Initiative Roll this is an REA roll modified by any Traits that apply (things 
  like Fat and Obese effect Initiative as well).
  REA + Trait modifiers (if any)
  See the Combat chapter for rules on how to use Initiative in combat.
  Perception Roll
  If the rules call for a roll to spot something you make a RES roll modified by any Traits that apply. 
  Skills that involve being sneaky (e.g. Stealth and Pick Pocket) provide rules for using Perception 
  to resist them (see the Skill descriptions and the Dice Mechanic rules for Resisted Rolls). In 
  general, the higher your Perception, the harder you are to fool.
  RES + Trait modifiers (if any)
  Wound and Condition Levels
  Characters have Damage Points, described above, which give a general idea of how hard they 
  are to hurt and how much  damage they can take before they’re dead or unconscious.
  Wound and Condition Levels provide more detail about what happens to your character when he 
  gets hurt and how it affects him. The detailed rules for Wound Levels and Condition are given in 
  the Combat chapter of the JAGS Revised book. This section provides a description of what these 
  things are, and how to compute them.
  Wound Level
  • 
  Each time you take a significant wound, there’s a chance it might stun you, knock you down, knock you 
  out or worse.  
  • 
  JAGS Revised has four categories of Wounds from “Sub-Minor” (which you just shrug off) to “Critical” 
  which might well kill you.
  • 
  Which category an specific Wound falls into depends how many points of damage the wound did, 
  compared to your character’s Condition Level.
  Condition Level
  • 
  As you get hurt, the damage starts to add up. When you’ve taken a lot of minor wounds, even one more 
  can feel like a Major Wound.
  • 
  JAGS Revised characters have four condition levels – starting at “Normal” (you’re un-injured and feeling 
  fine) up to “Serious Condition” where you’re fragile and in need of immediate medical attention.
  • 
  The thresholds for each condition level are calculated based on your character’s un-injured Damage 
  Point total
  Telling the Difference (Wound Level vs. Condition Level)
  Both Wound Levels and Condition Levels describe similar things – how getting injured slows 
  down, impedes, and perhaps, ultimately, kills characters. They also use very similar math, and 
  this can be confusing.
  The trick to remember is that 
  • 
  Wound Levels tell you the effect on your character of caused by any single wound.
  • 
  Condition Levels tell you the effect on your character caused by cumulative wounds 
  taken over a period of time
  Thus: 
  • 
  A healthy, un-injured character might still be knocked out by a single blow that does a 
  “Minor Wound” (Wound Level) if he gets unlucky.
  • 
  A great hero who can sustain massive injury might still be brought down by being hit by 
  dozens of arrows that each do a small amount of damage, but add up to enough to fell 
  him (Condition Level)
  Wound Levels
  When you make your character, you calculate his Wound Level thresholds based on his total, 
  un-injured damage points.
  
  Character Creation
  54
  Wound Level
  Calculation
  General Effect (see the Combat chapter for detail)
  Sub-Minor
  Less than 1/3rd of your total Damage Points
  The blow wasn’t enough to do more than get your attention!
  Minor
  More than, or equal to 1/3rd of your total Damage 
  Points, but less than 1x your total damage points
  A solid hit but probably not enough to take you out.
  Major
  More than, or equal-to 1x your Damage Points
  You are probably taken out of the fight and maybe hurt bad.
  Critical
  More than or equal to 2x your Damage Point total
  The blow could very likely be mortal!
  Calculating Wound Level thresholds: A normal character, with a Physique of 10 and no 
  special traits has 10 Damage Points. This gives him the following wound level thresholds:
  Wound Level
  Damage Range for 10 DP
  Description
  Sub-Minor
  0 points – 2 points
  A wound that does less than 
  3 points of damage won’t 
  affect him too badly. It’ll still 
  hurt though.
  Minor
  3 points – 9 points
  Any wound that does 
  between 3 and 9 points of 
  damage will have a good 
  chance of stunning him or 
  knocking him down. It’ll also 
  take awhile to heal
  Major
  10 points – 19 points
  A wound that does 10 to 19 
  points of damage is a Major 
  wound. It probably ends the 
  fight immediately, and when 
  he wakes up, he’ll try to find 
  his way to a hospital.
  Critical
  20 points or more
  A wound like this is 
  immediately life threatening. 
  He’s definitely going to be 
  unconscious and he may die
  Comparatively, a Special Forces soldier with a much higher CON and Traits that increase his 
  DP might have a DP of 21. His Wound Level thresholds are very different
  Wound Level 
  Damage Point Range for 
  21 DP
  The soldier can shrug off wounds that 
  would stagger an ordinary guy, and 
  single injuries that would be likely fatal 
  to a regular person (20 or more) will be 
  serious, but probably non-fatal to the 
  much-tougher soldier
  Sub-Minor
  0 - 6
  Minor
  7 - 20
  Major
  21 - 41
  Critical
  42+
  Example
  “Mr. McLear?” the man wore a slick dark 
  gray suit with security insignia on it. 
  Hammerhead stood, fluidly—he hadn’t heard 
  the man come up behind him—and that 
  disturbed him. “Yes?” he asked.
  “I need to ask you to come with me,” the 
  man said. “There has been a … problem, 
  a miscommunication, actually. I’m sorry 
  you’re caught in the middle. We need to 
  explain things.”
  McLear’s eyes narrowed. “Explain away,” 
  he said. “Or are you going to, yeh know, take 
  me somewhere—somewhere private?” His 
  question had an acrid, sarcastic edge to it.
  “I’m requesting you come to see my 
  employer,” the man answered, “and yours. I 
  work for Eddie Byline.”
  ◊◊◊
  
  55
  Character Creation
  Condition Levels
  Wound Levels don’t tell the whole story. How badly a single hit hurts you depends on both how 
  tough you are when you’re healthy (your Wound Level thresholds, discussed above) and how 
  badly hurt you are right now.
  A boxer, who’s already been beaten to a pulp may be knocked out by a blow that wouldn’t have 
  stopped him at the start of the fight.
  Condition Levels Table
  Condition 
  Level
  Condition Level Threshold
  Description
  Normal
  Total damage taken is less than 1/3 total DP
  The character really isn’t hurt or too badly hurt.
  Hurt
  Total damage taken is 1/3 total DP or more, but 
  less than 1x total DP
  The character is slightly impaired. Lightly bleeding and bruised.
  Injured
  Total damage taken is 1x total DP or more, but 
  less than 2x total DP
  The character may have a deep wound, have been pummeled unconscious, 
  or is otherwise badly beaten. A character who was shot in the arm had it 
  broken and bleeding would be at Injured Condition.
  Serious
  Total damage taken 2x total DP or more
  The character has suffered near-mortal damage. A lost limb could put 
  someone at Serious condition.
  Condition Level Thresholds: For a normal man (10 DP), the condition level thresholds are 
  Condition Level
  Cumulative Points of damage taken from all wounds 
  suffered
  Normal Condition
  0
  To
  2
  Hurt Condition
  3
  To
  9
  Injured Condition
  10
  To
  19
  Serious Condition
  20 or more
  Thus, a regular guy who has taken any number of wounds that do a cumulative total of 10 
  points of damage will be at injured condition.
  For the special forces soldier with 21 DP, the chart looks like this:
  Condition Level
  Cumulative Points of damage taken from all wounds 
  suffered
  Normal Condition
  0
  To
  6
  Hurt Condition
  7
  To
  20
  Injured Condition
  21
  To
  41
  Serious Condition
  42 or more
  Example
  Understanding the Condition Chart
  You don’t need to do all this math during the actual game. Your character sheet has a table to fill 
  in before the game starts. We’ll show you how to fill out the table here and explain what it means 
  and how you use it in more detail in the Combat chapter.
  To understand the condition chart, though, you need to know a little about how it affects combat.
  When you’re at Hurt, Injured, or Serious condition, wounds affect you more than they would if 
  you were at Normal condition.
  
  Character Creation
  56
  For example:
  • 
  When you’re at Hurt Condition
  o There’s no such thing as a “sub-minor” wound anymore. Any wound that 
  does even one point of damage is a minor wound. When you’re hurt you feel 
  everything.
  • 
  When you’re at Injured Condition
  o Any wound that would have been “sub-minor” is a minor wound (just like Hurt 
  Condition), but…
  o Your threshold for a major wound drops as well. A wound that would have 
  been “minor” if you were uninjured becomes a major wound.
  • 
  And so-on.
  With all these shifting thresholds, it’s best to do all the math before you start and write it down in 
  the condition chart.
  Filling out the Condition Chart
  Here’s what the Condition Chart looks like. The underlined fields show the numbers you’ll 
  calculate based on your character’s DP.
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Condition: Normal
  You are at Normal Condition if: 
  Total Damage taken is Less than 
  1/3 DP.
  A Sub-Minor Wound is 1 To Less than 1/3rd DP
  A Minor Wound is From 1/3rd DP to less than 1x DP
  A Major Wound is From 1x DP to less than 2x DP
  A Critical Wound is 2x DP or more
  Condition: Hurt
  You are at Hurt Condition if: Total 
  Damage Taken is from 1/3rd DP to 
  less than 1x DP.
  A Sub-Minor Wound is No wound is Sub-Minor
  A Minor Wound is From 1pt to less than 1x DP
  A Major Wound is From 1x DP to less than 2x DP
  A Critical Wound is 2x DP or more
  Condition: Injured
  You are at Injured Condition if: Total 
  Damage Taken is from 1x DP to less 
  than 2x DP
  A Sub-Minor Wound is No wound is Sub-Minor
  A Minor Wound is 1pt to less than 1/3rd DP
  A Major Wound is 1/3rd DP to less than 1x DP
  A Critical Wound is 1x DP or more
  Condition: Serious
  You are at Serious Condition if: Total 
  Damage Taken is equal or greater 
  than 2x DP.
  A Sub-Minor Wound is No wound is Sub-Minor
  A Minor Wound is No wound is Minor
  A Major Wound is From 1pt to less than 1/3rd DP
  A Critical Wound is 1/3 DP or more
  
  57
   Character Creation
  Character Def Appendix 1: Skill List
  This is the standard list of Skills: it is by no means complete. Different worlds (or even different 
  takes on “modern day”) will certainly change what training and experience characters may have. 
  The Players are encouraged to work with the GM to come up with additional Skills or to modify 
  the example Skills in order to suit the game.
  Level Zero Skills
  Some of these skills have a “Level Zero” rating which discusses what happens when someone 
  without any training in the skill tries to perform that activity.
  Combat Skills
  Here are a few notes about combat skills. 
  Use Your Skill To Hit
  In a fight if you don’t have any combat Skills you use your Coordination to hit with any ranged 
  attack and your Agility to hit with any unarmed attack. If you have a combat Skill that applies, 
  unless the description says otherwise, you can use that roll to hit with it (so you use your 
  Firearms Skill instead of COR to hit with a gun or Karate Skill instead of AGI to hit with an 
  unarmed attack).
  Use Your Skill To Block
  Hand to hand skills (martial arts, melee weapons) give you a Block roll based on your Skill Level 
  and your Skill Roll. This is a parry—using your hand or a weapon to turn aside an incoming 
  attack (see the Combat Section). The Block notation is U, B, S—that stands for Unarmed, Blunt, 
  and Sharp. The listed number is the modifier to your Skill Roll. It is much harder to block a sharp 
  weapon with your bare hands than an unarmed strike.
  Weapons simply have a block score associated with them and do not distinguish by what the 
  attack type is like.
  Extra Damage
  Many combat skills give you extra damage at higher levels. The Damage column for your level is 
  added to any damage you do with a weapon.
  Grapple Bonus
  Some martial arts teach grappling skills. If a martial art has a Grapple Bonus listed that is added 
  to your Grapple Scores if your roll is 10- or better.
  If a character has two or more arts that improve their Grapple, they get the largest modifier and 
  an additional +1 to Grapple for each additional art had with a 9- roll or better.
  Special Moves
  Some combat skills grant you special moves in a fight (based on what level you know them at). 
  In the special moves column is the name of the move you can do. These moves are described in 
  the Combat Section.
  If a character has a Level 3+ Combat Skill they may make one 5 REA attack per Round 
  for 4 REA. This is not listed separately for every skill.
  Important Note
  !
  
  Character Creation
  58
  Acrobatics (Dodge)
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are experienced in tumbling and gymnastics. This 
  is useful for Olympic tryouts—but in combat it allows for a better 
  dodge.
  Beginner 
  At Level 1 the skill is useful primarily for making rolls 
  and flips (instead of AGI).
  Professional 
  You can use Acrobatics skill as a 5 REA dodge (instead 
  of AGI). The character has Ground Fighting. You can 
  get to your feet for 0 REA with a roll. An Acrobatics roll 
  will ignore a small obstacle (like a chair or table).
  Expert
  You can perform an Acrobatics Dodge (using Acrobatics 
  skill instead of AGI) for 3 REA (like a Block). A roll to get 
  up is at +2. An Acrobatics roll can be made to ignore a 
  substantial obstacle (like a 6’ wall or fence).
  Master
  Your acrobatic dodge is at +2 if you spend 5 REA and it 
  applies fully against ranged attacks. A roll to get up is at 
  +4. An Acrobatics roll can be made to ignore a severe 
  obstacle, allowing movement up the side of a building 
  (one story) or full speed movement through very small 
  places.
  Bow (Long Bow)
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: The character is skilled with traditional bow-and-arrow 
  weaponry. 
  Beginner 
  The character pays 15 REA per shot in 5 REA chunks 
  (meaning most characters can only fire every other 
  turn).
  Professional 
  The character pays 10 REA for every shot in 5 REA 
  chunks.
  Expert
  The character pays 5 REA for every shot and ignores 
  -3pts of range, speed, size, and visibility modifiers.
  Master
  The character may draw a bow rated for +2 STR 
  above their actual STR (doing more damage), pays 5 
  REA per shot, and ignores -6 points of range, speed, 
  size, and visibility modifiers.
  
  59
   Character Creation
  Boxing
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: A martial art involving pugilistic striking with the hands. 
  It may not be used to kick, although it may be used to roll to hit with a 
  Grab or Grapple unless the character is actually wearing gloves. 
  Beginner 
  No special moves. The damage bonus applies only 
  with the Cross strike.
  Professional 
  The character is toughened up and gets +1 to Hurt 
  Condition if his roll is 13 or better (note: this is not +1 
  to Minor Wound—only the cumulative damage needed 
  to put him at Hurt Condition). The damage bonus is 
  different for the Cross and Punch.
  Expert
  The character gets +1 Damage Point and +2 to Hurt 
  Condition. The character has the special move of Roll 
  With Strike [pg. 150] 3 REA or 5 REA with a block.
  Master
  The character gets +4 Damage Points and +8 to Hurt 
  Condition. The character adds [ Skill Roll - 9 ] to their 
  Cross damage!
  Level
  Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special 
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +1 cross 
  +0/+0
  -2
  -4
  -4 none
  2
  +1punch/+3cross
  +0/+0
  +0
  -4
  -4 +1 Hurt
  3
  +2punch/+4cross
  +0/+0
  +0
  -4
  -4 Roll
  4
  +5punch/+[skl-9] cross
  +0/+0
  +1
  -4
  -4 +8 Hurt
  Fencing
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: Fencing is a fast sword-fighting art using light weapons. 
  Fencing weapons are not capable of Full Strike moves and do not do 
  well against armor. Only weapons on the Fencing Weapons list may 
  be used unless the GM rules otherwise.NOTE: how many times you 
  may strike with a weapon depends on the weapon and your skill 
  level. See the weapons chart in the combat section.
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  The character may perform a Lunge [pg. 127] special 
  move for +2 REA with any Strike (giving the character 
  a Step-Strike move for 7 REA).
  Expert
  The character may either strike for 4 REA once per 
  turn or block for 2 REA once per turn. 
  Master
  The character gets a free 0 REA strike along with any 
  normal strike.
  Level
  Damage
  Block
  Special Moves
  1
  +0
  -2
  None
  2
  +0
  +1
  Lunge
  3
  +0
  +0
  4 REA Strike or 2 REA Block
  4
  +1
  +1
  Free Strike
  Firearms
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: You have trained with light arms (rifles, pistols, SMGs, 
  and even light machine guns).
  Beginner 
  All negative modifiers to the to-hit roll are doubled 
  unless the character aims.
  Professional 
  You use the skill normally to hit with firearms.
  Expert
  You may quick-draw for 0 REA with a Skill roll and 
  Double Tap (2 shots for 5 REA at the same target) at 
  -1 to each shot. You ignore -3pts of range, speed, size 
  and visibility modifiers. 
  Master
  You may Double-Tap at -0 to hit and ignore -6pts 
  of range, speed, size and visibility modifiers. The 
  character gets a free shot (0 REA) with any other shot.
  Heavy Weapons
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: This skill is used to hit with heavy weapons (vehicular 
  mounted weapons) that require operator skill but are not aimed 
  and sighted like a normal firearm. NOTE: if the weapons are fixed 
  to a vehicle (i.e. do not swivel or don’t swivel much) then use the 
  Expensive Driving/Pilot skill.
  Beginner 
  Double all negative modifiers.
  Professional 
  A standard roll to hit.
  Expert
  Ignore up to -3 pts of range/size/speed/visibility 
  modifiers.
  Master
  Ignore up to -6 pts of range/size/speed/visibility 
  modifiers. The character may take a free (0 REA) 
  attack with any other normal attack.
  Jujitsu
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: A martial art involving holds, locks, chokes, and throws. 
  For -1pt to Roll Cost (minimum cost of .5pts) the character may know 
  Judo, a sport-form that teaches no strikes (the skill cannot be used to 
  punch). Otherwise all strikes may use the Akido/Jujitsu Skill.
  Beginner 
  The character can perform a Martial Arts Throw if 
  involved in a Grapple. The character may Break-Fall 
  [pg. 165].
  Professional 
  The character gains the Arm-Bar/Choke [pg. 163] 
  move, can do a Martial Arts Throw from a Grab or 
  Grapple, and gains Ground Fighting [pg.119].
  Expert
  The character can perform a Block-Arm Bar or Block-
  Throw maneuver for 4 REA (for the Block) and 5 REA 
  for the Throw or Bar (Total of 9).
  Master
  You can perform a Block-Throw or Block Arm-Bar off 
  any successful normal Block (cost of 3 REA) for +4 
  REA (total of 7). The character can also perform a 
  Super Throw [pg. 165] Maneuver! The character adds 
  + [Skill Roll - 9] to both Grapple Scores.
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +0
  +1/+1
  -1
  -1
  -4 Martial Throw
  2
  +0
  +2/+2
  +0
  +0
  -3 Arm-Bar/Choke
  3
  +1
  +4/+4
  +1
  +1
  -1 Block-Bar/Choke
  4
  +2
  +[skill-9]
  +2
  +2
  +0 Super Throw
  
  Character Creation
  60
  Karate
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: A traditional martial art involving strikes, kicks, and 
  blocks.  
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  None.
  Expert
  The character may perform a Karate Chop [pg. 123] 
  move (also called “Breaking Blow”).
  Master
  The character may perform a Spear Hand [pg. 125] 
  special move. The minimum plus to damage is +5.
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +1
  +0/+0
  -3
  -3
  -4 None
  2
  +2
  +0/+0
  -2
  -3
  -3 None
  3
  +3
  +0/+0
  +0
  -2
  -2 Karate Chop
  4
  +[Skill-10]
  +0/+0
  +0
  +0
  +0 Spear Hand
  Knife Fighting
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are trained with knife fighting techniques. This skill 
  may be used to throw the blade at -1 to hit (if you want more skill 
  with that use Knife Throwing). The Knife Block is special (see below). 
  NOTE: how many times you may strike with a weapon depends on 
  the weapon and your skill level. See the weapons chart in the combat 
  section.
  Beginner 
  The block only applies to other knives or unarmed 
  attacks.
  Professional 
  The block only applies to other knives or unarmed 
  attacks.
  Expert
  The block applies to other weapons. The character 
  gets one free 0 REA knife strike with any other normal 
  attack.
  Master
  The block applies to other weapons. The character 
  gets two free 0 REA knife strike with any other normal 
  attack.
  Level
  Damage
  Block
  Special Moves
  1
  +0
  -2
  None
  2
  +0
  +1
  None
  3
  +1
  +1
  One free (0 REA) attack
  4
  +2
  +1
  Two free (0 REA) attacks
  Kung Fu
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: A traditional martial art that involves fluid motion and 
  may incorporate animal-inspired movements.
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  The character’s strikes are at -1 to be blocked.
  Expert
  The character’s strikes are at -2 to be blocked.
  Master
  The character can punch for 4 REA, kick for 5 REA, 
  and block for 2 REA.
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +0
  +0/+0
  -1
  -3
  -4 None
  2
  +0
  +0/+0
  -0
  -1
  -3 -1 to be blocked
  3
  +1
  +0/+0
  +1
  +0
  -2 -2 to be blocked
  4
  +2
  +0/+0
  +2
  +0
  -1 Faster strikes!
  Melee Weapons
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are trained with the weapons of hand to hand 
  combat. These include swords, axes, hammers, maces, and flails. 
  NOTE: how many times you may strike with a weapon depends on 
  the weapon and your skill level. See the weapons chart in the combat 
  section.
  No Skill
  Characters use AGI rolls to hit and get 1 attack per 
  Round. Environmental modifiers count double.
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  None
  Expert
  None.
  Master
  The character gets a free 0 REA strike along with any 
  normal strike.
  Level
  Damage
  Block
  Special Moves
  1
  +0
  -2
  None
  2
  +0
  -1
  None
  3
  +1
  +0
  None
  4
  +2
  +1
  Free Strike
  Shield
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are trained in the use of a shield to protect you 
  (anyone can carry one—you get more usefulness out of it). The size 
  of your shield also gives you a bonus (see the combat section).
  No Skill
  A shield still gives its Shield Bonus with a 5 REA Short 
  Action.
  Beginner 
  You can use a “shield block” for 5 REA (the cost of an 
  attack). It blocks at skill +1
  Professional 
  You can use a shield to block at skill for 3 REA. Or skill 
  +1 for 5 REA (instead of an attack).
  Expert
  You can use a shield to block at Skill+1 for 3 REA or 
  skill +2 for 5 REA (instead of an attack).
  Master
  You can use a shield to block at skill+2 for 3 REA or 
  skill+4 for 5 REA instead of an attack).
  
  61
   Character Creation
  Staff
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are trained in the use of a Staff as weapon (a 
  martial arts weapon). You do not need to have any martial art.
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  None
  Expert
  None.
  Master
  You get two free 0 REA blocks per turn and one free (0 
  REA) attack along with another, normal attack).
  Level
  Damage
  Block
  Special Moves
  1
  +0
  -3
  None
  2
  +0
  -1
  None
  3
  +1
  +1
  None
  4
  +2
  +2
  Two free blocks, one free strike
  Streetfighting
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: The character is experienced as a brawler. All attacks 
  hit at +1 above Skill Roll. This +1 does not add to Damage Modifier, 
  only to the chances of scoring a hit. If a target is hit because of the 
  +1, the Damage Modifier is 0.  The character can use the skill to hit 
  with knives, clubs, or improvised weapons.
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  The character gains Ground Fighting.
  Expert
  The character gets +2 to Damage Modifier in Close 
  Combat (Grab, Grapple, or “infighting”) due to the 
  vicious nature of their strikes! If the character’s 
  damage is penetrating that +2 is applied after the 
  doubling. The character’s +1 to hit becomes a 
  complete +1 to Skill in Close Combat (applying to 
  Blocks and to Damage Mod). The character gains 
  Break-Fall [pg. 165].
  Master
  The character gets +4 Damage Modifier as above. The 
  character gets + [Skill Roll - 9 ] / + [Skill Roll - 12] 
  added to their Grappling scores.
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +0
  +1/+0
  -3
  -4
  -4 None
  2
  +0
  +2/+1
  -2
  -3
  -4 None
  3
  +2
  +3/+2
  -1
  -2
  -4 +2 DM in Close Cbt
  4
  +3
  Special
  +0
  -1
  -4 +4 DM in Close Cbt
  Tae Kwon Do
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: A martial art that emphasizes kicks and striking.  The 
  character does not suffer the -1 to hit with the Kick maneuver.
  Beginner 
  None.
  Professional 
  The character may kick at Medium Reach (usually 
  reserved for Level 3 characters) and blocks kicks at +1 
  to his effective Skill.
  Expert
  The character may throw one kick per turn for 5 REA 
  (instead of 6). This may not be further reduced.
  Master
  The character can kick for 5 REA (but this may not be 
  further reduced). The damage with a kick is 
  +[ Skill Roll - 9]!
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +0
  +0/+0
  -3
  -4
  -4 None
  2
  +1
  +0/+0
  -2
  -3
  -3 Med Kicks, Blk +1
  3
  +2
  +0/+0
  -1
  -2
  -2 5 REA Kick.
  4
  +4 / kick
  +0/+0
  +0
  -1
  -2 +[ Skill Roll -9] dmg
  Tai Chi
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: An internal martial art that involves a good deal of 
  meditation and breathing training.
  Beginner 
  At Beginner Level Tai Chi is simply an exercise routine. 
  The character may use their Skill roll as their CON for 
  Endurance purposes.
  Professional 
  The practitioner learns meditation. With a few 
  moments and a successful roll they can get +1 to WIL 
  rolls to block out the outside world. The character may 
  Break-Fall [pg .165].
  Expert
  The character can perform Arm Locks, Chokes, and 
  Throws [pg. 162-163] as a Level 2 Jujitsu practitioner.  
  The meditation gives +2 WIL.
  Master
  The character may perform Throws, Locks, and 
  Chokes as a Level 3 Jujitsu practitioner. The 
  meditation gives +3 WIL. The character gets 
  +[Skill Roll - 10] / + [Skill Roll - 7] Grapple.
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  +0
  +0/+1
  --
  --
  -- None
  2
  +0
  +1/+2
  +1
  -1
  -3 Meditation
  3
  +0
  +2/+4
  +2
  +1
  -0 L2 Jujitsu Moves
  4
  +0
  Special
  +3
  +3
  +3 L3 Jujitsu Moves
  
  Character Creation
  62
  Tangle Weapons
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: Tangle Weapons are things like nets, bolas, and 
  lassos. The user’s Skill Level will determine how quickly they can be 
  deployed. This varies greatly by weapon type. See the Tangle Attack 
  weapons list in the combat section.
  Beginner 
  See Tangle Attack Weapons [pg.127].
  Professional 
  See Tangle Attack Weapons.
  Expert
  See Tangle Attack Weapons.
  Master
  See Tangle Attack Weapons.
  Thrown Knife
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: This skill applies to the throwing of small knives 
  (Thrown Weapon is a more general skill in the same vein). See 
  Thrown Weapons [pg. 130].
  Beginner 
  The thrown knife has a 50% chance of striking the 
  wrong way (the blunt end) for Impact damage. All 
  negative modifiers due to size/range/speed/ and 
  visibility are doubled unless the character aims.
  Professional 
  A successful hit will do PEN damage.
  Expert
  The character ignores -3 points of size/speed/distance/ 
  and visibility modifiers. The character may make one 
  free thrown-knife attack per turn with another normal 
  throw.
  Master
  The knives are thrown for +1 damage and the 
  character may make two free attacks with two normal 
  throws.
  Thrown Weapon
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: This may apply to Spears, Axes, and other things 
  (Grenades) the character wishes to improve his chance to hit with. 
  See Thrown Weapons [pg. 130].
  No Skill
  A thrown attack uses COR to hit and all negative 
  modifiers are doubled unless the character aims. Any 
  attack that hits has a 50% chance of striking with the 
  blunt end of the weapon.
  Beginner 
  The character doubles size/range/speed/visibility 
  modiers to hit and has a 50% chance of striking with 
  the blunt end (for IMP damage).
  Professional 
  No special rules.
  Expert
  The throw will ignore -3pts of size/speed/distance/
  visibility modifiers and hit for +1 damage.
  Master
  The throw will ignore -6pts of size/speed/distance/
  visibility modifiers and hit for +2 damage.
  Wrestling
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: A western grappling art that has no strikes (the Skill roll 
  may not be used to hit with a strike).
  Beginner 
  The character has Ground Fighting and Break Fall.
  Professional 
  The character can perform a 5 REA Short Block action 
  against a Grapple (usually these can only be Dodged).
  Expert
  The character may Shoot  [pg.158 ] (perform a 
  Takedown as a Medium action instead of a Long 
  action).
  Master
  The character may perform a Reactive Takedown if 
  he blocks by 2 or more. The character may perform a 
  Reverse. The character gets +[Skil Roll - 8] added to 
  both Offensive and Defensive Grapple.
  Level Damage
  Grapple
  Block
  Special Moves
  U
  B
  S
  1
  --
  +2/+2
  -2
  -4
  -4 Block a Grapple
  2
  --
  +3/+3
  +0
  -4
  -4 Ground Fighting
  3
  --
  +5/+5
  +0
  -4
  -4 Shoot
  4
  -
  Special
  +1
  -4
  -4 R. Takedown, 
  Reverse
  
  63
   Character Creation
  Hard Sciences
  Astrophysics
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You have a background in studying physics and 
  astronomy. 
  Beginner 
  Astronomy. You have a good knowledge of stellar 
  objects and their properties. At Lvl 1 this is at high 
  school or early college level. At higher levels this roll 
  may reveal more complex information.
  Professional 
  Astronomer. You are qualified to use complex 
  telescopes to chart space. This requires Mathematics 
  and Physics at Professional Level (Lvl 2).
  Expert
  Astrophysicist. You are making new discoveries in 
  the realm of stellar physics (Dark Matter, Black holes, 
  etc.).
  Master
  Master Astrophysicist. You have made important 
  breakthroughs. In a non-star faring culture you might 
  be one of the people involved in the first interstellar 
  space mission. In higher tech cultures you are on the 
  cutting edge of space phenomena exploration and this 
  will include a deep understanding of faster-than-light 
  travel.
  Bio Sciences
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You are skilled in Biology and Botany and Ecology and 
  other such sciences.
  Beginner 
  You have a basic knowledge of biology and physiology. 
  Professional 
  Biologist (Botanist, etc.). You can perform dissections 
  on new animals (and learn about their bio-systems), 
  perform autopsies, work to predict the effects of 
  existing drugs, study bio-chemical reactions, etc. A roll 
  could be used to improve a pesticide or figure out what 
  a species might be vulnerable to.
  Expert
  You can create new bio-chemical compounds (drugs), 
  study bizarre life forms, and make predictions about 
  what complex and unusual new species might do 
  when introduced into new environments (The “T-Rex” 
  will eat Los Angeles!). You might be called in to help 
  clean up environmental disasters.
  Master
  You are capable of vast improvements in bio-medicine. 
  You can come up with ways to salvage the most dire 
  environmental disasters, find new drugs in rain-forests, 
  etc. You are a leader in your field.
  
  Character Creation
  64
  Chemist
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You are a skilled chemist, able to analyze and create 
  new compounds. For creation of medicines, see Bio-Sciences.
  Beginner 
  You can perform basic analysis and experiments on 
  compounds. This can help identify things, use acids 
  and bases, and even create low-powered explosives. 
  Professional 
  Chemist. You can perform complicated analysis, create 
  high-powered explosives, and otherwise generate 
  useful compounds.
  Expert
  Expert Chemist/Material Sciences: you can create new 
  polymers and other useful materials (useful for making 
  high tech armor, for example). You can run a large lab 
  and analyze complex substances.
  Master
  You are a world class chemist.
  Computers
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You are skilled in the operation and programming of 
  computer systems.
  Beginner 
  You can use computers at a highly proficient level. 
  This includes office software, internet searches, and 
  operating systems. NOTE: a high Level 1 skill (13+) 
  roll may indicate a deep knowledge of infrastructure 
  (IT) and be a valuable professional skill.
  Professional 
  Programmer. You can create programs and have an 
  excellent level of knowledge about protocols, computer 
  security, and things of that nature. NOTE: Hacking is a 
  separate but related skill.
  Expert
  Systems Engineer. You are an expert computer 
  programmer. You can design and manage large and 
  complex systems or make breakthroughs in computer 
  science.
  Master
  Master Architect. You can create programs incredibly 
  fast and manage computer technology for large 
  enterprises. 
  Doctor
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You are trained in medical sciences. Unlike most 
  skills, Level 4 Doctors are top-level specialized surgeons (and are 
  therefore a good deal more common than most Master Level skills).
  Beginner 
  Emergency Medical Technician. At Level 1 you can 
  apply first aid. This will stop bleeding (you can stabilize 
  a Dying result) and will usually restore damage points 
  based on the available technology (recover a Minor 
  Wound with a few hours of modern day treatment).
  Professional 
  You are a general practitioner. You can prescribe drugs 
  and otherwise treat illnesses and wounds. 
  Expert
  You are a surgeon. You can perform advanced medical 
  care.
  Master
  You are a top-flight specialized surgeon (and one of 
  the best in the world).
  Engineer
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You are trained in electronics and mechanics (at the 
  higher levels, civil engineering as well).
  Beginner 
  Handyman, You have the equivalent of a late high 
  school/beginning college level of learning. You can fix 
  basic problems. 
  Professional 
  You can repair a car, wire a house, and do other 
  professional level jobs.
  Expert
  Engineer. You can design new devices or vehicles. 
  These must be based on existing premises. This 
  requires Beginner level Mathematics.
  Master
  You can invent totally new designs. You can improve 
  existing designs by about 100% (GM’s decision, could 
  be more or less depending on what and how much 
  is improved). Requires Professional level Mathematics.
  Mathematics
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You are skilled in mathematical sciences. 
  Beginner 
  Upper Level Math. You can do calculus or at least 
  advanced trigonometry.
  Professional 
  Mathematician. You can perform any math commonly 
  necessary for the modern sciences.
  Expert
  Theoretical Mathematician. You are discovering new 
  theories. A lot of your work may be abstract.
  Master
  Math Genius. You have created (and may yet create) 
  mathematical theories that have revolutionized other 
  sciences.
  Physics
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: You have studied the underlying nature of the physical 
  world. 
  Beginner 
  Newtonian Physics. You understand the basic laws of 
  motion and heat (at a high school or colligate level).
  Professional 
  Physicist. You are qualified to work in a university or 
  corporate physicist lab. This requires Mathematics at 
  Beginner Level.
  Expert
  Theoretical Physicist. You are discovering new 
  theories. A lot of your work may be abstract. This 
  requires Mathematics at Professional Level.
  Master
  Master Physicist. You are pioneering the physical 
  sciences (maybe warp drive?) This requires Expert 
  Level mathematics.
  
  65
   Character Creation
  Street Skills
  Con Games
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You are a grifter or con-man, skilled at winning people’s 
  confidence (which is usually a prelude to taking their money). This 
  usually works well as a prelude to a Persuade roll. It may also be 
  used to simulate a slick, smooth-talking character who may not 
  actually be taking advantage of people.
  Beginner 
  Spotting the Con. You recognize when someone 
  is trying to put one over on you. This roll may be 
  substituted for WIL or RES when someone is trying to 
  Persuade or Charm. It may also confer a knowledge of 
  basic con-games, carnival scams, etc.
  Professional 
  Confidence Man. You understand the psychology of 
  winning someone’s confidence and are either practiced 
  or innately skilled in coming off as trustworthy. A 
  successful Resisted Roll against their WIL or RES 
  (whichever is higher) combined with a description of 
  how you appear trustworthy gives either +1 to Charm 
  or +2 to Persuade rolls.
  Expert
  As above but it gives +3 to a Persuade roll. You may 
  also understand the mechanics of Long Cons—
  complex confidence games with multiple levels of 
  psychological advantage.
  Master
  As above but it gives +4 to a Persuade roll. It can 
  also be used to “talk your way out of anything.” The 
  GM decides what “anything” is but it’s pretty damn 
  persuasive.
  Disguise
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: The character is a master at changing their appearance 
  and pretending to be someone else.
  Beginner 
  Makeup Artist. The character can use a few small 
  touches to greatly change their appearance. You won’t 
  look like someone else but you won’t be recognized 
  either. Perception rolls are at -2 if the character has 
  time to prepare.
  Professional 
  Disguise. Any attempt to recognize the character 
  is a Resisted Roll (Perception, Police Procedure, 
  or Disguise) against the Disguise artist’s skill. If the 
  subject has an Exotic appearance the artist rolls at -2. 
  Expert
  Movie makeup. As above but if the observer has a 
  lower level skill or is using a STAT, they get a -2 to their 
  roll. With the right gear major changes can be made to 
  the subject’s appearance.
  Master
  As above but if the observer has a lower level skill or 
  is using a STAT, they get a -4 to their roll. The Master 
  Disguise artist may have access to rubber masks that 
  appear almost perfect.
  
  Character Creation
  66
  Escape Artist
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR or AGI or MEM
  Description: You have studied how to get out of bonds and/or 
  contort yourself. At the low levels this is Contortionist. At the higher 
  levels it involves a magician’s knowledge of how to escape bonds. 
  Locksmith will also be required, most likely.
  Beginner 
  Escape Bonds. Simple bonds may be escaped with a 
  roll and a few seconds of wriggling (or, if Level 2 and 
  made by 5, as a single 8 REA Long action).
  Professional 
  Escape Common Restraints. The character is skilled in 
  concealing and building handcuff keys, can defeat light 
  straight jackets, and other similar restraints. Heavy 
  restraints have a -1 to -6 modifier.
  Expert
  Escape Artist. The character knows tricks that will get 
  them out of locked chests, quickly remove locks and 
  ropes, etc. this requires Locksmith and gives the skills 
  necessary to be prepared to get out of such bonds. 
  Serious straight jackets may be removed as well. This 
  ignores -3pts of negative modifier.
  Master
  As above, but much faster. The character can 
  remove bonds as fast as taking off one’s clothes. The 
  character ignores -6pts of negative modifier.
  Forgery
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You are skilled in the creation of false documents and 
  credentials. Forging art would be a combination of this (to mimic a 
  specific style) and artistic skill to have the competence to pull it off.
  Beginner 
  Fake Driver’s License. You can fake any common 
  credential that is not protected by holograms or other 
  such high tech devices. It may not pass scrutiny but it’ll 
  get you and your friends into a night club.
  Professional 
  Forger. You can forge professional documents that 
  must pass visual inspection. Usually this comes at a  
  -1 to -10 difficulty and may require an example of the 
  real thing to work from. Passing a forged document 
  is a Resisted Roll against the observer’s RES, MEM, 
  Forgery Skill, or Police Procedure (whichever is 
  highest).
  Expert
  Master Forger. You can forge documents from memory 
  or from a picture. You are familiar with most common 
  things. You can forge passports, magnetic ID’s, etc. If 
  rolling against a STAT or lower level skill, the opposing 
  roll to spot a forgery is at -2.
  Master
  As above but the resisting roll is at -4. Visual 
  documents are perfect.
  Gambling
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You are skilled in playing games of chance for stakes. 
  Gambling contests will usually be done using some sort of Drama 
  Rolls system or specific mechanic.
  Beginner 
  Understanding the game. You can make rolls to 
  determine the odds of a standard game of chance 
  (the player will know roughly how to bet and how well 
  or poorly the odds favor them or another player). This 
  skill can be substituted for WIL or RES if the character 
  is trying to bluff.
  Professional 
  Gambler. You can make a Resisted Roll vs. the 
  target’s WIL or RES to see if they are bluffing. Note: a 
  “bluff” in this case means that they are overstating their 
  position where there are clear stakes “on the table” (it 
  need not be an actual gambling game—but does not 
  apply to “just lying.”).
  Expert
  You can make a living in card houses.
  Master
  You are a wealthy master gambler. Heck, there might 
  even be a song about you!
  Hacker
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: This is the skill used to break into computer systems 
  and navigate the electronic underground.
  Beginner 
  Lamer. You can get old games, access to porn sites, 
  and other mediocre internet goodies.
  Professional 
  Script Kiddie. You can hack web-sites, get latest 
  releases of games off the internet, get credit card 
  numbers, and, with rolls at -2 to -6 access hardened 
  systems. 
  Expert
  Cracker. You are an expert hacker (ignore -3pts of 
  difficulty modifiers). You can also track people and 
  find out about people on the web. You are adept in 
  social engineering as well and know what dumpsters 
  to look in and how to present yourself on the phone to 
  organizations you want to penetrate.
  Master
  Master Hacker. You can hack hardened military 
  systems. You are capable of getting into anything that 
  has a phone line or network connected to it.
  
  67
   Character Creation
  Locksmith
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR
  Description: 
  Beginner 
  A roll will open an automobile lock or other weak 
  security door (not a residential front door, however).
  Professional 
  Locksmith. The character can make a roll against 
  standard exterior locks. Very good locks may be at -1 
  to -10 to pick. A successful roll made by 4+ takes no 
  longer than using a key. 
  Expert
  Safecracker. You can use your skills to open small 
  safes. A successful roll made by 4+ usually takes no 
  more than 10 minutes.
  Master
  Vault. You understand the workings of high security 
  vaults. This allows you to open them—but more 
  importantly to make the plans necessary to get into 
  them (which may involve a variety of approaches 
  such as chemical incendiaries and basic explosives 
  knowledge).
  Sleight of Hand
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR
  Description: This is the skill used to cheat at cards. It is also used to 
  be a stage magician … or even pick pockets.
  Beginner 
  Card Sleight. A roll will pull off a basic card trick (Three 
  Card Monte). A failed roll will mean observers get 
  Perception rolls (RES) to figure it out.
  Professional 
  Pick Pocket. You can improvise tricks and otherwise 
  rig betting hands. A roll against RES will steal a wallet. 
  A failed roll gives an RES roll at -2 to catch something.
  Expert
  Expert Pick Pocket. You can steal wrist watches by 
  rolling against RES with a handshake. A roll gives an 
  RES roll at -4 to catch something.
  Master
  You are almost magical: even if you fail a roll, the 
  observers must make an RES roll at -8 to see anything 
  happening. You can steal a shirt off of someone 
  without taking their vest off (don’t ask us how).
  Security Systems
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: The skill necessary to bypass (and install) electronic 
  security systems. 
  Beginner 
  Installation. The character can install and understands 
  basic home security systems. A roll may help formulate 
  a plan to get around a lightly secured residence’s 
  defenses.
  Professional 
  Disarm Security System. A roll (often at -1 to -6) will let 
  you bypass most hardened systems. Top government 
  or bio-metric systems might be at   -10 to defeat.
  Expert
  Security Expert. The character understands complex 
  high-tech multi-factor security and can bypass it. 
  Ignores -3pts of difficulty modifiers and can make a roll 
  to assess the security a given installation would have.
  Master
  As above but the master ignores -6 points of negative 
  modifiers and can often locate a weak point in any 
  building secured by someone with less than Master 
  Level skill making entry even easier.
  Spycraft
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: While the character may not actually be a spy, they 
  are trained in surveillance, in keeping tabs on people, and other 
  elements of clandestine operation.
  No Skill
  A RES roll or good description of what is being done 
  may be made to “tail someone” in such a way that it 
  will require a perception roll for them to notice. How 
  much the RES roll is made by is irrelevant.
  Beginner 
  Stakeout/Lookout. The character knows how to 
  perform basic surveillance skills and can roll to spot 
  them (instead of Perception).
  Professional 
  Surveillance. The character gets a Resisted Roll 
  against the target’s Perception or Spycraft to run 
  a surveillance operation. With extra people the 
  resistance roll may be at -1 to -6.
  Expert
  Secret Operations. The character understands the use 
  of actual spy-type operations and can run debriefings 
  (and make rolls against, say Con Artist, to detect 
  inconsistencies), set up secret drops, and run counter 
  intelligence operations. If the spy’s skill is higher than 
  the target’s skill or STAT the target rolls at -2 to notice 
  surveillance. 
  Master
  If the spy’s skill is higher than the target’s skill or STAT 
  the target rolls at -4 to notice surveillance.
  Streetwise
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You know the streets well. You probably grew up there. 
  This skill lets you navigate an urban environment as well as know the 
  specifics of how to make plans to pull off types of criminal activity.
  No Skill
  If you grew up on the streets, a MEM roll will know 
  low-level contacts in your area and understand the 
  basic dealings. Roleplaying asking around without 
  Streetwise can work--but the character may well be 
  seen as an outsider.
  Beginner 
  You know many common criminals and how street-
  level crimes get committed. 
  Professional 
  You are aware of what goes on in the mid-echelon of 
  the underworld. You have some good mid-to-high level 
  contacts and know how to move contraband and fence 
  common goods. 
  Expert
  You have knowledge of unusual crimes, know how to 
  fence exotic goods, and know a really big slice of the 
  players at all levels of the underworld.
  Master
  You are highly connected. You know everything and 
  everyone that is important in the underground.
  
  Character Creation
  68
  Military Sciences
  Climbing/Rappelling
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You can scale walls or rappel down them (or from an 
  aircraft).
  Beginner 
  You are skilled at climbing: climb at 2 yards per second 
  up “normally climbable” surfaces (trees) with a roll. If 
  you can get your hands up on a ledge, a roll will get 
  you over it.
  Professional 
  Using ropes and spikes you can climb a mountain, 
  throw a grappling hook through a window and go up a 
  wall, and otherwise scale surfaces.
  Expert
  Barehanded climber: you can climb rock surfaces and 
  some buildings barehanded. A roll failed by 5 usually 
  means a fall. A roll failed usually means you are stuck 
  (and a second roll failed may mean badly stuck).
  Master
  You can scale almost sheer surfaces. It’s spooky. You 
  climb anything rational at 4yards per second!
  Demolitions
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: The character is skilled in handling, disarming, and 
  using explosives.
  Beginner 
  You can set and use simple explosives successfully. 
  This roll may be substituted for a RES roll to keep from 
  blowing yourself up.
  Professional 
  You are a demolitions expert: you can blow up 
  buildings and bridges with appropriate amounts 
  of explosive (something very difficult to do if you 
  don’t know how). You can also fashion home-made 
  explosives with a roll.
  Expert
  You can build and/or disarm devious bombs. You 
  know the tricks of wiring and triggers: roll vs. a bomb-
  maker’s skill to disarm (or against your skill to create 
  a bomb). You ignore -3pts of difficulty against lower 
  level characters when disarming bombs. Your bombs 
  are at -3 to be disarmed by lower level characters. 
  The charactter also knows how to perform exotic 
  demolitions (underwater).
  Master
  You can blow up large structures in 1/10th the normal 
  time with 1/10th the normal amount of explosives. 
  Setting and disarming bombs adds/ignores -6pts of 
  difficulty to lower level characters.
  
  69
   Character Creation
  Stealth
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: AGI
  Description: You are trained in moving silently and keeping hidden.
  No Skill
  A successful AGI roll to “move quietly” will require 
  listeners make a Perception roll to hear the character.
  Beginner 
  Walk silently: moving at normal speed, a roll will give 
  listeners a -3 to hear the character.
  Professional 
  When moving with any sort of cover (shadows, 
  hedges, etc.) a roll will give viewers -1 per each point 
  it was made by to see or hear the character. If trained 
  by a military, you can also use this skill to camouflage 
  equipment.
  Expert
  You can do sniper-style camouflage. With the proper 
  preparation (a suit) you can get -2x what you make 
  a roll by vs. being seen (even if they are right next to 
  you) so long as you don’t move. When moving it’s -1x 
  what you make your roll by. 
  Master
  As above but multiply by 2 (so 2x when not moving, 4x 
  when still). You’re almost invisible.
  Strategy and Tactics
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You are skilled in making strategic decisions and 
  developing plans in a given “theater of battle” (which need not 
  explicitly be military warfare). This is very valuable in Drama Contests 
  where Strategic thought is valuable. Otherwise it is described here to 
  represent military training (although it could be modified for, say, the 
  business world).
  Beginner 
  Basic Tactics. Your focus is on the short term. You 
  understand the basic etiquette of the area you are 
  trained in (i.e. in the army you would know chain-of-
  command and military call signs and the like).
  Professional 
  Platoon Leader. You have mid-level strategic thinking 
  and can come up with strategies for small units 
  (perhaps 5-20 people). If you are part of a larger 
  operation, the roll will be at negatives to apply the 
  strategic thought to larger problems.
  Expert
  Captain. You have been trained in the knowledge of 
  strategy on a substantial scale. You can command 
  operations that might comprise 100 people (a 
  company) without taking substantial negatives to the 
  roll (in the business world this could be a lot fewer). 
  Master
  General. You can command theater level operations. 
  You can conduct strategic thought for an organization 
  of any size.
  Survivalist
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: The character is skilled at hunting, tracking, finding 
  food, etc. In some cultures this may even include herbalism and 
  usually includes basic medical procedures.
  Beginner 
  You can provide food for yourself each day with a roll. 
  A roll will get you oriented if you are no more than one 
  day lost (if you miss two rolls in a row, you’re lost until 
  you stumble across a trail). It will protect you from rain 
  or start a fire.
  Professional 
  You can provide food for yourself and one other. You 
  can keep protected from very cold or hot weather, and 
  you can orient yourself with a successful roll. You can 
  hunt common game successfully.
  Expert
  Guide: You can lead parties at double rate through the 
  wilderness. You can supply up to Roll-10 people with 
  food each day (and store the remainder if any). You 
  can hunt exotic and dangerous beasts (safari).
  Master
  You can support Roll-7 people per day. You travel 
  through the wilderness as though on roads (and lead 
  parties at 3x normal rate). You might locate animals 
  thought to be extinct.
  Traps
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR or MEM
  Description: You are trained in setting and disarming traps. 
  Disarming a trap requires a COR roll or a skill roll linked to COR. 
  If a single skill (Traps) linked to COR is taken, it can be done with 
  one roll. Otherwise there is a roll to find the trap and a COR roll to 
  disarm it. 
  No Skill
  Carefully examining an area will either reveal a trap or, 
  if it is very well disguised, require a Perception roll to 
  see it. This takes about 5x as much time as someone 
  with the skill requires, however.
  Beginner 
  You take double negatives for any difficulty modifiers.
  Professional 
  A standard roll to find traps. A COR (or skill linked to 
  COR) is necessary to disarm it. If the trap was set by 
  an Expert or greater, a roll against the Trap Setter is 
  necessary. A devious trap may have a -1 to -6 difficulty.
  Expert
  Disarming is at +2 if the person setting the trap was of 
  a lower level. The character ignores up to -3 points of 
  negative modifiers.
  Master
  Rolls to disarm are at +4 if the person setting the trap 
  was lower level. The character ignores up to -6pts of 
  negative modifier.
  
  Character Creation
  70
  Areas of Knowledge (Education)
  Archaeology and Anthropology
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You have studied ancient and exotic cultures. This skill 
  groups a lot of things (Paleontology, Archaeology, and Anthropology). 
  The Player will need to decide how the training exactly applies. 
  NOTE: The History skill applies to more modern times (from the 
  Roman Empire forward).
  Beginner 
  Ancient History. You can make a roll to know general 
  things about geography, world history, and other 
  cultures (on a standard colligate level).
  Professional 
  Archaeologist or Anthropologist. You have a deep 
  knowledge of areas of ancient culture and probably 
  speak at least one additional exotic language. You 
  may know how to conduct dig-sites and know your way 
  around exotic places.
  Expert
  The character has made (or will make) some noted 
  breakthroughs, speaks several languages, and has 
  contacts in far-flung places.
  Master
  You have an almost encyclopedia knowledge of the 
  specifics of ancient life (in some realm specified by the 
  Player). A roll will read any ancient exotic language or 
  let the character speak any exotic tongue.
  Art Appreciation
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: This includes things like art and music appreciation. 
  The character has been formally educated in their culture. NOTE: 
  The social graces are covered by the etiquette skill. This is the 
  educational component. The character has certainly been to school 
  and can show it off! A roll may give a character bonuses on Charisma 
  attempts with the right crowd (or not having the skill or missing the 
  roll could give negatives!)
  Beginner 
  Shallow Knowledge. It’s better than nothing! A roll will 
  let the character make some sort of on-target comment 
  concerning any cultural artifact (a painting, a play, etc.) 
  A roll made by 3 or more will give a +1 to Persuade 
  or Charm attempts if the GM feels it is an appropriate 
  venue.
  Professional 
  Educated. The character has an understanding of 
  the art forms their culture prizes (an exception is 
  literature). A roll will show an impressive understanding 
  of these things. A roll will usually give +2 to attempts to 
  Charm or Persuade if the venue is appropriate.
  Expert
  The character has a detailed knowledge of the arts. 
  This can be used to spot forgeries and appraise or 
  critique new art! A roll may give +3 to Persuade or 
  Charm attempts if the venue is appropriate.
  Master
  As above but the character may get +4 to Persuade or 
  Charm attempts. The character is a (or the) recognized 
  expert in the appraisal filed. 
  
  71
   Character Creation
  History
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: The character has a background in historical studies. 
  This skill is distinguished from Archaeology in that it usually is more 
  modern (Roman Empire era, onward).
  Beginner 
  Student. Rolls will answer questions on the high school 
  or basic collegiate level. Things like the politics of the 
  Roman Empire or the opium trade with China would be 
  fair game. Deep questions will take a -3 difficulty to the 
  roll if allowed at all.
  Professional 
  Historian. The character can answer pretty deep 
  questions with no negative modifiers. Extremely 
  obscure questions could take a -3 to -6 modifier.
  Expert
  The character speaks and reads several languages, 
  including things like Latin or ancient Greek. The 
  character ignores -3 points of difficulty modifiers.
  Master
  The character can speak and read all ancient 
  languages (within the time period). The character 
  ignores -6pts of difficulty modifiers.
  Law
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You are trained in law.
  Beginner 
  Para-legal: you can assist and research cases. You 
  understand courtroom procedure and how to file 
  motions and such.
  Professional 
  You are a practicing lawyer. Some cases will be at -1 
  to -6 based on how far outside your general specialty 
  and how difficult they are.
  Expert
  You are multi-disciplinary: ignore -3pts of difficulty
  Master
  TV Lawyer: the character can get away with some 
  pretty outrageous things. A successful roll may have 
  characters confess on the stand! Rolls can also be 
  made to help with investigations (the GM may provide 
  the character leads based on their experience in 
  conducting legal cases).
  Literature
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: You are trained in the canon and criticism of the written 
  word for a given culture. NOTE: this is not the same thing as being 
  able to write (Writing is a separate skill). This is the written-word 
  counterpart to Art Appreciation.
  Beginner 
  Well Read. You have read the classics and can make 
  Literature rolls, where necessary to recall them (i.e. to 
  understand a reference to them).
  Professional 
  Literature Teacher. You have a deep understanding of 
  the culture’s body of written work. You can hold high-
  level dialogs about it. Obscure references could give 
  negative modifiers.
  Expert
  Major Critic. Your opinion on works is highly respected. 
  You can ignore -3pts of negative modifiers for a 
  Literature question.
  Master
  Top Authority. You are one of the leading authorities on 
  writing. Your word carries great weight (ignore -6pts of 
  negative modifier).
  Linguist
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  You know one or more foreign language. Usually rolls 
  are only called for when the character is either trying to be eloquent 
  or the communication is very bad or the character has a low Lvl1 
  skill (is just learning). A roll may be called for if eloquence or context is 
  required. At Level 2, this ignores -2pts of negative modier. At Lvl 3, -3pts, 
  and -6 at Lvl 4.
  Beginner 
  Bilingual. The character knows one additional 
  language. If at an 9- (or lower) you can either speak 
  or read or write the language (and your diction will be 
  poor). If your roll is 10- or higher you can speak and 
  read it fluently. 
  Professional 
  Related Languages. The character knows one to three 
  related languages in addition to their native tongue 
  (again, if the character has a 9- then their skill is poor, 
  at 10- it is reasonably good).
  Expert
  Polyglot. The character can speak up to 10 languages 
  (related or not). A new language can be learned in a 
  matter of days to at least some degree of competency.
  Master
  Master Linguist. The character can understand any 
  language they encounter almost immediately.
  Occult Knowlege
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  The character has studied the “magical arts.” Note: 
  this is distinct from actual “working” magic. In a standard modern-
  day game this represents a study of the occult (which may or may 
  not have any significance in the game world). If a fantasy game this 
  might be a study of “fairy-tales” or “superstition” (which, again, might 
  or might not turn out to be true).
  Beginner 
  Dabbler. The character recognizes occult symbology 
  and has some concept of occult history. Difficult 
  questions will elude them, however.
  Professional 
  Occultist. The character has a knowledge and 
  understanding of occult practices. They can read tarot 
  cards, lead séances, etc.
  Expert
  Master. The character has read some very hard to get 
  books, can make highly obscure references, and can 
  “cast spells” (which have no immediate effect, but may 
  be subtle if they work in the context of the game).
  Master
  Grand Master. As above, but the character is well 
  recognized. Even in a game where magic “does not 
  work” the character will know how to do some freaky 
  stuff.
  
  Character Creation
  72
  Philosophy (Theology)
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: RES
  Description:  The character has studied the “big questions” of 
  human existence and religion.
  Beginner 
  Sophist. The character has a broad understanding of 
  the major philosophers and religions (about what you 
  get with a college class or two).
  Professional 
  Philosopher. The character can discuss philosophy 
  at a high level. This can be used to examine actions 
  for moral content or, perhaps, to find justifications for 
  them.
  Expert
  Major Philosopher. The character is a recognized 
  authority in Philosophical circles. If the character lives 
  by a philosophy they can get +2 WIL in the pursuit of it 
  (the GM may disallow Egoism and the like).
  Master
  Historic Philosopher. The character’s writing will be 
  studied for centuries after their death. They get +4 to 
  WIL rolls when obeying their philosophy (+8 with a 
  Critical success).
  Psychology
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: RES
  Description:  The study of the mind (motivation, mental illness, and 
  behavior).
  Beginner 
  Intern. The character has had some psychological 
  training, experience, or has done a lot of reading. 
  They can name major psychological diseases and 
  understand the basics of the therapeutic process.
  Professional 
  Therapist. The character can hold a job as a counselor 
  or clinical psychologist (but may not prescribe drugs). 
  They can perform counseling and trauma relief 
  services, lead groups, and diagnose mental illness. 
  Severe cases may come with substantial negative 
  modifiers to treat.
  Expert
  Psychiatrist. The character has an MD (requires Level 
  2 Medical Skill) and a specialty in treating mental 
  diseases. They ignore -3 points of difficulty due to 
  extreme mental illness.
  Master
  Master Psychologist. The character has published 
  groundbreaking research. They can ignore -6 points of 
  difficulty modifiers.
  Occupational Skills
  Art (Painting, Sculpting, Photography) 
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR or MEM
  Description:  The character is an artist in the forms of something like 
  painting, photography, or sculpture. If the character uses his hands 
  there may be a COR roll called for in some circumstances even if the 
  art is MEM based.
  Beginner 
  Basic artwork. Your art is not good enough to 
  command a high price.
  Professional 
  Commercial Artist. You can make a living doing 
  art. You may have exhibited some work but it is 
  not the major source of income.
  Expert
  Artist. Exhibits bring in 4pts of Wealth. You are 
  nationally known.
  Master
  Major Artist. Exhibits bring in 8pts of Wealth. You 
  are internationally famous!
  Business Administration
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: RES
  Description:  This is the skill that lets you make money with an 
  enterprise. You know how to conduct operations, manage finances, 
  and understand turning a profit.
  Beginner 
  Basic Operations. You can support a department 
  of a business. Successful rolls can give it profitable 
  operation over some appropriate time period.
  Professional 
  Accountant. The character may be employed as an 
  accountant for a mid-sized business. Rolls will let the 
  company charge appropriately for services and make 
  prudent decisions about staff and wages. Rolls to 
  evaluate large business deals may be at substantial 
  negatives.
  Expert
  Captain of Industry. The character can manage a large 
  wealthy business. Rolls can evaluate business deals 
  ignore -3pts of negative modifiers. This confers 4pts of 
  Wealth but takes time to maintain it.
  Master
  Tycoon. You can make a business fabulously wealthy. 
  This confers 8pts of Wealthy but takes a lot of time to 
  maintain it. Rolls ignore -6pts of difficulty modifiers.
  
  73
   Character Creation
  Craft Skills
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR or MEM
  Description:  Skills like woodworking, carpentry, glassblowing, and 
  the like are considered Craft skills. The Skill may be based on MEM 
  or COR but if the character has reduced their COR it will impact the 
  quality of the work (the GM may call for COR rolls, and if failed, 
  assign negatives or failure to the Craft work).
  Beginner 
  Journeyman. The character can produce rough work 
  (but usually serviceable).
  Professional 
  Craftsman. The character’s work is professional 
  quality. Difficult pieces, lack of good materials or tools, 
  or short time frames will impose negative modifiers.
  Expert
  Expert Craftsman. The character can produce 
  excellent work. They ignore -3pts of difficulty modifiers. 
  At this level, the skill is an artistic skill and Artistic 
  Genius may apply.
  Master
  Master Craftsman. The character ignores -6pts 
  of difficulty modifiers. The work will last and be 
  considered masterpieces (Artistic Genius applies).
  Musical Skill (Singing, Dance)
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM or COR
  Description:  You can play an instrument, sing, dance, or otherwise 
  perform on stage. Note that is applies to the technical aspects of the 
  skill. Another skill, Showmanship (Social Skills) will apply to playing 
  to the crowd and stage presence.
  Beginner 
  Garage Band. you can produce basic forms of the art 
  and/or craft. You can’t make a living doing it.
  Professional 
  Musician. You can produce commercial art, 
  serviceable crafts, play at local night clubs, etc. There 
  may be negative modifiers for more sophisticated 
  performances.
  Expert
  Star: you are a known name in the field. Your crafts 
  are of excellent quality (a musician might have a 
  gold-record alum). This confers 4 or 8pts of Wealth 
  depending on how mainstream the character is. The 
  character ignores -3pts of difficulty modifiers.
  Master
  Super Star: you are a top-class name in the filed. If 
  you are a musician, you have platinum records, coffee 
  table books devoted to you, etc. This confers 4 or 8pts 
  of Wealth depending on how mainstream the character 
  is. The character ignores -6pts of difficulty.
  
  Character Creation
  74
  Navigation
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: RES
  Description: Navigation is the skill made to find one’s way using 
  maps and machines. If you are simply “lost in the woods,” MEM and 
  RES rolls can get you out. To successfully navigate an ocean or 
  space, Navigation rolls may be called for. Sense of Direction usually 
  gives pluses to these rolls.
  Beginner 
  Any trip over 2 days in length gets -2 to the roll. Rolls 
  made to find one’s way after a storm or other event 
  are at -3.
  Professional 
  Rolls made to find one’s way after a storm are at 
  no negative nor are rolls made for long voyages so 
  long as the way is known and fairly easy to navigate. 
  Uncharted territory might give a -1 to -5 depending on 
  how confusing it was.
  Expert
  The character ignores -3pts of modifier to find their 
  way through “uncharted territory.” A roll at -3 can avoid 
  hostile encounters due to chance (knowing one’s way 
  through pirate-patrolled waters). Vessels under the 
  expert navigator may make up to 20% better time than 
  normal.
  Master
  The character ignores -6pts of modifier to find their 
  way through “uncharted territory.” A successful roll can 
  avoid hostile encounters. Vessels under the Master 
  Navigator will make much better time than normal (up 
  to 2x as fast).
  Operations Skill
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  This covers a broad category of skills dealing with the 
  use of equipment. The crew of a ship (or starship!) will have this 
  skill in order to perform various common tasks (rigging, cleaning the 
  thrusters, etc.) A radio operator might have this skill for a complex 
  military radio.
  Beginner 
  Beginner. The character must roll a lot more often than 
  more experienced characters to perform the activities.
  Professional 
  Professional. The character rolls under adverse 
  conditions. There may be negatives applied.
  Expert
  Expert. The character ignores -3pts of difficulty 
  modifiers.
  Master
  Master. The character ignores -6pts of difficulty 
  modifiers.
  Police Procedure
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  This is the skill used to conduct criminal investigations 
  and detective work. It is usually taught by government agencies (but 
  a CIA Operative or a private investigator would probably have it as 
  well).
  Beginner 
  You know procedure: basic rights, arrest procedure, 
  radio call signs, police response times, etc. 
  Professional 
  You are a practiced security agent. You can use this 
  skill as a perception roll to spot trouble. You know how 
  to handle a crime scene so as not to contaminate it 
  and how to question witnesses.
  Expert
  You are a Police Detective (you might also be a private 
  investigator). You know how to look for clues, probe 
  into testimony, etc. A roll should at least give you an 
  idea of where to start. 
  Master
  Cinematic detective: you break cases in under 24 
  hours, make startling deductions, find the most 
  esoteric connections “elementary,” etc.
  Research (Journalist)
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  You are skilled in research and in getting people to 
  open up for an interview. Journalists often have this skill along with 
  Writing.
  Beginner 
  Research Assistant: you are skilled in getting 
  information out of a library and other records halls. 
  Rolls can be at -1 to -6 based on the obscurity of the 
  situation. 
  Professional 
  You are skilled at getting an interview and tracking 
  down leads. A roll will let the character know how to 
  proceed with a story (note: this is complimentary to 
  Police Procedure Level 3—the knowledge is not so 
  much forensic as knowing journalistic techniques).
  Expert
  A roll will usually get people talking, even if they are 
  reluctant. A roll will add +1 to a Charm attempt.
  Master
  You can interview people without them realizing they 
  are being interviewed. You can get information out 
  of sources that are usually very hostile or difficult 
  to crack. A roll will add +3 to a Charm or Persuade 
  attempt.
  
  75
   Character Creation
  Sports
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: COR or AGI
  Description:  This covers a variety of skills like Tennis, Football, or 
  Baseball. If a sport is judged to be “combat like” then the GM may 
  require the skill be bought as Expensive. If play centers around 
  sporting events the GM will need to work out a Drama Roll mechanic 
  for it. Very likely, playing against higher Skill Level characters would 
  incur massive negatives.
  Beginner 
  “Triple-A.” The character is essentially a novice but can 
  play with others of a similar level.
  Professional 
  Double-A. The character isn’t in the elite world of 
  professional sports (probably) but they might get there.
  Expert
  Professional Sportsman. The character makes 4pts of 
  Wealth playing professional sports.
  Master
  Sports Hero. The character makes 8pts of Wealth 
  playing professional sports.
  Vehicle Operation (Driving, Pilot, Riding)
  Cost: Standard or Expensive
  Stat: COR (usually)
  Description:  You can maneuver a vehicle. Most people can do this 
  to a degree with common vehicles—just having this skill represents 
  some training. There are vehicle combat rules (forthcoming) that 
  define this skill. Some vehicles with fixed guns (fighter aircraft) buy 
  the skill as Expensive.
  No Skill
  You can drive normally if it’s normal in your society. All 
  negative modifiers are doubled and you may not know 
  how to drive a manual transmission.
  Beginner 
  Basic Training: You can maneuver a difficult vehicle 
  (like riding a horse—something an untrained person 
  may have a very hard time doing).
  Professional 
  Professional Driver: you are trained in defensive 
  driving and advanced vehicle operation.
  Expert
  Stunt-Driver: you can perform dangerous maneuvers 
  with a vehicle fairly safely (a skidding—controlled 
  reverse, for example). At this level you can “drive 
  anything” or “fly anything.”
  Master
  You are one of the world’s top drivers/pilots/whatever. 
  You can routinely do what others find impossible. At 
  the GM’s discretion you may extend this mastery to all 
  vehicles.
  Social Skills
  Diplomat
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: RES
  Description:  You are trained in mediation and arbitration. This can 
  be used to settle disputes, make demands in a pleasant fashion, or 
  talk your way out of getting beat up by angered cycle gangs.
  Beginner 
  A roll will allow you to phrase something that isn’t nice 
  in a polite fashion. It’s a good skill for a PR person to 
  have when writing letters to angered customers (for 
  example).
  Professional 
  Diplomacy: a roll can cool tempers, bring parties back 
  to the negotiating table, and otherwise smooth over 
  problems. 
  Expert
  Negotiator: You can talk down hostage situations, 
  settle divorces amicably, and resolve international 
  incidents. 
  Master
  You can talk the guy running the bulldozer that’s going 
  to demolish your friend’s house into laying down in 
  front of his own bulldozer while you and said friend slip 
  off for a drink.
  Etiquette
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  You are trained in the social graces appropriate to your 
  world (or others!) 
  Beginner 
  Basic Etiquette: you know which fork to eat with, good 
  table manners, how to approach the arch-duke, etc.
  Professional 
  You are a smooth courtesan. A roll can be used to 
  send subtle signals, compliment a host or hostess in 
  a classy fashion, or otherwise blend in smoothly with 
  high society.
  Expert
  Your excellent tastes make you appear to be a person 
  of exquisite class. You know when to break the rules 
  and when to follow them. You can show up rivals with 
  a contest of skills.
  Master
  You can apply your etiquette to situations you’ve never 
  been in before. You have an instant grasp of other 
  culture’s social morays. 
  Revelry
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description:  You are an experienced party animal. In addition 
  to being fun at the bar, you can really handle your alcohol. NOTE 
  see the Resisted Attacks section for notes on inebriation (Alcohol is 
  treated like a drug!)
  Beginner 
  A roll will let you behave well even when fairly drunk. 
  You don’t perform any better and you aren’t the life of 
  the party—but you hold your liquor well.
  Professional 
  When you show up the party starts. You can drink 
  a lot and still get everyone home safe. In the right 
  circumstances you’ll quickly be known as a hero of 
  happening parties!
  Expert
  You are the life of the party. You get invited to high 
  society events because when you’re there it rocks. You 
  can drink prodigious amounts.
  Master
  You function better drunk than sober. You are 
  renowned for your ability to handle alcohol.
  
  Character Creation
  76
  Showmanship
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM or CON
  Description:   You are trained in putting on a great performance. 
  This skill is the compliment to, for example, Musical Instrument—the 
  craft skill is the raw talent. The Showmanship roll is the rest of the 
  performance. This is also the skill to be a standup comic.
  Beginner 
  You put on a decent (if not too varied) show. This can 
  get applause at local night clubs.
  Professional 
  You are a skilled performer. You can play medium 
  sized venues, open for title acts, etc. A professional 
  level showmanship roll will make up for a lack of real 
  talent a lot of the time. This roll will allow you to be 
  charmingly or at least interestingly theatrical (whether 
  on stage or, say, when getting bad service in a 
  restaurant).
  Expert
  You are an expert performer. You play large venues. 
  You can make a great living on your stage presence. 
  Master
  You are world class. You play Carnegie Hall. You have 
  fans, etc. 
  Vamp
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM or CON
  Description:   The skill of sexual manipulation. This can be used 
  to “put the moves on someone.” This can result in all kinds of 
  manipulation but usually implies getting physical.
  Beginner 
  At this level, a successful roll will add +1 to Charm 
  attempts when appropriate. Failure may result in 
  humiliation.
  Professional 
  The character is experienced at the come-on. 
  Successful rolls at +2 to Charm in appropriate 
  circumstances.
  Expert
  The character gets +3 to Charm rolls and, with a roll by 
  4+, is pretty good at telling what kind of sexual apetite 
  the target has (including hangups).
  Master
  The character can determine the target’s sexual 
  psychology expertly. Successful rolls get +6 to Charm 
  when appropriate.
  
  77
   Character Creation
  General Skills
  Ranged Weapon Skill
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: COR
  Description: Ranged weapon skills can apply to just about anything 
  that shoots.
  Beginner 
  Usually beginners double all negative modifiers if they 
  do not aim with the weapon. Loading times tend to be 
  slow.
  Professional 
  At professional level a roll to hit is standard. Negative 
  modifiers are as listed.
  Expert
  At Expert level characters can usually ignore -3 points 
  of environmental modifiers (range/speed/size/visibility)-
  -but NOT AGI modifiers. The character may also be 
  able to make “special kinds of attacks” in some cases. 
  Master
  The character can ignore -6pts of environmental 
  modifiers and can often make some sort of special 
  move (such as getting an extra attack for free) or doing 
  extra damage.
  HTH Weapon Skill
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: AGI
  Description: Hand-to-Hand weapons use the HTH weapon skill.
  Beginner 
  Most weapons have a block at -1 or -2 at their 
  Beginner skill. The character can usually make only 1 
  attack per turn (no matter what their REA).
  Professional 
  At professional level characters may make 1 attack 
  with a light weapon (GM’s discretion).
  Expert
  Usually an expert character can make two attacks with 
  a weapon and will block at weapon skill or better (if the 
  weapon is deemed “defensive”).
  Master
  Master level character can often strike for a little more 
  damage or make free attacks. They can also attack 
  several times if they have the REA for it.
  Level
  Damage
  Block
  Special Moves
  1
  +0
  -2
  None
  2
  +0
  -1
  None
  3
  +1
  +0
  None
  4
  +2
  +1
  Free Strike
  General Science Skill
  Cost: Expensive
  Stat: RES
  Description: Any skill that involves the use of the Scientific Method 
  is a Science skill. 
  Beginner 
  Novice. The character has a good elementary 
  knowledge of the field but lacks the deeper 
  understanding. Most attempts to do real, professional 
  level things with the skill will be at -3.
  Professional 
  Scientist. The character can use special equipment, do 
  “field work”, etc.
  Expert
  The character is an acknowledged expert and can 
  ignore -3 points of difficulty modifiers. The character 
  may have breakthroughs to his name.
  Master
  The character is an acknowledged Master and can 
  ignore -6 points of difficulty modifier. The character 
  can advance the world-wide “State of the Art” in the 
  science.
  Academic Discipline
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM or RES
  Description: Any area of study that is not a science may fall into this 
  category. Often the distinction may be fuzzy or up to the GM. Often 
  the distinction may be made as to how “important” the skill is to the 
  game in question. Things like Geography, Foreign Relations, Funeral 
  Services study could be considered Academic Disciplines.
  Beginner 
  Novice. The character has a good elementary 
  knowledge of the field but lacks the deeper 
  understanding. Most attempts to do real, professional 
  level things with the skill will be at -3.
  Professional 
  The character is a qualified professional and can get 
  into reasonably obscure areas of the domain.
  Expert
  The character is an acknowledged expert, has written 
  books, is invited to speak at conferences, etc. The 
  character might be a highly paid professor in the 
  discipline.
  Master
  The character is one of the best in the world at the 
  discipline and is recognized as one of the “top people.”
  Occupational Disciplines
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM, RES, COR, AGI
  Description: An trade can be an Occupational Discipline. Things 
  like “Construction Worker” or “Hotel Manager” would fall into this 
  category. Rolls will be made to use the “general knowledge” related 
  to the skill as well as to know the history of the enterprise and to do 
  the necessary work in the endeavor.
  Beginner 
  The character has probably never held a (successful) 
  job in the area.
  Professional 
  The character can successfully act as a middle 
  manager in the given field (if the character is the head 
  of the work-effort in a competitive environment they will 
  be over their head).
  Expert
  The character can have a leadership role in the field. 
  They will be able to be profitable and proficient--to 
  make rolls to determine major elements of strategy or, 
  if their skill is a craft, to perform it at master level.
  Master
  The character is a top-person in the field and their 
  work will be grand-master level. They will be a wizard 
  of efficiency and their enterprises will be incredibly 
  profitable.
  
  Character Creation
  78
  Experience 
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM, RES, COR, AGI
  Description: Anything that you get from being “experienced” can 
  be a skill. Examples would be a lot of the Street Skills and Military 
  Sciences. The ability to use specialized equipment, to know things 
  that are unusual (“World Traveller”), or to otherwise have done things 
  that are rare (“Served in the Emperor’s Court”) can be turned into 
  skills.
  Beginner 
  The character either has very thin knowledge in the 
  area or “only book learning.”
  Professional 
  The cahracter has done whatever it is that gets the 
  experience but hasn’t studied it carefully and doesn’t 
  have a “full spectrum” of understanding about it. Still, 
  they are able and capable in that area.
  Expert
  The character has not only had the experience but 
  has learned well from it and has considerable depth. 
  They may have studied the situation or otherwise have 
  developed key insights into it. They probably know a 
  lot of the historical background from years of work.
  Master
  The character knows just about everything there is to 
  know about the discipline. They have extensive deep 
  experience and master-level capabilities in whatever 
  area is chosen. They can address the most unusual 
  situations and the most refined questions.
  Trivia
  Cost: Standard
  Stat: MEM
  Description: The character has a deep knowledge of some area that 
  is not considered very important by the world at large (for example: 
  Kung Fu movies). This skill doesn’t really exists at Level 4
  Beginner 
  The character is an aficionado in the area 
  specified. Even at Level 1, this represents a deep 
  knowledge of the area in question. The character 
  can understand common references without a 
  roll.
  Professional 
  The character is a deep expert in whatever 
  the field is. They know obscure facts, historical 
  references, etc. For most practical purposes, 
  a “professional level” Trivia skill is sufficient to 
  answer any question that could reasonably be 
  asked.The character can ignore -3pts of negative 
  modifier posed by obscure questions.
  Expert
  Scary. The character knows, literally, the entire 
  sum of knowledge of the area of Trivia. They can 
  ignore up to -6pts of modifier posed by difficult 
  questions.
  Master
  If there is a top guy in the field, you’re it. Mostly this 
  level of skill simply doesn’t exist.
  
  79
   Character Creation
  Character Def Appendix 2: Traits List
  Physical Traits
  Ambidextrous [12]
  You get 1 extra attack (shot) for free when 
  using fire-arms or swords if you have one 
  in each hand or one free block in HTH 
  combat. The attack may be at the same 
  or a separate opponent. It must be made 
  in conjunction with another attack (i.e. the 
  character must be able to launch at least 
  one attack that turn … and then gets 2 or 
  more). The character takes no off-hand 
  modifiers.
  I heard this guy uses two guns …
   
  Ah—don’t sweat it … I tried that once. 
  You know how hard it is to actually hit 
  anything with two guns? 
  ◊◊◊
  Asthma [-4]
  You must make a CON roll each second 
  after the 2nd Round of exertion. If failed you 
  will have an asthma attack (-4 to all rolls). If 
  failed by 5 or more, you will collapse.
  Bad Eyesight (Wears Glass-
  es) [-1, -3]
  If you wear glasses or contacts, that’s worth 
  -1 (take a -1 Perception modifier if not 
  wearing them). If your vision is *bad* and 
  you don’t (in low-tech world for example) 
  then you get -3. This gives -4 to Perception 
  rolls and -3 to hit things at a range greater 
  than 4 yards.
  Beautiful Voice [4]
  You get +1 to rolls like Showmanship, 
  Musical performance rolls (if you sing), and 
  even rolls (in Psychology) to persuade, 
  recruit, and entrance. You can get jobs in 
  radio!
  Blind [-15]
  You are blind! You can’t see and need help 
  to get around. Combat rolls are at -6 if you 
  make an 8- roll to be aiming in the right 
  direction (if you miss the 8- roll for a turn, 
  you won’t hit anything).
  Conditioning [1,2,4]
  You have +2, +8, or +16 CON for purposes 
  of Endurance (how long you can continue 
  performing a strenuous physical activity).
  Contact/Ally [1,2,4]
  The character has an explicit friendly (or at 
  least helpful) contact somewhere useful. 
  At 1pt  For 2pts this can be exotic such as 
  in the FBI. At 4pts the contact will provide 
  general aid on a semi-regular basis. 
  Extremely powerful or wealthy allies may 
  cost even more (a group of mercs might be 
  8-12 pts).
  Crippled [-2,-4, See Second-
  ary Stat]
  You walk with a cane or wheelchair. If you 
  simply move at half your normal rate with 
  a cane or walker, this is -2pts. If you are 
  seriously impaired in a wheelchair, it is -4. 
  If you are worse off see the Secondary Stat 
  section on Frail or Palsied.
  Deaf [-2,-4]
  You can’t hear anything or hear very 
  badly. For -2pts you get -4 to all hearing 
  Perception rolls. At -4 you have to use sign 
  language.
  Fast Runner [1,4]
  Adds +2, +4 to your effective REA for 
  purposes of Ground Speed. 
  Hearty [2]
  You get +2 to CON rolls vs. disease. You 
  get +1 to CON rolls vs. Poison.
  Hunchback [-2]
  You get -1 to your AGI (due to the hump) 
  and +1 BLD. Your movement rate in running 
  is 2/3rds normal. This will have strong 
  negative impacts on most Psychology 
  attempts although the exact amounts will 
  vary (-4 to most Charm, Persuade, and 
  Recruit attempts are common). This can 
  represent some other obvious deformity 
  with slightly different effects (club-foot, etc.).
  Iron Jaw [8, 16]
  You get 1pt of Armor and +3 DP at the first 
  level and 2pts at the second level. This has 
  no Penetration resistance. At the 16pt level 
  you also get +1 to CON (for a total of +4 
  DP).
  Nasal Voice [-2]
  You have a loud, grating, or nasal voice. 
  When you speak, others cringe. This effects 
  the Charisma rules but is otherwise just 
  roleplayed as a turn-off for many people. 
  NOTE: This can represent other speech 
  impediments (stuttering).
  Out Of Shape [-2, -3]
  You get -4 to your CON for purposes of 
  Endurance. You also may have to make 
  CON (and quite possibly WIL) rolls to 
  continue doing strenuous activity well before 
  another person would have to stop. If the 
  -3pt version of this is taken those rolls are 
  at -4.
  Natural Fighter [2]
  You get +2 to Initiative rolls.
  One Eyed [-1,-2]
  You wear a patch. The Player may decide 
  to take -1 to Aim Maneuvers or Perception 
  rolls for -2pts. At -1 points it is merely 
  distinctive (if the character has a glass eye 
  and is not impaired it is worth no points).
  Peg Leg [-1,-4]
  If the character is at +2 to be hit and has a 
  maximum speed of Walking, the value is -4. 
  If it is merely distinctive it is worth -1.
  Toughness [ varies ]
  You have extra Damage Points. This costs 
  1pt per point up to 4 and then 2pts per 
  point.
  Ugly [-2,-4]
  At the -2 level of ugliness, you’re just 
  unattractive. Maybe you look okay—but 
  there’s a bad scar. Maybe you’re overweight 
  and drab looking? Whatever. It’s not 
  bad—just … not good. At the -4 level you 
  are disfigured and people may be shocked 
  to see you! 
  
  Character Creation
  80
  Visible Mark [-1]
  You have a distinguishing feature: a tattoo, 
  a really bad hook nose, a scar that is visible 
  but not necessarily ugly (if you do take 
  Ugly or other “distinguishing feature Tratis,” 
  you can’t have this too). If the tattoo is not 
  normally visible (i.e. you wear suits to work 
  mostly) then you get no points for it.
  Young [-1]
  You are under the age of adulthood and 
  lack certain rights.
  Mental Traits
  Addictive [-2,-4]
  The character suffers an addiction that 
  may be chemical or psychological in 
  nature. When the character uses in a game 
  there may be “consequences” which are 
  determined by the GM. For -2pts these 
  are relatively minor (but may add up). For 
  -4pts the character is often tempted and the 
  consequences are more severe. The player 
  may determine when they use but if the 
  player does not use at all, the Trait must be 
  reassigned. The GM may offer SP’s if the 
  character uses, in order to entice the use.
  The Revelry  skill may help overcome 
  the immediate effects of chemicals in the 
  system.
  Artistic Genius [2,4]
  The character has, within them, an artistic 
  vision that makes them  a potentially 
  awesome artist. The Trait gives +2 or +4 to 
  RES for purposes of buying Artistic Skill. 
  At 4pts, it treats the character’s RES as 13 
  (even if RES+4 is less).
  Bad Judgment [-2]
  You have … bad judgment. The Player 
  will make choices that result in increasing 
  complications for the character! The GM 
  may call for RES or WIL checks (and if 
  combined with Stupid or Weak Minded this 
  can happen more often) and make strong 
  suggestions of poorly advised choices of 
  action for the character if they are failed.  
  Disturbed [-2,-4]
  You are psychologically disturbed in some 
  way. The Player will play the character as 
  eccentric, deviant, or otherwise disordered. 
  The GM may feed information to the Player 
  in a way that is “unreliable” in order to 
  assist in this play. Usually for -2pts this is 
  “manageable” and will not necessarily be 
  noticed by most people (at least on short 
  contact). At -4pts the character’s disorder is 
  noticeable or severe or both (kleptomania 
  or pyromania are both -4pts). The GM may 
  call for WIL checks and, if failed, may make 
  strong suggestions of play for the character.
  Flair [1,2,4]
  You have innate style! When you throw 
  something together off the rack it comes off 
  looking like a fashion plate. When you walk 
  into a room, people notice. Flair has effects 
  in the Charisma section but also gives +1 
  per level to Etiquette and at the 4pt level +1 
  to Showmanship. It also tends to get you 
  envied by those who are jealous and have 
  less (if any) flair!
  Hard to Fool [2,4,8]
  At the 2pt level you get +2 to perception 
  rolls to spot people sneaking up on you. At 
  4pts, you get RES rolls at +2 to spot con-
  games, see through Con Artist rolls, and 
  you get an itchy feeling when something 
  isn’t right about a situation. At the 8pt level 
  you are almost never surprised (+4 to spot 
  anything fishy). You also get basic RES rolls 
  to tell if someone is lying (this is ultimately 
  up to the GM—but works on most liars—
  even accomplished ones).
  Leader [2,4,8, 12]
  You’re a natural leader. You get bonuses 
  to recruit people (see the the Charisma 
  section).
  Likeable [2,4,8, 12]
  You’re naturally likeable! You get bonuses 
  to persuade people (see the Charisma 
  section). 
  Mathematical Genius [4]
  You can do instant mathematics in your 
  head (even complex equations). You always 
  compute tip correctly for your restaurant 
  check! This allows the character to ignore 
  -2pts of negative modifiers to a computer, 
  physics, or engineering roll.
  Musical Genius [4]
  You are a talented with an instrument! You 
  get +2 to musician skill rolls.
  Perceptive/Keen Senses 
  [1,4,8]
  You are very perceptive. For 2pts you get 
  +1 to all perception rolls. For 4, +2 and 
  for 8, +4. These pluses are doubled if the 
  sense bonus is limited to touch, smell, or 
  taste. If limited to either sight or hearing, 
  the character gets an additional +1 over the 
  regular bonus. Usually a roll by +5 or more 
  will do things like track someone by scent or 
  tell Coke from Pepsi (or whatever).
  Phobic [-1,-2]
  A phobic character has a strong fear of 
  something that goes beyond the reasonable 
  level. At the -1pt level it is likely to simply 
  be “color” for the character (the phobia may 
  arise but is not prevalent in the character’s 
  life or the reaction to it is not extreme). At -
  2pts the phobia is designed to create drama 
  in the game and take a stronger presence. 
  The GM may call for WIL checks in the 
  presence of the phobia-inducing element 
  and, if failed, may make strong suggestions 
  as to how the character will react.
  Presence [2,4,8,12]
  You have great presence and get pluses 
  to your roll to Intimidate people (see the 
  charisma section).
  
  81
   Character Creation
  Sense of Direction [1,2,4]
  You have a great sense of direction and 
  time—an internal compass and clock. For 
  1pt you will get a +2 to any roll (MEM or 
  RES, usually) to have a sense of your 
  bearings. For 2pts you have an accurate 
  sense of time and place (+4 to any rolls to 
  determine where you are and when it is). 
  At 4pts your directional sense will alert you 
  to shifts in time, subtle teleportation, and 
  the like. The GM may give +1, +2, and +4 
  to rolls dealing with hunting or survival out 
  doors since the character will always be 
  able to find their way back to camp.
  Speed Reader [4]
  You can burn through stacks of printed 
  material in a matter of minutes with normal 
  comprehension. Read Moby Dick in a day!
  Background
  Baaad Reputation [1,2,4,8]
  You are known as what is colloquially 
  called a “bad ass.” At the 1pt level you’re 
  known to be tough. At the 2 or 4pt level, 
  pick a specific legend that is known. At the 
  8pt level people believe you are extremely 
  dangerous (the legend may be outrageous!)
  Bad Reputation [-1,-2,-3,-4]
  The word is out on you—and it isn’t 
  good. A bad rep for -1pt is something like 
  “troublemaker.” For -2 or -3 it could be 
  something like “womanizer”, coward, or 
  thief. At level 4, it’s more like traitor. In 
  addition to the problems with Charisma, 
  there may be other effects in NPC’s 
  reactions. If the character is traveling or 
  otherwise known only to a certain segment 
  of the population the GM may reduce the 
  points acquired.
  “One last day on the force before 
  retirement and I get partnered up with 
  you!?” 
  “It—it’s like a recurring nightmare 
  or a bad cliché or something, huh old 
  timer?” 
  ◊◊◊
  Enemy [-1,-3,-5]
  You have an enemy, nemesis, or the 
  enmity of some group. The first thing to 
  do is figure out who doesn’t like you (and 
  generally why). The second thing is to note 
  how that shows up in the game. For -1pt 
  the enemy generates minor drama for the 
  participants. It might be a low-grade rival, 
  a harassment, or other color. At -3pts the 
  Enemy’s presence is more major. Maybe 
  the character has a lot invested in fighting 
  back. Maybe there’s some real danger. 
  For -5pts the Enemy should be someone 
  the Player is very interested in having the 
  character war with.
  NOTE: Unlike previous versions of JAGS 
  enemies are not segregated by danger to 
  the character but rather by interest to the 
  Player. If the GM feels it’s inappropriate for 
  an enemy relationship to be central to a 
  game they should discuss it with the Player 
  prior to the start of play.
  “The Society of Concerned Citizens 
  Against Vigilantism has issued a 
  statement that you will cease and 
  desist all paranormal crime fighting 
  activities.” 
  “Or what?” 
  “Well, the photo shows a shoulder 
  launched Anti-Aircra� missile . . .” 
  ◊◊◊
  Good Reputation [2,4,8,12]
  People have heard good things about 
  you—maybe very good. A reputation can 
  have a specific aspect such as a reputation 
  for honesty or a reputation for being a good 
  man to have back you up on a “job.” If this is 
  the case (and the GM rules that the aspect 
  is less than universal in its application—
  honesty is pretty universal to be well liked 
  for—being a skilled and dedicated criminal 
  isn’t then the cost may be reduced by one 
  level.
  “Well, let’s see—the terrorists have my 
  daughter, the cops want my brother 
  for a crime he didn’t commit, my army 
  buddy sent me a cryptic emergency 
  message from South America and the 
  old karate master who saved my life 
  back in ’82 just went missing.” 
  “Any thoughts?” 
  “Yeah—time to get reincarnated!” 
  ◊◊◊
  Relationship [1,4]
  You have a relationship that is very 
  important to you. It is usually with another 
  person (often with another PC!) but can be 
  with things or, in some cases, even with 
  “concepts.” When you have to make rolls 
  relating to this relationship you may get a 
  +1 to +4 (GM’s decision) based on how 
  relevant the relationship is to that roll. 
  If a situation where the Relationship is 
  relevant is common then the plus is usually 
  lower than if it is rare (although a higher 
  cost Relationship may still result in a higher 
  plus). For 1pt a common event will get a 
  maximum of +1. For 4pts, a common event 
  will get a maximum of +2.
  Example: a character with a Relationship 
  of a romantic engagement to another PC 
  for 1pt might get +1 to hit when attacking a 
  foe who had struck their loved one. If it’s a 
  4pt Relationship that would be +2. But if the 
  PC is mind controlled and asked to harm 
  or kill their loved one, either a 1pt or 4pt 
  Relationship wouldt +4 to resist.
  NOTE: you might dislike the person 
  involved—but if that relationship is relevant 
  to the situation you still get the pluses 
  (although you’d probably get more if you 
  were trying to do something bad to them 
  than if you were trying to do something 
  good).
  
  Character Creation
  82
  Sense of Duty [2,-2,-4]
  You have a sense of duty (or possibly other 
  moral code). When you are following it, you 
  may get +1 to rolls due to determination. 
  However, if you are violating it, you will 
  suffer a -1 penalty to die rolls related to 
  achieving things that work against it. 
  The cost is based as follows:
  2pts:the Sense of Duty is something that is 
  judged to be well in line with the Player’s 
  goals. It does not evoke much tension in the 
  game.
  -2pts: The Sense of Duty is something that 
  is moderately out of line with the Player’s 
  goals and is often a point of conflict (i.e. the 
  Player finds keeping the character’s code 
  an interesting difficulty).
  -4pts: The Sense of Duty is a point of strong 
  conflict for the Player. Keeping or failing 
  to keep to the code will regularly evoke 
  exciting play.
  Special Status [-2, 1, 2]
  The character has some unusual status 
  (social, legal, or otherwise). At -2pts the 
  character is discriminated against and gets 
  -2 to Charisma attempts where applicable. 
  For 1pt the character enjoys some minor 
  social or legal standing in a game where 
  it would be unusual. At 2pts this is more 
  substantial (license to kill). The GM must 
  approve all examples of this.
  Ward [-2,-4]
  There is someone you have to take care 
  of. A child, a side-kick, etc. This person is 
  danger-prone or otherwise gets into trouble! 
  At -2pts the Ward is slated to create minor 
  drama in the game. If the Ward is slated 
  to be a central source of drama for the 
  character (often in trouble, a source of many 
  interesting conflicts, etc.) then -4pts may be 
  appropriate.
  Wealth [1,2,4,8,12]
  You’ve got money—maybe lots. For 1pt 
  you have about $20,000 in spare cash 
  (or are otherwise have a good reserve for 
  your demographic—for a group playing 
  teenagers that might be $2,000 in the 
  bank). For 2pts you are ‘wealthy’ (luxury car, 
  decent home in a country club). You get this 
  for free with an Expert Level skill. For 4pts 
  you are rich. Large house in a high profile 
  country club, a summer home somewhere 
  else. Elite sports car. European vacations. 
  For 8pts you are loaded. You have multiple 
  homes, a chauffer, etc. At 12pts you are 
  massively rich. You have servants, a fortune 
  100 corporation, a private jet and a castle to 
  hold meetings at.
  Write Up [-2]
  If you do a 1-page write up on your 
  character, you get two points for it! This is 
  handy to do things like the following: (a) 
  Give the GM an idea of what you’d like to 
  see your character doing during play. (b) 
  Create a background with “plot hooks.” (c) 
  Get into your character’s head.
  Personality and Appearance
  Attractive [2,4,8,12]
  You are sexy and attractive looking. This 
  comes in four levels from simply nice 
  looking or “cute”/”pretty” to Adonis/Aphrodite 
  level where you are stunning and unearthly 
  in your beauty. This has effects that are 
  detailed in the Charisma section.
  Bad Temper [-2]
  You might have a chip on your shoulder or 
  a hair trigger fuse when it comes to losing 
  your temper. The Player will tend to escalate 
  situations where the character’s temper is 
  triggered. The GM may call for WIL checks 
  and if failed, may make strong suggestions 
  as to the behavior of the character.
  Big Mouth [-2]
  Your mouth tends to run without your 
  thinking! A character with Big Mouth will be 
  played to generate interesting conflicts by 
  saying the wrong thing at the wrong time! A 
  character may inadvertently insult people, 
  reveal secrets, or show ignorance at the 
  wrong times. The GM may call for WIL 
  or RES rolls and, if they are failed, make 
  strong suggestions as to the behavior of the 
  character.
  Coward [-4]
  You are afraid! The character’s reluctance 
  to do dangerous or frightening things that 
  may result in harm (Moral Cowardice could 
  be applicable too, however) will generate 
  interesting complications during the game. 
  The GM can enforce -4 to Initiative Rolls in 
  the first 3 rounds of combat as well as -1 
  to -3 to-hit. The GM may also call for WIL 
  checks if the Player has the character enter 
  combat (or other scary activity) and, if failed, 
  make strong suggestions as to the behavior 
  of the character.
  Curious [-2]
  You have an insatiable sense of curiosity 
  that often gets you into trouble.  The Player 
  will tend to make choices that delve deeper 
  into presented situations or mysteries. The 
  GM may call for WIL or RES checks and, if 
  failed, make strong suggestions as to the 
  behavior of the character.
  Envious [-1,-2]
  You’re constantly envying what others have. 
  You can be petty or mean. You’re also 
  involved in serious one-ups-manship! If this 
  applies to a specific discipline (intellectual 
  vanity) then it’s -1pt. The Player will tend to 
  make choices that bring the character into 
  covert or overt conflict with the source of the 
  envy. The GM may call for WIL checks and, 
  if failed, make strong suggestions as to the 
  behavior of the character.
  Exotic [2,4,8,12]
  You are beautiful in an unusual manner. 
  Perhaps you are from a foreign locale. 
  Maybe your eyes or hair is unusual and 
  striking. Whatever the case you stand out—
  are more easily identified, and have effects 
  described in the Charisma section.
  
  83
   Character Creation
  Greed [-2]
  They say everyone is greedy but you’re 
  worse than normal! You don’t want to pass 
  up a buck even if you know it’s a bad idea. 
  You’ll take moderate risks for a little and 
  high risks for a lot. You may also do unwise 
  or illegal things in the pursuit of money. 
  The Player will make choices that indicate 
  the character is strongly motivated by a 
  chance of financial gain. The GM may call 
  for WIL checks and, if failed, may make 
  strong suggestions as to the behavior of the 
  character.
  Grim [-1]
  You are dark or sullen and have no 
  operating sense of humor (or maybe a very 
  black one).
  Honorable [-2]
  You treat others with the respect they treat 
  you (this is not the same as always giving 
  someone a fair chance)—you don’t assume 
  the worst if you don’t know, however.
  Lousy Liar [-3]
  You have a really hard time lying. Maybe 
  you stutter when deceiving. Maybe you 
  tell really poor convoluted lies. Whatever. 
  The GM can call for WIL rolls to see if your 
  character is able tell a convincing falsehood. 
  This gives a -4 to skills like Con Games or 
  Charisma attempts that involve falsehoods.
  Lousy Driver [-2]
  You’re a hazard behind the wheel! You’ll 
  back up through the garage door, ram the 
  car behind you when parallel parking, and 
  make wrong-way turns while jabbering on 
  a cell-phone. You can’t have Drive Vehicle 
  skill above a 12- and the GM can call for -2 
  rolls whenever wanted to see if you make 
  some unnecessary error.
  Lustful [-2]
  You are a sucker for the opposite sex. 
  Unlike most PC’s Psychology attempts like 
  Charm or Vamp might apply to your PC. 
  The Player will tend to make choices for 
  the character that involve either a lot of 
  attention to the opposite sex and/or unwise 
  decisions concerning the opposite sex. The 
  GM may call for WIL checks and, if failed, 
  make strong suggestions as to the behavior 
  of the character.
  Naive [-2]
  You are un-worldly and inexperienced (no 
  Street skills unless you somehow learned 
  them without the social background). You 
  haven’t been in combat or far from home. 
  You might think you know what the ‘real 
  world’ is like, but you’re wrong!
  Obnoxious [-1,-2,-3]
  Your general manner is offensive in some 
  way. At the -1 level it could be something 
  like humming or making snarky remarks. At 
  the -3 level it could be really bad body odor, 
  a total lack of social graces, or something 
  similar. The Player will make choices that 
  generate at least low level conflict in social 
  situations. The GM may call for WIL checks 
  and, if failed, make strong suggestions as to 
  the behavior of the character.
  Personality Type [1]
  Personality types aren’t about looks—
  they’re about actions and … presence. A 
  player may choose any one:  Cute, Serious, 
  Scary, Fun, αnd Loud. These have a minor 
  effect in the Charisma section and are a 
  good way to note how your character comes 
  off to others.  
  Pride [-2]
  You’re an overconfident, cocky bastard. This 
  combines overconfidence with arrogance! 
  You believe you are better than you 
  are—and let everyone know it! The Player 
  will make choices for the character that lead 
  to interesting complications based on the 
  character’s feeling that they are better than 
  they are. The GM may call for WIL checks 
  and, if failed, make strong suggestions as to 
  the behavior of the character.
  Problems With Authority 
  [-4]
  You have issues with authority! If there 
  are rules—you want to break them. Laws? 
  Bend them. Curfew? Sneak back after 
  dark. You are not necessarily a criminal 
  but you’re always trying to get around rules 
  and regs. The Player will make choices for 
  the character that brings them into conflict 
  (overt or covert) with authority. The GM 
  may call for WIL checks and, if failed, make 
  strong suggestions as to the behavior of the 
  character
  Rugged [3]
  You have a rough but handsome 
  appearance. This may not indicate a perfect 
  or sculpted body—but rather a sense of 
  capableness and a worn-ness that suggests 
  experience.
  Slick [-2]
  You aren’t smooth … but you think you 
  are. You’ll try to put the moves on people 
  you have no chance with, tip the host in an 
  expensive restaurant a buck, and otherwise 
  go through life acting like you’re cooler than 
  you really are. Maybe you’re in on the joke. 
  Probably not!
  Sloth [-2]
  You’re always late with assignments, 
  always caught sleeping when there’s a job 
  to do, etc. You take 2x as long as most 
  to complete a task and have difficulty 
  keeping a job. The play of the character 
  will generate conflicts around the non-
  completion or avoidance of work. The GM 
  may call for WIL checks and, if failed, make 
  strong suggestions as to the behavior of the 
  character.
  Statuesque [2,4,8,12]
  You appear “striking” and are cut to a 
  perfect mold. Although definitely attractive, 
  the character appears both strong and 
  ‘flawless’ to a classical mold (no defect 
  that disfigures you can be taken). This has 
  effects detailed in the Charisma section. 
  This may also be described as Rugged.
  Swashbuckler [-2]
  You are a showoff who enjoys daring feats 
  and theatrical risks. You will never do 
  something the boring way if you can come 
  up with a showy one!
  
  Character Creation
  84
  Character Def Appendix 3: Archetype TraitsList
  Dreamer [ 2 AP ] 
  You have strange and often prophetic 
  dreams. Perhaps your subconscious is 
  offering you insight—or perhaps you are 
  reading omens from the spirit world.
  Extraordinarily Tough [ 16 
  AP ]
  You get +8 DP. Once in combat you can 
  make a CON roll at +4. Once a play 
  session you may “heal” 3/4 of all damage 
  taken (up to a Critical Wound). This takes 
  2 seconds. It has no visible or medical 
  effect (after being shot, beaten up badly, 
  etc.) you fall down, recover and then seem 
  to be basically okay (wounds leak blood, 
  etc ... but you aren’t dying). If you were 
  unconscious, dead, dying, etc. you remain 
  down for 2 seconds and then are fine.
  Hard To Kill [ 2 AP]
  The character is hard to kill. Any Dead or 
  Dying result will be ignored (the character 
  will be unconscious for hours). This will not 
  save the character if he is left in a damaging 
  position, takes 5x his DP, is decapitated, 
  etc.
  Lucky Miss [ 4 AP]
  You are hard to hit in combat. Three times 
  in combat you can call for a -3 to be hit. This 
  replaces your AGI bonus. If you are hit, you 
  take a -5 Damage Modifier (a hit by, say, 3 
  becomes a hit by -2).
  Lucky [ 2,8,16 AP ]
  You are unusually fortunate. For 2pts you 
  may re-roll any roll once a game session 
  and get +1 to any random rolls the GM 
  makes to see what’s going on with you. At 
  8pts you can re-make any 3 rolls during a 
  game session and random checks get +2. 
  You may also substitute a 14- roll once for a 
  skill or stat check that luck is involved with 
  (i.e. probably not arm wrestling but a roll 
  to hit with a untrained shot would count). 
  At 16pts any 5 rolls can be re-made, the 
  character gets +4 to situational checks, and 
  the character gets 2 16- rolls which can be 
  substituted. At this level, Luck is a life-style 
  and the character may live on lottery money, 
  run into exactly the right people all the time, 
  etc.
  Instinct [ 4 AP ]
  You get a scratchy feeling on the back of 
  your neck when people are following you—
  or a bad feeling before walking into danger. 
  The GM can call for an Instinct roll (RES+2 
  or WIL+2, player’s choice) to detect danger, 
  to feel if he is being followed, or otherwise 
  feel “if something is going down.”
  Malice [ 4 AP ]
  Once per combat the character may strike 
  for +2 (PEN) or +4 (IMP) damage. This may 
  be declared after the strike hits. 
  
  85
   Character Creation
  Nature Friend [ 4 AP]
  You have an affinity for animals and nature. 
  You have a green thumb and plants you 
  care for will flourish. Natural animals respect 
  and like you (and may come to you for help 
  if injured). In the woods, an RES roll will find 
  your way.
  Psychic Link [2 AP]
  You have a link to a kindred soul (who must 
  also buy this). You know if they’re in trouble. 
  You have an idea of where to find them; 
  you get impressions of what is happening 
  to them. 
  See Inner Person [ 8 AP ]
  When you meet someone you can size 
  them up pretty well! You can, with a WIL 
  roll, tell if they are of character, if they 
  are actively planning to betray you, and 
  otherwise get a sense of what kind of 
  person they are (a mob hit man would give 
  you cold chills. A serial killer might cause a 
  character to faint).
  Sensitive [ 4 AP ]
  You are tuned into the “other side.” Ghosts 
  may manifest to you. Readings with Tarot 
  Cards may prove spookily accurate. You 
  respect (and maybe fear) séances.
  Shadow Friend [ 8 AP ]
  The shadows like you and you have a 
  special relationship with darkness. You get 
  +2 to stealth. Even mild shadows will hide 
  your face. You ignore  -3pts of darkness 
  modifiers (you see well in dim light). In 
  normal light you are at -2 to Perception rolls 
  and in bright light (a very sunny day) you 
  are in pain.
  Storm Friend [ 8 AP ]
  The weather matches your mood! Anger 
  may bring thunderstorms. Sadness, rain 
  showers. This is not a super power but 
  happens more subtly than that. If battling 
  out in a lightning storm, however, lightning 
  may well strike your targets! Large storms 
  (hurricanes) won’t hurt you—although 
  incidental damage may be hazardous.
  Synchronicity [ 8 AP ]
  Synchronicity is when unrelated events 
  come together in a meaningful way for you 
  (like picking up a book (and a keen interest) 
  in Norse Mythology and then seeing an 
  “ODIN” license plate--when you go and talk 
  to the guy, he’s a Norse Mythos scholar). 
  With this advantage the character is aware 
  and in touch with Synchronicity. The 
  universe’s inner workings are somewhat 
  available to him. When looking for 
  ‘information’ (clues, a course of action, etc.) 
  he may get signals from unrelated sources. 
  The GM should make a secret WIL roll and, 
  if made by 4+, the character will get--and 
  recognize--some message (even if it is not 
  completely clear).
  Twisted Genius [ 8, 12 AP ]
  You are a mad scientist. To qualify you must 
  have the following: 
  Level 1: More points in INT than either 
  REF or PHY
  Level 2: More points in INT than both REF 
  and PHY put together. 
  You must still have the science skills (at 
  Level 2 or better). The GM should rule that 
  some inventions are at -3 to -10 (depending 
  on how hard and expensive). These 
  modifiers are reduced by Level 3 skills. You 
  get the following advantages:
   
  Level 1: Weird Science
  You get +1 to RES, your L3 or L4 skills have 
  a strange twist to them. You may invent 
  things that the GM rules are plausible but 
  unlikely (usually that means no force fields, 
  psionic technology, etc.) You may make 
  1 invention per month of game time (the 
  invention may take more than a month and 
  you don’t get to save points but you can 
  have more than one project going at a time). 
  Just having this doesn’t give you the lab 
  and materials necessary: the campaign may 
  center on getting them.
  Level 2: Mad Science 
  You get +2 to RES. You can make one 
  invention per month per point of RES above 
  10. Your inventions will be capable of 
  bizarre things (anything the GM agrees to). 
  Often there will be unintended side effects. 
  Furthermore, the Mad Scientist is driven to 
  create things.
  Unusual Gear [ 2,4  AP]
  You have some sort of abnormal edge in 
  terms of gear. This might mean having 
  a normal firearm in a game where the 
  characters are normal high-school students 
  or having a magical sword when the 
  characters are starting adventurers. At the 
  4pt level this represents a serious edge and 
  must be allowed by the GM.
  Will To Fight [ 4 AP ]
  You get +4 DP and a minimum CON roll of a 
  12- (or your CON, whichever is higher).
  “You don’t really care about the whale do 
  you?” Jessa asked incredulously from across 
  her plate of synthi-spaghe�i. “You could 
  bank a cool eight-million and you’d rather 
  give it to some absurd charity? For a fish!?”
  Kivan eyed her, icily. “She’s not a fish. And 
  she’s the last one. Ever. They’re going to 
  hunt her. For sport.”
  Jessa was amazed. “You’re a sportsman 
  yourself. You’ve fought people in the game. 
  Killed them even. You care about a … a … 
  whatever it is more than … well …” she 
  looked a him “Me?”
  Kivan folded his napkin. “It’s what I’ve 
  decided to fight for. To buy her for an aquatic 
  sanctuary. It’s final. That’s what I’m going 
  out for next game.”
  Jessa’s eyes were now equally cold. “And if 
  they just won’t let you be that stupid?”
  “God help them,” he said.
  “I don’t even know what that means,” she 
  answered.
  ◊◊◊
  
  Combat Example
  86
  Learning Combat By Example
  To get a handle on JAGS Revised combat without it being overwhelming, we recommend that 
  you introduce yourself to it with an example that illustrates and references the rules (with page 
  numbers and call-outs to help keep things in context). 
  The PC is Trevor DeMark, a roguish man of great experience and low birth has been forced into 
  a duel with Baron Von Lem, a trained, but less experienced fighter (although he has certainly 
  killed his share of men in duels). They are facing each other in a snow frosted orchard to fight to 
  the death.
  The Tale of the Tape (their Stats)
  Name: Trevor DeMark
  PHY
  11
  REF
  13
  INT
  11
  DP
  12
  Init
  13-
  Armor
  None
  Melee Weapons L3 15-
  Base Damage 1
  Broadsword
  +6 PEN, Med Reach
  Condition 
  Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 
  0 to 3 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 3 DP
  Minor
  4 to 11 DP
  Major
  12 to 23 DP
  Critical
  24 or more DP
  Hurt: 4 
  to 12 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 11 DP
  Major
  12 to 23 DP
  Critical
  24 or more DP
  Injured: 12 
  to 23 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 3 DP
  Major
  4 to 11 DP
  Critical
  12 or more DP
  Serious: 
  24+ DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  --
  Major
  1 to 3 DP
  Critical
  4 or more DP
  Name: Baron Von Lem
  PHY
  12
  REF
  11
  INT
  10
  DP
  14
  Init
  11-
  Armor
  2/4Leather
  Melee Weapons L3 13-
  Base Damage 2
  Broadsword
  +6 PEN, Med Reach
  Condition 
  Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 
  0 to 4 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 4 DP
  Minor
  5 to 13 DP
  Major
  14 to 27 DP
  Critical
  28 or more DP
  Hurt: 5 
  to 13 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 13 DP
  Major
  14 to 27 DP
  Critical
  28 or more DP
  Injured: 14 
  to 27 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 4 DP
  Major
  5 to 13 DP
  Critical
  14 or more DP
  Serious: 
  28+ DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  --
  Major
  1 to 4 DP
  Critical
  5 or more DP
  Starting Combat
  In most of JAGS Revised play time isn’t 
  tracked very formally – it’s usually not 
  important how long it takes you to cross a 
  street or get your front door unlocked. In 
  combat, of course, it can be a matter of life 
  and death.
  Combat starts when one character 
  declares an action that would injure or 
  physically constrain his target. In game 
  terms the GM decides combat has began 
  and then these rules are in effect.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  87
  Combat Example
  The Combat Tracker
  We provide a visual “tracker” to show how 
  each element of combat fits together. Below is 
  an example of it showing how each step can 
  have several different pieces or decisions that 
  go into it.
    INITIATIVE
    ACTION 4: END TURN
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
   ACTION 3: STRIKE
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    INITIATIVE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
  Round &Turn Tracker
  The black upsidedown 
  triangle shows a Round and 
  who’s Turn it is during the 
  round.
    INITIATIVE
    ACTION 4: END TURN
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
   ACTION 3: STRIKE
  Action Tracker
  The gray, upwards pointing 
  triangle shows the Actions 
  a specific character takes 
  during their Turn.
  Steps Tracker
  The white, upwards pointing 
  triangle shows the steps for 
  resolving each action.
  Combat Basics
  JAGS Revised combat is a step-by-step process that allows each character to take actions (such 
  as a sword blow) against other characters or targets. In order to resolve these actions, a specific 
  process is used that determines when, how often, and how effective each action is. 
  These are the seven foundational concepts that are illustrated in the following example. The 
  JAGS Revised rules clarify and expand on them:
  Basic Concept
  Description
  Starting combat and “combat 
  time”
  Going from the normal, free-form flow of the game into 
  highly structured “combat” requires some discussion 
  between the GM and players and special rules to cover 
  situations like surprise or the advantages skilled characters 
  get in "quick drawing" their weapons
  Combat Rounds
  In combat, time is broken into six-second Rounds. JAGS 
  Revised provides rules for what happens in each Round 
  and when each character gets to act (i.e. “Take his or her 
  Turn”)
  Initiative
  At the beginning of each Round all the characters in combat 
  roll against their Initiative scores to determine the order in 
  which they get to act. Characters that act first have some 
  advantages over slower characters
  Turns and Actions
  During a six-second Round, each character will get a 
  Turn during which they may take Actions such as moving, 
  attacking, or defending themselves. JAGS Revised provides 
  rules for determining what Actions a character may take 
  Reacting
  Not all Actions take place during a character’s Turn – JAGS 
  Revised provides rules for Reacting to other character’s 
  actions and acting out of turn sequence under some 
  circumstances (Example: a character who is attacked may 
  React by attempting to block the strike)
  Damage from Attacks
  JAGS Revised provides rules for simulating damage done 
  by attacks ranging from bare knuckles to swords to hand 
  guns to lasers and exotic weapons (glue guns!). JAGS 
  Revised also provides rules for the effects of armor.
  Injury
  JAGS Revised has rules for injuries that stun, daze, or 
  incapacitate and kill. Tougher characters are harder to take 
  down. JAGS Revised distinguishes between the effects 
  of each, individual wound and the cumulative effects of 
  damage
  Roll: This symbol means the dice are being rolled for this step.
  Key Rule
  This call-out discusses a specific rule, with a page 
  reference that’s important to understanding the action.
  Page ###
  Key Rule
  Key Rule
  
  Combat Example
  88
  Combat Rounds (“Combat Time”)
  Rounds (approximately six seconds long) 
  break combat into manageable chunks.In 
  game terms, during each Round, each 
  character takes his or her Turn.
  JAGS Revised has rules for
  • 
  The order in which characters in combat get to 
  take their Turns each Round (see Initiative)
  • 
  How many Actions you can take during your 
  Turn
  • 
  Actions that take longer than six seconds to 
  complete
  The basic structure of a Round works like 
  this
  1. 
  The new Round is announced by the 
  GM. Certain events take place at the 
  beginning of the Round, before any 
  characters get to take their Turns. 
  These include
  a. Characters “recover” all their REA points 
  with which to buy Actions during the Round
  b. Injured characters may roll to recover from 
  their injuries
  c. Instant events such as Perception Checks 
  may be made
  2. 
  All characters who are in combat and 
  awake Roll for Initiative
  a. Initiative rolls determine the order in which 
  characters will take their Turns
  b. In general characters who win initiative are 
  at a tactical advantage – they get to act first 
  if they choose to, and may also choose to 
  "wait" and see what slower characters do 
  3. 
  Characters take their Turns in 
  initiative order
  a. During their Turn a character can take a 
  number of Actions such as attacking other 
  characters or moving
  b. The number of Actions a character can take 
  depends on his REA score and the actions 
  he chooses
  4. 
  When all characters have completed 
  their Turns the Round is complete
  a. Any REA characters had left over is lost
  Designer’s Notes
  “Roll Initiative”
  The GM requests that all characters roll against their 
  initiative score. The GM rolls for NPCs.
  Page104
  “ Key Term”
  Starting Combat (Example 1)
  Combat starts when someone (player or GM) decides it does. When combat starts there are a 
  few questions that may be important:
  • 
  Does everyone know they’re in combat? In many cases the people being attacked will 
  be surprised (and at a serious disadvantage). JAGS Revised Combat has rules for 
  surprise and ambush
  • 
  Who has weapons ready-for-use? JAGS Revised Combat has rules for drawing 
  weapons that give skilled characters an advantage over lower skilled ones
  • 
  Where is everyone? Movement and distance can be very important. In many cases the 
  GM will want to use a map to show where characters and important terrain features 
  are. JAGS Revised Combat has rules for
  o Moving in combat that determine things like how far your character can run 
  in six seconds
  o Cover and concealment – if someone’s shooting at you, hiding behind a wall 
  can make you harder to hit!
  o Distance and weapons reach – having a long sword is an advantage in a 
  knife fight… but it’s better to have a gun. And if you’re going after a guy with 
  a hand gun, it doesn’t hurt to have a sniper’s rifle.
  • 
  What sort of environmental factors might affect combat? JAGS Revised Combat has 
  rules for darkness,strong winds,  fighting from the back of a horse (or from a moving 
  vehicle), etc.
  In this case:
  • 
  Both characters are aware combat is about to begin – surprise isn’t a factor
  • 
  The terrain is open and flat
  • 
  The Baron has his sword drawn. Trevor does not.
  • 
  The GM rules that the characters are relatively close to each other, but not directly in 
  front of one another – somewhere between 3 or 4 yards apart
  If exact positions or distances were really important (if, for example, one character had a gun, 
  making range a real advantage) the GM and players 
  could work it out in more detail. Once these decisions 
  are made and everyone’s got the same understanding 
  about what’s going on combat’s ready to start!
  Round One
  A Round represents approximately six seconds of time 
  during combat. During a Round, each character who isn’t 
  unconscious, dead, or otherwise disabled, will get to take 
  Actions during their Turn. At the beginning of the each 
  Round, every character who desires to act during the 
  Round rolls for Initiative.
  Initiative (Pg. 104)
  The GM calls for Initiative rolls to see who gets to act first. Both character’s Initiative Scores are 
  equal to their REA’s since they have no special Traits that modify them
  Roll: Trevor’s Player rolls a 7. This means Trevor has +6 Initiative since he made his 
  roll by 6.
  Roll: The GM (rolling for the Baron) rolls a 10. The Baron only has a +1 Initiative since 
  he made his roll by 1.
  Rnd
  Character 1: Trevor
  Character 2:The Baron
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
    INITIATIVE
    ROUND ONE
  +1
  +6
  
  89
  Combat Example
  Initatitve
  Each Round begins with Initiative checks 
  by all conscious characters involved in the 
  combat. Initiative is a Figured Stat based 
  mainly on REA and modified by Traits.
  Characters take their Turns in the order 
  determined by their rolls.
  JAGS Revised includes rules for
  • 
  Resolving ties
  • 
  Wounds and other character conditions 
  reducing initiative scores
  • 
  Special effects caused by being much faster or 
  slower than opponents
  • 
  Surprise
  Designer’s Notes
    INITIATIVE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
  Since Trevor made his Initiative Roll by more (+6 is greater than +1) he gets to take his Turn first. 
  If the Baron survives, he’ll get to take his Turn after that.
  Even characters who miss their Initiative rolls get Turns during the round – they just go 
  after all of the characters who made their rolls.
  Important Note
  !
  Turns and Actions
  During a Round you get to act during your 
  Turn. Actions are “purchased” with REA 
  points – see the next section for a discussion 
  of Actions and REA points. At a glance:
  • 
  Actions generally cost 3, 5, or 8 REA 
  points. As general rule…
  o 
  Short Actions cost 3 points (Example: 
  Block a strike)
  o 
  Medium Actions cost 5 points (Example: 
  Strike an opponent)
  o 
  Long Actions cost 8 points (Example: 
  Stand up after being knocked down)
  • 
  Whether an Action is Short, Medium or 
  Long determines how other characters 
  can react to it. See Reactions, below
  • 
  During your Turn you can take any 
  Action that you have enough REA to 
  "buy." There are a few basic concepts 
  to keep in mind
  o 
  You get your full REA to spend each round; 
  you cannot "save" REA points – any points 
  you don’t spend are lost at the end of the 
  Round
  o 
  You are not required to buy Actions during 
  your Turn – you can choose to "wait" and 
  see what slower characters do (JAGS 
  Revised has specific rules for "Waiting" 
  that you should familiarize yourself with)
  o 
  Under some circumstances you can take 
  Actions during other character’s turns 
  (usually as a "reaction" to something they 
  did – see the Reaction rules)
  • 
  Your Turn is over when
  o 
  You decide to end it
  o 
  You’re out of REA to spend 
  o 
  You’re injured in a way that reduces your 
  REA
  In combat, many actions require skill rolls 
  (actions in combat are almost always done 
  under stress). Particularly Strikes and Blocks 
  require skill rolls for the skills used.
  • 
  How much you "made your roll by" is 
  usually important
  o 
  Key Example: The more you make a "to 
  hit" roll by, the more Damage you do (see 
  Damage below) and the harder the blow is 
  to block
  • 
  Lots of rules cover modifiers to rolls
  o 
  Characteristics such as a high AGI can 
  make characters harder to hit
  o 
  Environmental modifiers such as darkness 
  or fog can also reduce a character’s chance 
  to hit
  o 
  Some actions such as Aiming (with a 
  ranged weapon) increase a character’s 
  chance to hit
  Designer’s Notes
  Trevor’s Turn
  During his Turn, the amount of things Trevor can accomplish is determined by is Reaction (REA) 
  score. Each Action he chooses to take “costs” REA. Trevor may not want to spend all of his REA 
  during his Turn, since he may want to save some for later in the Round to defend himself.
  Trevor has 13 REA to spend each Round (and can’t save any between Rounds). Trevor’s player 
  decides he wants to have Trevor attack the Baron during his Turn. This will require several steps 
  to figure out what happens.
  • 
  Trevor must draw his sword (since he didn’t have it out already)
  • 
  Trevor must move (or start the turn) in range of the Baron (he is – the sword has a Medium Reach which is 
  defined as 3 or 4 yards. If they had started further apart, he would need to move into range)
  • 
  He’ll need to make appropriate Skill rolls to see if his sword blow was accurate, and the Baron may be 
  allowed to make Skill rolls to try to block
  Trevor’s 1st Action: Drawing his Sword
  Drawing a sword is normally a “Medium” action and costs 5 REA. However, because Trevor is 
  a skilled swordsman (Level 3 Melee Weapons Skill) he can draw his sword for 0 REA (a “free” 
  action) if he makes a Melee Weapons Skill roll.
  Roll: Trevor needs to roll a 15 or less (his Melee Weapons Skill is 15) rolls a 4, making 
  his roll. His sword is drawn; he has spent no REA so far, and still has 13 REA to spend 
  this Round.
  
  Combat Example
  90
  List of Strikes
  Check out the list of all standard strikes to see what 
  Trevor could’ve done.
  Page 121
  Key Rule
  REA Cost
  Each action (except free ones) cost REA to perform. 
  Characters begin each Round with their full REA and 
  spend REA during the turn.
  NOTE: Long actions usually cost 8 REA. Medium 
  actions usually cost 5 REA, and short actions usually 
  cost 3 REA – but there’s a decent amount of variation
  Page 109
  “ Key Term”
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
  Trevor’s 2nd Action: Strike
  Trevor can now Strike at the Baron. For this to be legal he must be in range (he is) and he 
  must have enough REA remaining to buy the action.  He does. Strikes are Medium actions that 
  normally cost 5 REA. Skilled swordsmen (Level 3) can purchase a single Strike once a Round 
  for only 4 REA.
  Resolving a Strike
  The steps to resolve the strike are as follows:
  Choose an attack and 
  Target
  Choose an attack type and your target. Trevor chooses “Strike” (a 
  basic attack, using his sword) and the Baron as his target. Note: 
  Trevor must have enough REA to buy the attack (he does).
  a. 
  Determine all modifiers to hit. The Baron is mobile and aware of the attack so he 
  gets his “Agility Bonus” against being hit. The Baron’s AGI is 11 so Trevor’s to-hit 
  roll takes a -1 penalty.
  Step 1: Target may 
  choose to defend
  If the Baron is fast enough, and has the REA available, he gets to 
  decide if he wants to try to defend against the attack (parry it with 
  his own sword). He’d like to. Is he fast enough?
  a.
  Trevor made his Initiative roll by a lot this Round! In fact, he beat the Baron’s roll by 
  five which is the magic number. This means the Baron must make an REA roll to 
  even try to block the incoming blow.
  b.
  On the other hand, since the Baron has not acted this Round, he has all his REA 
  available and can pay for the Block Action easily.
  Step 2: Roll to Hit
  Trevor will use his Melee Weapon skill to roll to hit. If he was 
  untrained, he’d use his AGI.
  a.
  If Trevor misses his roll, that’s it: the REA is spent and the action is over.
  Step 3: Target rolls 
  for defense (if hit)
  However, if Trevor hits, the Baron will get a chance to try to parry 
  the blow (if he’s fast enough).
  a.
  The Baron’s roll to block will use his own Melee Weapons skill and must be made 
  by the same or better than Trevor’s to-hit roll was made by.
  Step 4:  Resolve 
  damage
  If Trevor hits, and the Baron fails to defend, then we’ll go to 
  damage resolution.
  The Baron’s Reaction
  The GM, deciding for the Baron, decides that the Baron does, indeed, wish to try to block. Under 
  some circumstances, this would not require any further work, but in this case Trevor’s Initiative 
  for this Round is 5 points higher than the Baron’s. This means that Trevor’s Strike is very fast; 
  the Baron must make a successful REA roll to even be allowed to try to block.
  Reactions
  All actions in JAGS have a speed (Short, Medium, or Long). When someone takes an action that effects you, you 
  may respond by taking a faster action. Since attacks are Medium and Blocks (or Dodges) are Short, you can respond 
  to a strike with a block. Charging someone is a Long Action and a Strike is a Medium Action. If someone charges you, 
  you can strike them on the way in (respond to their Long Action with a Medium one!).
  Page 111
  Key Rule
  Key Rule
  Roll: The Baron needs to roll an 11 or less (his REA). He rolls an 11 exactly, and will 
  be allowed to roll to block later, if Trevor hits.
  
  91
  Combat Example
  Trevor’s Roll To Hit
  Trevor may now roll to try to hit the Baron. His chance to hit is his Melee Weapons Skill (15-) 
  minus any modifiers.
  In this case, the only modifier that applies is the Baron’s Agility Bonus. The Baron has an AGI of 
  11, so he is at -1 to be hit.
  Roll: Trevor needs to roll a 15 (skill) – 1 (AGI Bonus) = 14- to hit the Baron. He rolls a 
  10, which is a success. Further, he hit by 4 points (14 – 10 = 4).
  Hitting By 4 (With a Penetrating Attack): The ‘Magic Number’
  In JAGS, if you use a Penetrating weapon (knives, swords, bullets, arrows) and hit by 4 or better, that is considered a 
  “good hit” or a “hit to a vital location.” The magic number is 4 and a hit by 4+ is likely to do a lot more damage than a 
  hit by 0-3!
  Page 169
  Key Rule
  The Baron’s Block
  The Baron purchased a legal block action during step 1. Now he can see if it saves him. He 
  calculates his chance to block according to the Melee Weapons Skill rules
  • 
  At Level 2, the character’s chance to block is Melee Weapons Skill -1. The Baron’s 
  Melee Weapons Skill is L2, 13-. He starts with a chance to block of 12-
  • 
  His chance to block is reduced by 1 point for each point the to-hit roll was made by. 
  Trevor needed a 14, and rolled a 10, making his roll by 4. However, the Baron’s AGI 
  bonus (which reduced Trevor’s chances from 15 to 14 in Step 2) doesn’t make the 
  Baron’s chance to block easier. So Trevor made his roll by 5 points, for determining 
  how easy a blow it is to block
  • 
  No other modifiers apply
  Roll:To block Trevor’s strike the Baron needs to roll a 12 – 5 = 7-. He rolls a 10, which 
  is not enough. The blow hits.
  Reactions
  You’ll probably take most of your Actions during your Turn, but not all of them – some Actions 
  may be taken as a Reaction to the Actions of other characters.
  Examples:
  • 
  A character Strikes (Medium Action)  at you; you may React by blocking (Short Action)
  • 
  A character runs down a long hallway toward you (Long Action). You may React by 
  shooting at him (Medium Action)
  Rules for Reactions can be fairly complex. In general
  • 
  You must have enough REA to purchase the Reaction Action
  o 
  If  you’ve already taken your Turn and spent all your REA, you won’t be able to take any defensive 
  Reaction moves
  o 
  If you haven’t taken your Turn yet, then you have all your REA (which you received at the beginning of 
  the Round), but if you take too many Reaction moves, you may not have much REA left when your Turn 
  finally comes
  • 
  You can only take a slower move than the one you’re reacting to. In other words
  o 
  You can only React to a Medium Action (like a Strike) with a Short Action (like a Block)
  o 
  You can React to a Long Action with either a Short Action or a Medium Action
  • 
  The GM must agree that you can React – this is almost always the case with defensive 
  Actions, but Reacting offensively (e.g. shooting at someone taking a Long Action) may 
  be more ambiguous
  Designer’s Notes
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
  “Roll to Hit”
  In combat, many actions (including all attacks) require 
  a skill roll to succeed. Attacks "roll to hit" against their 
  targets
  “Roll to Block”
  Just as attacks require a to-hit roll to be successful, 
  defensive actions require a roll to protect the 
  defending character.
  “I Hit By X”
  The better you hit, the more damage you are likely to 
  do. The amount you “hit by” is (usually) your modified 
  to-hit roll (usually weapons skill) minus what you rolled 
  on the dice.
  Example: If you had a 14- to-hit roll, and rolled a 10, 
  you’d say you “hit by” 4 points.
  NOTE: Modifiers definitely affect what you hit by. In 
  the example, Trevor’s skill is 15, he rolls a 10 – which 
  would be a “hit by 5” if not for the Baron’s AGI modifier 
  (-1). After the modifier, Trevor’s roll is on a 14-.
  Page 121
  “ Key Term”
  “Base Damage”
  All attacks (including unarmed blows) have a base 
  damage number representing the standard damage 
  the attack will do. 
  • 
  For ranged attacks Base Damage is 
  usually a set number (e.g. a 9mm pistol 
  has a Base Damage of 6pts PEN)
  • 
  For melee weapons Base Damage is 
  usually a number (a sword does 6 PEN) 
  to which the wielder’s Base Damage 
  figured Stat is added
  Page 169
  “ Key Term”
  
  Combat Example
  92
  Calculating Damage (Pg. 169)
  Trevor’s strike hit: Now we calculate damage. The damage done by a strike (and the steps to 
  calculate it) depends on the type of weapon that was used.
  Blunt weapons like fists do “impact” damage which tends to be less lethal than the “penetrating” 
  damage done by sharp weapons like swords and knives, or powerful ranged weapons like 
  arrows and bullets.
  This is how damage for Trevor’s sword blow is calculated:
  Key facts 
  about your 
  attack
  There are three key facts you need to know about your attack to calculate 
  damage:
  • 
  The Base Damage of the attack (based on weapon type)
  • 
  The type of damage (PEN for Penetrating, IMP for Impact)
  • 
  The Damage Modifier for the specific attack. This is how much you hit by 
  (sometimes with other modifiers)
  Step 1: Armor 
  Save (PEN 
  damage only)
  If your target is armored, they get to make an Armor Save. If the Armor 
  Save is successful, Penetrating Damage becomes Impact damage for the 
  purposes of that hit.
  Step 2: 
  Damage Roll
  The Damage Roll is an “effect roll” on either the PEN Damage Table or the 
  IMP Damage table.
  • 
  You add your Damage Modifier to the roll; the more you hit by the more damage 
  you’re likely to do
  • 
  The result of the roll is a number added to your attack’s base damage – a high 
  roll (modified) will add to the weapon’s base damage. A low roll will subtract from 
  the weapon’s base damage
  Step 3: 
  Determine 
  Wound Type
  The damage roll results in an amount of damage points the blow did
  • 
  Armor reduces damage taken.
  • 
  Any damage left is applied to the character and becomes a “Wound.” How bad 
  the Wound is, depends on how much damage was done and how badly hurt the 
  character already is
  Step 4: 
  Determine 
  Wound Result
  The target may have to make a CON roll to determine how badly affected 
  he was by the wound. The affect could be anything from stunning him for a 
  few seconds to knocking him out and ending the fight, or even killing him
  Armor Save (Pg. 174)
  Armor has two ratings: Damage Reduction (DR) and Penetration Resistance (PEN Resist). It is 
  written like this: DR/PEN Resist. So light leather armor is 2/4 (2 DR, 4 PEN Resistance).
  • 
  Damage Reduction is a number that is subtracted from all damage inflicted (after 
  Damage Modification roll). It treats Impact and Penetration damage exactly the same.
  • 
  Penetration Resistance is a number that is used to see how the armor stands up to 
  penetration attacks (like bullets or knives). This number is only used for making Armor 
  Saves. It is not subtracted from damage done.
  When Trevor’s sword blow hits the Baron, before damage is calculated, the armor gets an 
  “Armor Save” to try to convert Penetration damage to Impact damage. If this works, it’ll make the 
  hit a lot less severe. If he fails his armor save, the attack is resolved as Penetrating Attack. If the 
  armor save is successful, the rules for Impact Damage are used (see Damage Type).
  The Baron is wearing 2/4 leather armor. Armor Saves are Value v. Value rolls, where the values 
  compared are the damage the weapon does and the armor’s Penetration Defense (The second 
  value: 4).
  Roll:The Baron’s Armor Save compares the damage (7) to the PEN Defense value 
  (4). The smallest number involved (4) is under 20, so the numbers are just compared 
  “straight.” The formula is 10 + (4 - 7) = 7. The roll for the Armor Save is a 7-. The GM 
  rolls for the Baron and gets a 9. That fails the Armor Save.
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND RESULT
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  Armor Protects in Two Ways
  Armor protects the wearer in two ways:
  • 
  Damage Reduction (DR): Armor has 
  a Damage Reduction rating which is 
  how many damage points it “absorbs” 
  or subtracts from any hit. If the DR 
  is higher than the damage done, the 
  character takes no damage. This number 
  is subtracted from both Penetration and 
  Impact damage.
  • 
  PEN Resistance: When armor is hit with a 
  Penetrating attack, it gets an Armor Save 
  to convert the damage from PEN (usually 
  more severe) to Impact (less severe).
  Page 174
  Key Rule
  Key Rule
  
  93
  Combat Example
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  Damage Type
  JAGS has two Damage Types: Penetration damage 
  (PEN) and Impact damage (IMP).
  • 
  Impact damage is done by blunt objects 
  (fists, clubs, falls, collisions) and things like 
  fire and electricity.
  • 
  Penetration damage is done by sharp 
  objects or attacks likely to cause internal 
  damage (knives, swords, bullets, etc.)
  Each damage type has a different Damage Table that a 
  roll is made on to determine total damage done.
  • 
  PEN damage multipliers are a lot higher 
  than Impact Damage multipliers.
  • 
  A hit by 4+ with a PEN weapon (if the 
  target’s armor fails its armor save) doubles 
  (see PEN Doubling) making the chances 
  of a highly damaging wound much higher.
  Page 169
  Key Rule
  Damage Roll (Pg. 170)
  Trevor’s sword does 6 points of Base Damage plus one for his STR for a total Base Damage of 
  7pts PEN. The actual amount done will be modified by the Damage Roll.
  The Damage Roll is a straight Effect Roll (meaning there’s no target number) on the PEN 
  Damage Table modified by the amount that the Strike hit by (in this case, 4 points).
  PEN Damage Doubling: Penetration attacks that hit by 4 or more and penetrate armor 
  double the amount hit by. Trevor’s blow satisfies both of these criteria: the Baron failed his 
  armor save, and the blow hit by exactly four points. When rolling for damage, Trevor will 
  add 8 points to his damage roll (hit by 4 x 2 = 8).
  Important Note
  !
  Damage Modifier (DM)
  The amount the attack hit by is the Damage Modifier. This is added to a standard JAGS Effect roll and the higher the 
  total the more damage will be done. In some cases unusual defenses (like a mystical aura) will decrease an attacks 
  Damage Modifier (such as a protection against all metal weapons not coated with silver) but this is rare.
  Page 170
  “ Key Term”
  Roll:Trevor rolls a 2. As an effect roll, that’s lousy. Even adding 8, this only comes out 
  to a score of 10 on the Penetration Damage Table. This yields a damage modifier of 
  -2. Trevor’s blow does 7 (Base Damage) – 2 (from the table) = 5 points of damage.
  Penetration Damage Table
  Roll
  0
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39 40+
  Damage
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Sword
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  14
  18
  21
  28
  56
  Note: This table works for most attacks in a modern-day or fantasy game. When dealing with 
  either very low damages or very high damages, some special rules are in play that are discussed  
  in the actual rules.
  Also: The above table is for Penetration damage. There is another table used for Impact 
  Damage.
  Determine Wound Type (Pg. 177)
  Before the Strike inflicts a Wound, it gets reduced by the Baron’s Armor (this happens even 
  though the Baron failed his Armor Save). In this step, the first value for the armor applies: the 
  Baron’s 2/4 (Damage Reduction/Penetration Resistance) Leather Armor reduces damage taken 
  by 2 points. Five (5) points of damage becomes a 3 point wound.
  Table: How bad is a 3 point wound? That depends on who you hit and their Condition. The 
  Baron’s Condition is “Normal” (he’s unhurt so far), so looking at the chart 3 points of damage is a 
  “Sub Minor” wound.
  The Baron’s Damage Table (From his Character Sheet)
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 0 to 4 DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 4 DP
  Minor
  5 to 13 DP
  Major
  14 to 27 DP
  Critical
  28 or more DP
  The GM records 3 points of damage on his sheet – it’s still a bad cut – but in game terms, it won’t 
  have any further effect this round. 
  
  Combat Example
  94
  Determine Wound Effects (Pg. 177)
  Sub-Minor Wounds have no Wound Effects.
  But even if there’s no immediate effect from the Wound, cumulative damage might still change 
  his Condition.
  In this case, though, 3 points isn’t enough to do that. He’s still at “Normal” condition, albeit with a 
  “nasty cut” 
  Damage Calculation Complete
  Trevor’s first action is completely resolved. He’s spent 4 REA this turn, and the Baron spent 3, 
  defending himself ineffectively. The Baron’s cut – badly enough to get his attention, but not badly 
  enough to slow him down.
  Trevor’s 3rd Action: Strike
  It’s still Trevor’s turn, and he still has REA to spend. He decides to take another swing.
  This time the Strike costs the full 5 REA (Expert Swordsmen only get one 4 REA Strike per turn). 
  This brings the total REA that Trevor’s spent to 9 points of his original 13.
  Step 1: The Baron’s Reaction
  The Baron, again, decides to try to block. This costs another 3 REA, and brings the Baron’s total 
  REA spent to 6 (all spent defending himself, so far).
  Again, the Baron has to roll to see if he’s fast enough.
  Roll: The Baron must make an 11- REA roll. He rolls a 10 (which means he is fast 
  enough to try to Block), and the REA is considered spent.
  Step 2: Roll to Hit
  Roll: Trevor must make a 14- Skill Roll (15- Melee Weapons Skill – 1 for the Baron’s 
  AGI of 11). He rolls a 13 hitting by 1; this isn’t a “good” hit.
  Step 3: Roll to Block
  The Baron declared a block for this attack. Now he gets to take it.
  Roll:  The Baron’s block roll starts at 12- (for his Melee Weapons skill)—but to 
  successfully block the strike, he must make it by 2 or more (what Trevor made his 
  roll by). This means to successfully block, he must roll a 10-. He rolls a 10, blocking 
  exactly: the blow is deflected!
  Resolving Trevor’s 3rd Action: Strike Resolved:
  The Baron blocked Trevor’s second Strike; it’s resolved in step 3.
  Trevor’s 4th Action: End Turn
  Trevor’s spent 9 REA from his original 13. He has 4 left – not enough for any more attacks (but 
  it only cost 3 REA to block!). He chooses to End his turn. Note that this is different from the Wait 
  action. Trevor can only spend his remaining REA on defensive actions such as blocks.
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
   ACTION 3: STRIKE
   ACTION 4: END Turn
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: STRIKE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: DRAW WEAPON
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  
  95
  Combat Example
  Round One: The Baron’s Turn
  Trevor has ended his turn, now it’s the Baron’s turn to act. He has already spent six REA so he 
  has five points remaining. Enough for one strike.
  The Baron’s Action: Strike
  The Baron is in range, has his sword drawn, and has selected Trevor as a target. The action type 
  is “Strike” using the sword as a weapon and Melee Weapons skill to hit.
  This will leave him with no REA remaining, but that’s nothing to worry about: when he’s done, it’ll 
  be the end of the Round – and next Round, they’ll all get their REA back to spend again.
  Step 1: Trevor’s Reaction
  Trevor ended his turn with REA remaining. He can use that to block and chooses to do so. 
  There’s no need for him to make an REA roll (the Baron is not 5 Initiative or more above him), so 
  he just declares his intent to block and marks the 3 REA spent.
  Step 2: The Baron’s to-hit roll
  Roll: The Baron needs to roll a 10 or less to hit: His L2 13- Melee Weapons Skill 
  modified by Trevor’s AGI modifier (-3 for a 13 AGI). The Baron rolls a 10, hitting by 
  zero.
  Step 3: Trevor’s Block
  The attack barely hit (“Hit by 0”) but that’s because of Trevor’s AGI. It doesn’t make it easier to 
  block.
  Roll: Trevor needs to roll a 12- to block the strike. That’s because his Level 3, 15- 
  Melee Weapons Skill gives him a block roll of 15-, and the Baron’s strike hit by 3, for 
  purposes of blocking. 15 – 3 = 12-. Trevor rolls a 13. Not good enough to block this 
  strike.
  Step 4: Calculating Damage
  Trevor has been hit with a Penetrating Weapon. We’ll go through the steps to see how it affects 
  him.
  Damage Calculation Step 1: Armor Save
  Trevor wears no armor and gets no armor save.
  Damage Calculation Step 2: Damage Roll
  The attack is a penetrating attack (and, therefore) uses the penetrating table. It didn’t hit by four-
  or-more, so it doesn’t double.
  Roll: The GM (rolling for the Baron) rolls a 7 and adds +0 (the blow hit by 0). Looking 
  up the damage modifier on the table, this is a -3 damage modifier. The Baron’s 
  damage for his broadsword is 8. With a negative 3 damage modifier, it does 8 – 3 = 5 
  points of damage.
  Penetration Damage Table
  Roll
  0
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39 40+
  Damage
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Sword
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  16
  20
  24
  32
  64
    ROUND ONE
   INITIATIVE
   THE BARON’S TURN
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: STRIKE
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: TREVOR’S REACTION
    STEP 3: TREVOR’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  
  Combat Example
  96
  Damage Calculation Step 3: Determine Wound Tyoe
  Trevor wears no armor, so he takes the full 5 points of damage. This is the first blow he’s taken in 
  the fight, so he’s at “Normal” or uninjured condition when the blow hits.
  Table: Looking at Trevor’s damage chart, 5 points of damage at Normal condition causes a Minor 
  Wound.
  Trevor’s Damage Table
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 0 to 3 DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 3 DP
  Minor
  4 to 11 DP
  Major
  12 to 23 DP
  Critical
  24 or more DP
  Damage Calculation Step 4: Determine Wound Effects
  The wound will both force a Damage Effect Roll (because it’s worse than Sub Minor) and may 
  change Trevor’s Condition. On the Wound Effect Table you check the column for what you made 
  your CON roll by with the Wound Type. 
  In this case, Trevor is rolling for a Minor Wound.
  The Wound Effect Table
  Wound
  No Effect
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Unconscious
  Internal 
  Damage
  Dying
  Dead
  Minor
  +3 or more
  +2 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 to -10
  Nil
  Nil
  Major
  +8 or more
  +7 to +5
  +4 to +3
  +2 to -1
  -2 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Critical
  +10 or more
  +9 to +7
  +6 to +5
  +4 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Roll: A minor wound forces a CON roll on the Damage Effects Table. He has a CON of 
  11, and rolls a 10. This makes his roll by 1 point (in the +2 to 0 range). Looking on the 
  table, this indicates a Wound Effect of Stunned.
  Wound
  No Effect
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Unconscious
  Internal 
  Damage
  Dying
  Dead
  Minor
  +3 or more
  +2 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 to -10
  Nil
  Nil
  Major
  +8 or more
  +7 to +5
  +4 to +3
  +2 to -1
  -2 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Critical
  +10 or more
  +9 to +7
  +6 to +5
  +4 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Being Stunned isn’t terrible, but it’s not good either. To recover from being Stunned, Trevor 
  will need to pay 5 REA. Since he only has one left during this Round, he’ll be Stunned at the 
  beginning of next round and have to pay then.
  Table: Trevor’s damage table indicates that 5 points of damage is enough to move him from 
  “Normal” Condition to “Hurt” Condition. Future wounds will affect him more severely now.
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 0 to 3 DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 3 DP
  Minor
  4 to 11 DP
  Major
  12 to 23 DP
  Critical
  24 or more DP
  Hurt: 4 to 12 DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 11 DP
  Major
  12 to 23 DP
  Critical
  24 or more DP
    ROUND ONE
   INITIATIVE
   THE BARON’S TURN
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: STRIKE
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: TREVOR’S REACTION
    STEP 3: TREVOR’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  
  97
  Combat Example
  The Baron’s 2nd Action: End Turn
  The Baron really doesn’t have any choice – he’s spent every point of his 11 REA this Turn, and 
  his Turn is over.
  Round One: COMPLETE!
  Round One is complete. Both characters have taken their Turns. Any unspent REA (Trevor has 1 
  point) is lost. Both fighters are still up, and although slightly injured, no one’s ready to quit yet.
  On to Round 2!
  Round Two: Initiative
  Nothing happened in the previous round that affects either character’s initiative. Trevor is still 
  Stunned, but this doesn’t affect Initiative. Trevor’s player and the GM roll.
  Roll: Trevor has a 13- REA. He rolls a 10, making his Initiative by +3
  Roll: The Baron has an 11- REA. The GM rolls a 10 for him, making his Initiative roll 
  by +1.
  Trevor will go first again. The Initiative Chart looks like this:
  Rnd
  Character 1: Trevor
  Character 2:The Baron
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  2
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Note that Trevor’s condition (“Hurt”) and current wound effect (“Stunned”) are marked since he’s 
  starting this Round still suffering the affects from the Baron’s blow last round.
  Trevor’s Turn
  Trevor won initiative. Even though he’s injured he gets to act first.
  Trevor’s 1st Action: Recover
  Trevor was Stunned at the end of last round. This’ll cost him 5 REA to recover from this round. 
  He pays it, shaking off the pain from the Baron’s bloody cut. He’s still wounded and still at Hurt 
  Condition, but he’s not Stunned anymore and he can act.
  +1
  +6
  +1
  +3
  X
  X
  3
  5
    ROUND ONE
   INITIATIVE
   THE BARON’S TURN
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: STRIKE
   ACTION 2:END TURN
    INITIATIVE
    ROUND TWO
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1:  RECOVER
  Recovery from Wound Effects
  Characters who are Stunned or Dazed are forced to 
  take a Recovery Action before they can otherwise act.
  If they have the REA to pay for the required Recovery 
  Action (5 points for Stunned, 8 points for Dazed) during 
  the Round they’re injured, they pay immediately. 
  Otherwise, they pay next Round (and begin the round 
  suffering the Wound Effect)
  If a character has more than half the REA required, 
  but not the full amount (3 REA for a Stunned effect, 5 
  REA for a Dazed effect), he gets a bit of a break – he 
  pays what he has, and begins the Round unaffected 
  by the injury.
  And what if he has less-than half the required REA? 
  He loses his remaining REA this turn and still has to 
  pay the full REA next Round.
  Page 181
  Key Rule
  
  Combat Example
  98
  Trevor’s 2nd Action: Full Strike
  Trevor decides to execute a full-power blow. This costs the full 5 REA of a normal strike (he can’t 
  get his 4 REA strike with a special move) plus an additional 3 REA for being an all-out swing.
  This will use up the remaining 8 REA Trevor has – he won’t have anything left to block if this 
  attack misses or fails to finish the fight! It’s a fairly risky, somewhat desperate act, but Trevor 
  knows he’s more skilled than the Baron is, and can probably land this devastating blow.
  Step 1: The Baron’s Reaction
  The Baron declares that he wants to block. He doesn’t need to roll since this Round, Trevor isn’t 
  5 REA faster. The Block will cost 3 of the Baron’s 11 REA this round.
  Step 2: Trevor’s Roll to Hit
  Roll: Trevor must make a 14- Skill Roll (15- Melee Weapons Skill – 1 for the Baron’s 
  AGI of 11). He rolls a 6! This hits by 9 for purposes of being hard to block, and by 8 for 
  purposes of damage.
  Step 3: The Baron’s Block
  Roll: The Baron needs to roll a 3- to block. This is because he needs to make his 
  12- block skill roll by 9 points to deflect Trevor’s strike. He rolls a 10, which makes his 
  12- roll, but not by nearly enough. The blow hits.
  Step 4: Calculating Damage
  Trevor normally does 7 points of damage with his sword (6 for the sword, +1 for his 11 Strength). 
  Because he paid extra REA for a Full Strike, he does an additional 2 points of damage, bringing 
  the total Base Damage for this hit to 9 points!
  Damage Calculation Step 1: Armor Save
  The Baron’s leather armor provides 4pts Penetration Defense. This isn’t much protection against 
  a 9-damage point strike.
  Roll: The Baron needs to roll a 5- to successfully Armor Save. That’s 10 – 9 damage + 
  4 PEN defense = 5-. The Baron rolls an 8. Not good enough.
  Damage Calculation Step 2: Damage Roll
  Trevor’s going to roll on the Penetrating Damage Table. His hit by 8 points will double to a 
  damage modifier of +16.
  Penetration Damage Table
  Roll
  0
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39 40+
  Damage
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Sword
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  14
  18
  21
  28
  56
  Full Strike
  1
  1
  2
  3
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  18
  23
  27
  36
  72
  Roll: Trevor rolls a 15. Modified, this goes to 31. On the Penetrating Damage Table, 
  this indicates a x3 damage modifier, or 9 x 3 = 27 points. This is an overwhelming 
  amount of damage; enough to instantly kill an ordinary man. The Baron is tougher 
  than average, and wearing some armor, but this is still devastating.
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: FULL STRIKE
    ROUND TWO
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: RECOVER
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  
  99
  Combat Example
  Damage Calculation Step 3: Determine Wound Type
  Table: The Baron’s leather armor reduces the 27 damage points by 2 points, to 25 points.
  Looking at the Baron’s Damage Chart for “Normal” Condition (the 3 point wound he took last 
  round wasn’t enough to move him to Hurt Condition), 25 points is a Major Wound.
  The Baron’s Damage Table
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 0 to 4 DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 4 DP
  Minor
  5 to 13 DP
  Major
  14 to 27 DP
  Critical
  28 or more DP
  Damage Calculation Step 4: Determine Wound Effect
  A Major Wound forces a CON roll on the Damage Effect Table. He is rolling in the Major Wound 
  row.
  Roll: The GM rolls for the Baron against his 12 CON. The GM rolls a 10, making the 
  roll by 2pts. The Damage Effects Table indicates the result of a Major Wound roll 
  made by 2: Unconscious. The fight is over.
  Wound
  No Effect
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Unconscious
  Internal 
  Damage
  Dying
  Dead
  Minor
  +3 or more
  +2 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 to -10
  Nil
  Nil
  Major
  +8 or more
  +7 to +5
  +4 to +3
  +2 to -1
  -2 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or 
  worse
  Critical
  +10 or more
  +9 to +7
  +6 to +5
  +4 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  When the Baron comes to – if he ever comes to, he’ll be at Injured Condition.
  Round Two Complete & Combat Complete
  When the Baron drops, the fight’s over. The GM stops asking for Initiatives rolls. At this point the 
  GM might rule the Baron bleeds to death, Trevor could certainly administer the coup de grace, 
  or, perhaps there could be some live-saving measures applied by people there.
  The final disposition of unconsciousness, blood-loss, and ultimately death depend on the Tone of 
  the Game. In this case, while the tone is not overly gritty, the GM rules that the Baron, at Injured 
  condition from a Penetrating wound, expires quickly. Trevor’s Player agrees that this feels right.
    INITIATIVE
   ACTION 2: FULL STRIKE
    ROUND TWO
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: RECOVER
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  
  Combat Example
  100
  Example 2: Trevor and the Baron as Gunslingers!
  In this example Trevor and the Baron face off in on the dusty streets of a ghost town. Instead of 
  broadswords, they carry six guns on their hips. “The Baron” is the nickname of a cattle magnate 
  who rules his town with an iron fist and a murderous temper. Trevor still wants to kill him.
  Six Guns
  Revolver
  Damage
  Range
  ROF
  Shots
  Big-Iron 6-gun!
  7 PEN
  -1/5y
  S
  6
  Both the Baron and Trevor are armed with six-shooter pistols.
  The Set Up
  The men are dueling. Both are “ten paces” away from the other making a total of 20 yards 
  between them. When the mission bell down the way chimes, they’ll draw and combat will begin. 
  Trevor’s gun is holstered, the Baron’s is drawn. Neither is wearing armor.
  Trevor’s Skill Firearms Level 3 15-
  The Baron’s Skill Firearms Level 2 13-
  To-Hit Modifiers:
  • The Range Modifier between them is: 20 yards / 5 = -4 to both party’s to-hit roll.
  • There’s no cover or environmental factors that would affect their accuracy.
  Round One: Initiative
  Trevor has an REA of 13 and the Baron has an REA of 11. The Baron, however wishes to use an 
  optional maneuver that allows him to sacrifice accuracy for speed.
  Speed Shooting: Take -1 to all Firearms skill rolls during the Round for +2 Initiative.
  Roll: Trevor has a 13- REA. He rolls a 7, making his Initiative by +6
  Roll: The Baron has a 13- Initiative (11 REA + 2 for Speed Shooting). The GM rolls a 
  10 for him, making his Initiative roll by +3.
  Rnd
  Character 1: Trevor
  Character 2:The Baron
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Trevor will go first again, even with the Baron’s speed shooting.
  Round One: Trevor’s Turn
  Trevor will need to draw his weapon and fire this turn. 
  Trevor’s 1st Action: Fast Draw
  Trevor is an expert gunman (L3 Firearms), and can draw his gun for 0 REA with a successful 
  Firearms Roll.
  Roll: Trevor needs to make his 15- skill roll. He rolls a 4, and makes it easily. The 
  weapon “leaps into his hands” for 0 REA.
  +6
  +3
    INITIATIVE
    ROUND ONE
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: Fast Draw
  
  101
  Combat Example
  Trevor’s 2nd Action: Aim
  There are three “levels” of Aim, each one costing more REA and yielding a better bonus to the 
  next to-hit roll. Trevor chooses to take the longest one – 8 REA for +3 to-hit. This is a long action, 
  and the Baron can react to it with a Medium Action.
  In other words, while Trevor levels his gun at his opponent, the Baron can snap off a shot.
  The Baron’s Reaction: Shoot!
  Long actions allow other characters to react to them with Medium Actions – such as counter 
  attacks. In this case, the Baron pays 5 REA to shoot Trevor.
  Resolving a Shoot Action
  Resolving a Shoot Action is very much like resolving a Strike Action. There are up to 4 steps
  1. 
  Step 1: Trevor’s defensive reaction, if any
  2. 
  Step 2: The Baron’s roll to hit
  3. 
  Step 3: Trevor’s dodge
  4. 
  Step 4: Calculate damage
  Step 1: Trevor’s Reaction (NOTE: There is NO Reaction Step here)
  Trevor cannot choose to dodge or any other reaction: He is already in the middle of a long action 
  (8 REA Aim).   
  Step 1: The Baron’s Roll to Hit
  First we calculate the Baron’s to-hit score. His Firearms skill is a healthy 13- Level 2 (a level for a 
  professional like a police officer or a reasonably experienced gunfighter). However, under these 
  specific circumstances, the Baron’s chance to hit is a fairly poor 7-. Why so low? 
  Conditional Modifiers
  Amount
  Trevor’s AGI Bonus (12 AGI)
  -1
  Range (20 yards with pistols)
  -4
  Speed Shooting
  -1
  Total
  -6
  The Baron’s Modified To-Hit Roll: 13-6 = 7-
  Roll: The Baron rolls a 10, and misses.
  Trevor’s Action: Shoot
  Trevor’s spent 8 REA this round to draw a bead on the Baron. He has 5 points left – enough for a 
  shot (if he didn’t have enough left, he’d get his Aim bonus on his first shot next round).
  Step 1: The Baron’s Reaction
  The Baron can dodge the attack for 5 REA, and chooses to do so. He’s spent 5 (reaction shot) + 
  5 (dodge) = 10 REA this Round.
  Step 1: Trevor’s Roll To Hit
  Trevor has a 17- chance to hit! How’d that happen?
    INITIATIVE
    ACTION 2: Aim (Long)
    ROUND TWO
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: Fast Draw
    ACTION 3: SHOOT
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S BLOCK
    INITIATIVE
    ACTION 2: Aim (Long)
    ROUND TWO
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: Fast Draw
    ACTION 3: SHOOT
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S DODGE
  
  Combat Example
  102
  Modifier
  Amount
  The Baron’s AGI Bonus (11 AGI)
  -0
  Range (20 yards with pistols)
  -4 (Environmental)
  Level 3 Firearms Skill
  Ignores -3pts of environmental modifiers
  Long Aim Action
  +3
  Total
  +2
  His roll to hit is: 15+2 = 17-.
  Roll: Trevor rolls a 6, and hits by an awesome 11.
  Step 1: The Baron’s Dodge
  A Dodge against a ranged attack is at -4. The Baron’s roll to Dodge is an AGI roll. He must make 
  his Dodge Roll by more than Trevor’s To-Hit Roll. The Baron is rolling AGI-4 against a 17- to hit. 
  The odds aren’t good.
  Roll: The Baron rolls his dodge and rolls a 9. His Dodge roll was 7-, he would have 
  needed to roll a zero in order to dodge that shot. The Baron desperately tries to throw 
  himself out of the line of fire. He might as well be moving in slow motion. The Baron is 
  hit.
  Step 4: Calculating Damage
  Now that the Baron has been hit, it’s time to figure out what the effect is.
  Damage Calculation Step 1: Armor Save
  The Baron wears no armor and gets no armor save.
  Damage Calculation Step 2: Damage Roll
  Trevor, having hit by 4 or more (he hit by 11) with a  Penetrating weapon, gets PEN Doubling for 
  a vital shot. His Damage Modifier (DM) is +22!
  Roll: The Player rolls for damage and rolls a 14. This goes to 14+22 = 36. This is a 4x 
  modifier (See the PEN damage chart). 
  Penetration Damage Table
  Roll
  0
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39 40+
  Damage
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  .45 Pistol
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  14
  18
  21
  28
  56
  Damage Calculation Step 3: Determine Wound Type
  The Baron is wearing no armor so there is no Damage Reduction. The Baron is at Normal 
  Condition (no damage taken yet) and has been hit for 28pts. That’s a Critical Wound! 
  The Baron’s Damage Table
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 0 to 4 DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 4 DP
  Minor
  5 to 13 DP
  Major
  14 to 27 DP
  Critical
  28 or more DP
  Damage Calculation Step 4: Determine Wound Effect
  The Baron makes a CON roll and rolls a 12. This is Internal Damage. The Baron is down and 
  bleeding to death.
    INITIATIVE
    ACTION 2: Aim (Long)
    ROUND TWO
   TREVOR’S TURN
   ACTION 1: Fast Draw
    ACTION 3: SHOOT
    STEP 4: CALCULATE DAMAGE
    STEP 2: ROLL TO HIT
    STEP 1: BARON’S REACTION
    STEP 3: BARON’S DODGE
    STEP 1: ARMOR SAVE
    STEP 3: DETERMINE WOUND TYPE
    STEP 4: DETERMINE WOUND EFFECTS
    STEP 2: DAMAGE ROLL
  
  103
  JAGS Combat
  Introduction to Combat
  JAGS Revised has detailed rules for combat between characters. These rules provide a level of 
  complexity that is meant to:
  • 
  Make combat interesting and exciting for the players
  • 
  Play combat a bit like a tactical game (meaning that a skilled player can make 
  decisions that make his character more effective in combat than his stats and skills 
  might indicate)
  • 
  Make a character’s characteristics (skills, stats, traits, etc.) important and strongly 
  affect the way a character performs in combat
  • 
  Related to the above: allow characters to differentiate themselves in combat. A fast, 
  agile fighter and a strong, tough fighter can both be equally effective, while playing very 
  distinctly and having different strengths and weaknesses
  • 
  Simulate combat represented in a variety of movies and books including
  o Gritty, life-is-cheap deadly genres
  o Heroic, action-hero genres
  o A wide range in between
  • 
  Provide lots of variety including
  o Rules for weapons from medieval swords and axes, to modern day fire arms 
  and science fiction ray guns and blasters
  o Rules fighting without weapons – everything from unskilled "barroom brawls" 
  to focused battles between expert martial artists
  o Rules that represent injuries that are likely to kill (guns, knives, etc.) and 
  those that are more likely to render unconscious or disable without killing (a 
  punch to the nose)
  • 
  Provide a lot of optional rules and varying levels of complexity to support games that 
  have distinctive combat in them (e.g. martial arts fighting videogames, cyberpunk 
  stories, etc.) and support faster, less detailed combat for games where fighting isn’t a 
  focus
  Some things we have not tried to do
  • 
  Be extremely realistic (although some of the rules have been chosen to reflect realism 
  as we see it)
  • 
  Represent chaotic, everything-happens-at-once confusing combat the way the 
  characters (especially inexperienced characters) are likely to experience it
  Looking at the list above, it’s clear that JAGS is trying to do a lot with its combat rules. We’ve 
  found that they can be overwhelming to try to take in all at once, but the good news is that you 
  probably don’t have to – there are a few basic concepts to master and after that, most of the 
  rules represent choices you can probably ignore, or optional rules that you don’t need to use 
  unless they’re important to the kind of game you want to run.
  
  JAGS Combat
  104
  The Mechanics of Combat
  So now we’re going to take a look “under the hood” of those examples and look at the rules that 
  created them. This means starting (again) with the basic structure of combat in JAGS Revised 
  and then drilling into the specifics.
  The Combat as a Whole
  Remember that combat is divided into six-second Rounds. During each Round, every acting 
  character gets to take their Turn. During your Turn (and, more complexly, sometimes in response 
  to someone else’s actions) you get to “spend” REA “action points” to take Actions (such as 
  shooting a gun).
  Each Round begins with the Initiative Roll and then moves to every character in Initiative Order. 
  So we’ll start there.
  Initiative Roll
  When combat begins, and before each Round starts the GM will call for an Initiative Roll from 
  each character in combat. This is equal to your REA unless you have some special Traits (e.g. 
  Natural Fighter, or Fat) or abilities (e.g. Cybernetics) that modify it. You make a roll and tell the 
  GM how much you made or missed it by: The more you made your Initiative Roll by, the faster 
  you will go in the coming round.
  Initiative rolls determine the order in which characters take their Turns – the character who 
  makes her initiative roll by the most takes her Turn (and resolves all her actions) first, followed by 
  the character who makes his Initiative roll by the next most, and so on.
  Ties and Tie Breakers
  If you roll the same Initiative as someone else in the fight, the character with the higher Initiative 
  score goes first in the same Initiative. If you have the same Initiative score then you continue 
  rolling until someone comes out ahead.
  Two characters are facing off, one with a 13 REA and one with a 12. Neither has anything 
  special to modify their Initiatives. During Round 1, the first character (13 REA) rolls a 10, 
  while the second character (12 REA) rolls a 9. Both have +3 Initiatives. However the 13 REA 
  character will go first.
  If they’d both had 13 REAs and both rolled 10’s then they would continue to roll (or flip a 
  coin) to determine which was faster.
  Example
  Some Things That Modify Initiative
  Here’s a list of some of the things that can 
  change a character’s Initiative.
  • 
  The Natural Fighter Trait adds 
  +2 to Initiative.
  • 
  Being scared by an Intimidation 
  roll or the Terror Effect can lower 
  your Initiative.
  • 
  Being Fat or Obese lowers your 
  initiative.
  • 
  The Archetype Abilities under 
  Cybernetics (Hardwired 
  Reflexes) increases your 
  Initiative.
  • 
  The Fast Trait from JAGS 
  Fast Company increases your 
  Initiative at some levels.
  • 
  If you have surprised someone 
  you automatically go first (have 
  the highest Initiative in the 
  Round).
  Designer’s Notes
  Does Everyone Know The Initiative 
  Scores for a Round?
  The way we play the PCs usually know 
  each other’s scores because the GM says 
  “What’d you roll?” and every player calls 
  out their score at the beginning of the 
  Round. The GM, however, usually doesn’t 
  call out NPC’s Initiative so it may create 
  some uncertainty. The official answer is 
  that the GM may choose to keep Initiative 
  scores hidden. It might be allowable to 
  have characters make combat Skill or RES 
  rolls to determine what a given target has 
  for Initiative (determining this costs no 
  REA).
  Designer’s Notes
  
  105
  JAGS Combat
  Example: Three characters are involved in a fight. The Round begins and the GM calls 
  for an Initiative roll. The three characters are:  Fred, Sid, and Nancy. 
  None of the characters have any Traits that modify their Initiative Scores so they’re equal to 
  the character’s REAs.
  Fred:  
  REA 13
  Sid: 
  REA 12
  Nancy 
  REA 12
  The GM takes an Initiative-Combat sheet (or just uses scrap paper) and fills in the names:
  Rnd
  Character 1: Fred
  Character 2: Sid
  Character 3: Nancy
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  He then calls for Initiative rolls. Fred rolls a 10, Sid rolls a 10, Nancy rolls a 15.  Fred made 
  his roll by 3. Sid made his roll by 2. Nancy missed her roll by 3. As the players call out their 
  numbers the GM jots them down:
  Rnd
  Character 1: Fred
  Character 2: Sid
  Character 3: Nancy
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  The initiative order for this turn is
  1. 
  Fred (with +3)
  2. 
  Sid (with +2)
  3. 
  Nancy (with -3)
  Thus, Fred will act first, followed by Sid, and finally Nancy. After each character takes their 
  Turn, the Round is over and (assuming no character has exited the fight either by leaving or 
  dying) everyone rolls Initiative again for the coming round:
  This time Fred rolls a 5, Sid rolls an 11, and Nancy’s Initiative roll is an 8.
  Rnd
  Character 1: Fred
  Character 2: Sid
  Character 3: Nancy
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  2
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Again, Fred will go first, followed by Nancy, and then Sid.
  Example
  Being surrounded in a deadly, volatile 
  standoff wasn’t my idea of a good Saturday 
  night—but complaining wasn’t going to help 
  at this point. 
  Doff held his sword at one of Raligs’ thug’s 
  throats. The big man kept shooting looks my 
  way—waiting for a signal. 
  Behind him Ralig’s gorgeous assassin 
  pointed a crossbow—probably loaded with 
  some exotic poison bolt--at Doff’s kidney. 
  In her other hand was the crossbow’s twin, 
  pointed unerringly at me. But she wasn’t 
  strong enough to keep both weapons up 
  indefinitely. I watched the tremors in her 
  arms. 
  I held a sword to Ralig’s gut and his hands 
  were up—but over my shoulder I could hear 
  scraping sounds of his other arms-man as he 
  crouched like a cat—ready to charge me from 
  behind if I moved. 
  In the doorway, with his crossbow pointed 
  at no one in particular was Alestron—the 
  bounty hunter and onetime friend of mine. 
  He had an easy, slack grin as he waved the 
  weapon theatrically. 
  “Ace,” he said, “you always did like 
  pressure.” 
  ◊◊◊
  +3
  +2
  -3
  +3
  +2
  -3
  +8
  +1
  +4
  6
  1
  
  JAGS Combat
  106
  Surprise
  If you are initiating an attack the target is not aware of you don’t need to “Roll Initiative.” You just 
  get to act. Depending on the totality of the surprise the GM may then let the surprised party take 
  their turns following yours—or just have the first batch of attacks land unanswered and then call 
  for an Initiative roll for both parties.
  • 
  Meeting Engagement: If you come across a target or group of targets and you have 
  “the drop on them” (but it’s a close thing) then the GM may declare that your side 
  simply “wins Initiative” but they will get to go following your actions.
  • 
  Ambush: If you are set and ready and you surprise your target, that usually gives you 
  a free, unanswered Round. After your side (the ambushing side) has gone then, if 
  anyone is still fighting, you roll Initiative for the next round normally.
  Other Things That Happen at the Start of the Round
  Rolling Initiative isn’t the only thing that can happen at the start of a Round:
  • 
  Dazed and Unconscious characters make CON rolls to recover.
  • 
  Characters with some “continuing ability” pay REA to keep it going (this is usually some 
  kind of special super power).
  • 
  Characters who are fighting in low visibility conditions make visibility rolls or take 
  negatives to their combat skill rolls.
  Advanced and Optional Initiative Rules
  Having everyone roll for Initiative will get you through most games without any difficulty. 
  However, if some less common situations come up, here are the advanced/expanded rules:
  Rule
  Type
  Description
  Waiting
  Advanced
  If you want to stop acting during your turn and wait to see 
  what someone else does, that’s a 0 REA Action. If you have 
  already taken any offensive action, however, you must 
  spend 2 REA to Wait. There are specific rules as to how 
  and when you can resume taking your turn.
  Shoot-Out
  Optional
  You can trade accuracy for speed if you wish to. The faster 
  you go in a Round, the lower your chance to hit.
  Falling 
  Objects
  Advanced
  Fast moving objects go at Initiative +4. 
  Mounted 
  Movement
  Advanced
  If you are riding a horse or other beast, it may be given an 
  REA roll to determine when it moves. However, if you are in 
  control of it, it’ll move when you get to. 
  Special Init 
  Bonuses
  Advanced
  Some charcters with psychic attacks may get to use mind 
  combat before they can act physically.
  Six Second Rounds
  An entire Round of combat is set at an arbitrary six second length. What exactly happens is not 
  spelled out by the game system and, indeed, it might be ruled that any specific combat Round 
  was more or less than six seconds long. The game tries to focus on the important events. The 
  GM will rule to adjudicate any discrepancies that arise from this decision (such as a character 
  depressing the trigger of an automatic weapon and emptying it over six seconds even though the 
  character is only allowed one “attack”).
  In an event such as this, the GM might allow emptying the gun but rule that there are, simply, 
  no more rolls to hit made (the bullets are expended without damage to specific targets). It is 
  also acceptable to have things like conversation take place out of “game-time” allowing for more 
  dramatic speeches and interaction than six seconds would allow.
  Through the glass window, McLear could see 
  the most loved human being on earth. His 
  eyes were closed, as though he were asleep, 
  reclining in a dental chair. 
  The top of his skull was missing, his brain a 
  grey and red mass shot through with literally 
  hundreds of black computer-chip implants. 
  Many people had one or two devices socketed 
  into their cerebrum—Eddie had … hundreds. 
  Hammerhead could see the spider-like legs 
  of the neurosurgery machine reaching down 
  into the cle� in the hemispheres.
  “He has 27,023 separate personalities and 
  counting,” the man next to McLear said 
  so�ly. “He’s a completely fractured multiple-
  personality-disorder: his periods of lucidity, 
  even with the treatments, are only a few 
  hours a day. We save them for the show: he’s 
  a true believer in its power to make the world 
  a be�er place.”
  McLear couldn’t take his eyes of the man, the 
  beautiful serene face, and the nightmarish 
  mesh of tissue and machine above it. He 
  felt mildly ill. He also knew that what the 
  security man had told him was a nuclear-
  grade secret.
  “How long will he last?” McLear asked, 
  so�ly.
  “Not much longer, we’re afraid,” the man 
  said, notes of sadness in his voice. “He’s 
  strong—a fighter—but …” He shook his 
  head.
  “Can I … talk to him—the real him?” 
  McLear asked.
  “That’s why we brought you,” the man 
  said. “The personality you spoke to is 
  deeply schizophrenic. It believes that groups 
  of invisible assassins with quantum-dot 
  antima�er weapons embedded in their 
  spines are a�er him. He believes there are 
  orbital satellites with things called ‘Null 
  Guns’ that fire one-dimensional cannonballs 
  which cause cancer tracking him. Things 
  like that. We brought you in because we’re 
  aware that Mr. Byline’s personality—his 
  … magnetism … can influence people to 
  do, well, unwise things. He’ll be mortified, 
  of course—but he will speak to you, and in 
  private with no handlers or anyone else and 
  if he wishes to, say, go for a drive with you, 
  no one will stop him.”
  Hammerhead felt like he’d been kicked in the 
  stomach. He felt a growing sense of despair. 
  
  107
  JAGS Combat
  Advanced Rule: Waiting
  Lets say that in the above example, Fred goes first but isn’t sure what he wants to do. He 
  decides that if Sid or Nancy move on him he’ll respond with a devastating flurry of blows—
  but he doesn’t want to be the first aggressor. He, or any character whose turn it is to act, can 
  choose to Wait.
  When you Wait, the rules are as follows:
  • 
  If you have already taken any offensive action this Round, you must pay 2 REA in 
  order to Wait (however Blocks and Moves don’t count as offensive actions). If you 
  have not taken any offensive actions this Round, the REA cost is 0 REA. If you 
  have waited once a turn, and you have enough REA, you may Wait again.
  • 
  You may choose to take your Turn at any time after your Initiative has come up—
  but if another party has already declared an action, that action happens first and 
  then you can begin taking your Turn.
  • 
  If you are waiting and get a Reaction (see below) you may only take one Reaction 
  action. You cannot interrupt someone’s Long Action with your entire turn (but 
  after their action ends you can then take your whole turn). If you take your turn 
  immediately after a Reaction you do not need to pay 2 REA to “continue waiting” 
  until after the Reaction.
  • 
  If the end of the Round comes up and people are waiting the GM can call for “any 
  actions” and if no one is ready to go first, the Round ends.
  The full Waiting example is given in the next section after Actions are explained so it’ll make 
  more sense. Here’s a simple case: Fred goes at +3 Initiative. The GM asks the Player for 
  their action and Fred’s Player says “I wait.”
  Then Sid’s Player is asked and he says: “I strike Fred! Twice!” Fred’s Player says “I will return 
  fire!”
  In this case Sid’s first strike lands first. Then Fred gets to take his entire turn. Then, if Sid still 
  wants to, he can take his second strike. Fred’s Wait action has been invoked during Sid’s 
  Turn. 
  Example
   
  Optional Rule: Shoot-out!
  In, say, a western game you might want to tie Initiative to combat skill. Here are the rules for 
  a “shoot-out” (although they could apply to other forms of combat).
  • 
  For each -1 to-hit that a character takes during a Round they get +2 to their 
  Initiative roll.
  • 
  This can only be used to shoot or attack (this could apply to a knife stab, too). 
  Any other actions will go as though the character’s Initiative Roll had not been 
  enhanced. 
  Thus, a gunfighter with a 16- Expert Level Firearms decides to roll at -4 to hit. His Expert 
  Level skill lets him ignore -3pts of negative modifiers (although he may be at some minuses 
  to hit for range or other environmental factors) and he gets +8 to his Initiative roll.
  The purpose for this rule is to make character skill and Player assessment of risk a more 
  important factor in the game. It can be used to present skilled characters as extremely 
  competent even in the face of opponents who may have a lot of “natural talent.” This, as 
  noted, might be appropriate for a western genre game.
  “That,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse, 
  “won’t … probably won’t … be necessary.” 
  He had a feeling this was exactly what it 
  appeared to be: a catastrophic mistake.
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  108
  Advanced: Falling Objects or Fast Moving Ones
  Moving objects get +1 Initiative per 10 yards/second they are moving up to +4. This means 
  that race cars and the like all go at +4 (NOTE: the JAGS Have-Not rules have more detailed 
  vehicular Initiative rolls). An object which just started falling (on earth) gets a +0 Initiative. So 
  if you were under it and needed a Step move to get out of the way, you’d have to make your 
  Initiative roll by +1 or more.
  Advanced: Mounted Movement
  If you are on a horse, it moves at its Initiative (as a living being it gets to roll) but if you are in 
  control of it (Riding Skill Level 2 or better) you can ensure it moves on your REA so you can 
  take an action as you ride by someone. See the Drive/Ride Action under Movement Actions 
  for more details.
  Advanced: Special Initiative Bonuses
  How quickly an Imperial Psion officer can burn out your mind may not depend on how fast 
  he is “on the draw.” Similarly, how rapidly a future-tech computer hacker can respond to 
  Psychological Trauma Intrusion Defense systems may not depend on how fast he is in a 
  foot race.
  The way to handle that is with bonuses to REA that apply only for certain kinds of actions 
  (Psionic attack, cyberspace computer hacking, etc.). Actions of the given type can be taken 
  at the bonus Initiatives and other actions (physical movement, for example) are taken at the 
  Initiative based on the REA roll. 
  Ending the Round
  A Round of combat is over when everyone has taken their turn and another roll for Initiative is 
  called for. After each Player’s Turn has been called, the GM can, if anyone is Waiting, ask for 
  them to either take their Turn or roll Initiative again. This is one way that opponents can “circle 
  each other” without doing anything (both parties simply Wait and no one acts and a new Round 
  begins). 
  More commonly, each character will have taken all the actions they are allowed (based on their 
  REA) and the next Round will begin.
  Rounds can also end if everyone involved declares an end to combat. If an opponent surrenders 
  combat-time may end when everyone agrees it does.
  
  109
  JAGS Combat
  Taking Your Turn
  When it is your Turn to go (Fred’s turn comes first in the above example), you get to act. You 
  may strike, shoot, run-away, whatever. Note: you can always do things like talk (and although 
  each round is 6 seconds in theory, if the GM wishes to expand the amount of discourse allowed 
  as poetic license, there’s no mechanical problem with that).
  When you take your turn, you spend REA to “buy actions.”
  • 
  In general characters will buy as many actions as they can afford during their Turn 
  – there are some exceptions to this rule
  o Defensive actions and other “short” actions may be taken at any time during 
  a Round – often as a reaction to being attacked by a character with a higher 
  Initiative order
  o Characters can choose to take fewer actions and save REA to take later 
  during the Round (you cannot save REA for subsequent Rounds – see 
  below)
  o Some conditions (such as being wounded) may affect how much REA you 
  get during a round
  • 
  There is no way to “save” REA for the next Round – at the beginning of each Round 
  you get your full REA to buy actions during that Round no matter how few or many 
  actions you took during the last Round
  • 
  Not all actions cost REA; these are called “Free” Actions (e.g. talking)
  What kind of actions can you buy? How much do they cost? Here’s a sample chart of common 
  actions:
  Common Actions Chart
  Here are some common actions a character might take in combat. Following sections will greatly 
  expand it.
  Action
  Action Speed
  REA Cost
  Block (parry) strike with shield or weapon
  Short
  3 REA
  Dodge strike or shot
  Short
  5 REA
  Hit the deck (dive for cover)
  Short
  8 REA
  Attack 
  Medium
  5 REA
  Draw a weapon/Grab something
  Medium
  5 REA
  Grab Someone
  Medium
  5 REA
  Take a step, change facing
  Medium
  5 REA
  Start running/run away
  Long 
  8 REA
  Keep on running if running the past Round
  Long
  5 REA
  Aim Gun
  Varies
  3,5, or 8
  Feint with a HTH Attack
  Varies
  5 or 8
  Defuse a bomb, pick a lock
  Varies
  Varies
  Talking
  None
  0 REA
  Grappling (Wrestling, Ground fighting)
  Varies
  8,5  REA
  Feint
  Medium
  3,5, or 8
  “It’s spiders,” the captive said cheerfully, 
  held in the cage beside Karg. “Worst death 
  imaginable. Absolutely the worst. Poison 
  makes you all swell up and the skin splits 
  then the li�le ones burrow in. Scream for 
  hours!”
  Karg raised his fist and the man stopped. 
  “It’s true—it is,” the man finished. 
  “How come you let them take you?” Karg 
  asked. 
  “Too cowardly to kill m’self,” the prisoner 
  replied as though he were proud of the fact. 
  Karg frowned. 
  The keep ahead had several towers—it was 
  quite beautiful. The wall around it was high 
  and strong . . . the doors were thick. On the 
  raised drawbridge was the unmistakable 
  symbol of the spider. 
  As the bridge lowered and they rode in to the 
  courtyard he saw pale children in expensive 
  looking clothing gathered at the balconies 
  watching silent—but excited as they were 
  drawn in. The man in the other cage giggled. 
  The commander’s pavilion was set down 
  and the door opened. The commander was 
  obese. He waddled to the cage and inspected 
  them. Karg glared at him. The other prisoner 
  recoiled. 
  “This one,” he said, pointing at Karg, “he 
  is a warrior?” The armored guard nodded. 
  “Then he will fight in the pit tonight at the 
  banquet. What is his weapon?” 
  One of the armored men held out Karg’s 
  massive, brutal axe. The fat man nodded. 
  “He will have it—but warrior,” the man 
  said smiling back, “you die for our sport. 
  Your legs will be chained and your arms will 
  be weighted. The spiders will be slow with 
  you—but it shall be a spectacle to watch.” 
  Karg looked back at the commander as he 
  turned to address the cluster of children in 
  the balcony telling them to prepare for the 
  night’s coming entertainment. 
  Karg felt himself smile. That was your first 
  mistake, Karg thought. Giving me my axe 
  back. That was your first mistake. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  110
  A character with a 13 REA score gets to go on his Turn and is facing two opponents. He has 
  spent no REA this turn. He could do the following:
  • 
  Strike Twice and Block Once (Strike(5) + Strike(5) + Block(3))
  • 
  Step-up to one target, strike him, and then have a block left (Step(5) + Strike (5) + 
  Block (3))
  • 
  Fight completely defensively: Block four times (Block(3) + Block(3) + Block(3) + 
  Block(3) )
  • 
  Fight mostly defensively: Strike once and block twice (Strike (5) + Block(3) + Block 
  (3))
  • 
  Run away (Run(8))
  And so on. Some of these moves leave REA “left over.” You cannot “save it up” from one turn 
  to another but there are some optional and advanced rules you can call on to burn that extra 
  REA—don’t worry!
  Example
  Action! (Action Rules)
  Actions are things a character does in a Round. Actions are things like attacks, blocks, moves, 
  as well as more general things like talking or opening doors. How Actions are described and 
  tracked is explained here. Actions have the following attributes:
  • 
  REA Cost: how many of your REA points you pay to take the Action.
  • 
  Action Speed: Action Speed determines “how long” the Action takes. This tells you 
  when during the Round you can take it and whether or not anyone can respond to it.
  • 
  Response: Some Actions are taken as a response to other actions (such as blocking 
  an incoming attack). If an Action is a “response” then that’ll be noted.
  REA Cost
  Each action costs REA. If you have spent all your REA for the Round you can’t do anything else 
  until the next Round. The costs tend to be 3 (Short), 5 (Medium) and 8 (Long) but there can 
  be modifications. For example, a standard “Strike” costs 5 REA—but a Kick (which is a kind of 
  strike) costs 6 REA. Most people punch or stab faster than they Kick (unless they have special 
  martial arts training).
  Action Speed
  Actions come in three speeds: Short, Medium, and Long. 
  • 
  A Short Action is a quick move that is usually defensive in nature (or something fairly 
  neutral like talking). Medium Actions may be declared at any time during a Turn. You 
  do not need to wait for your Initiative to come up to take a Medium Action.
  • 
  A Medium Action is usually something that takes a second or more to do. Strikes, short 
  moves, and actions like opening a door are Medium Actions.
  • 
  A Long Action is something that probably takes most of the Round. Longer moves, 
  flying tackles, and the like are Long Actions.
  A faster action can be declared in response to a longer one—so if someone declares a Medium 
  action, you can choose a Short action (Reaction) to interrupt their turn. You can do this even if it 
  is not yet your initiative to act!
  Action 
  Speed
  Example Action
  Meaning
  Short
  Defensive Action (block, 
  dodge)
  Short Actions can be declared out of Turn order. 
  Often Short Actions are declared in response to 
  another action (such as an attack).
  Medium
  Attack, short move, open 
  a door
  Medium Actions can only be taken on your Turn 
  (unless in Response to a Long Action). 
  Long
  Longer move, wrestling, 
  defusing a bomb
  Long Actions can only be taken on your Turn.
  
  111
  JAGS Combat
  A character who is attacked with a strike (a Medium Action) can respond with a Block (a 
  Short Action). A character who is charged at with a Move Action (Long) can respond, hitting 
  the character on the way in, with a Strike (Medium) Action.
  Example
  Reaction (a.k.a. Response) Moves
  As we noted, if someone declares a Medium Action you can take a faster one—a Short 
  Action—in response. Can you do that any time? What happens if, say, someone on, like, another 
  continent declares a Medium action (hey, there’s always a fight happening somewhere)—can 
  you react to that?
  The answer is that you can only react to things that directly affect you and that you are aware of. 
  The GM will ultimately adjudicate gray areas but it’s usually pretty clear. If someone attacks you, 
  you can get a block against them. Usually if someone else is attacked you don’t get a response. 
  Similarly, if someone charges you (a Long Action) then you can hit them on the way in (a Medium 
  Action). But if the same guy charges another group across the field that’s their problem and you 
  don’t get to interrupt it.
  NOTE: Even if you are allowed a Reaction Move, you must still have the REA to take it. If you 
  have spent all your REA for a given Round, even if someone does something you are allowed to 
  respond to, you can’t act.
  NOTE: When someone is engaged in a Long Action a Reaction may (usually, unless the rules 
  say otherwise) be taken at any point along it. So if someone starts making a run for it, you may 
  choose to hit them as they start moving, anywhere along their path, or where they stop.
  Too Fast To React To
  If someone has 5 or better Initiative than you do, you cannot React to a Long Move on their part. 
  You must make an REA roll to react to a Medium Move on their part.
  Jack Quick, “the fastest draw in the west” has gotten into a bar-brawl with two characters 
  and both pull bowie knives on him. He wants to take a Long Action move and retreat to gun 
  fighting range! (Note: He could shoot them point-blank—but he’s very quick and wants to 
  leverage that speed to move to safety. They can’t hit him at range.). It is a new Round and 
  everyone rolls Initiative (REA rolls plus any modifiers).
  Jack gets a +7. Thug 1 gets a +3, Thug 2 gets a -1
  Rnd
  Character 1: Jack
  Character 2: Thug 1
  Character 3: Thug 2
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Jack’s Action is an 8 REA Long Move action. This, being Long, allows both Thugs (who are 
  at knife-fighting range and engaged with Jack already) to respond and declare Medium Strike 
  Actions to stab him as he tries to retreat.
  But, he’s quick! He beat Thug 2’s Initiative by a full 8pts (his +7 and Thug 2’s -1). That’s 
  five or better. This means that Thug 2 is too slow to get a Reaction to Jack’s move this turn. 
  Unfortunately, Thug 1, who made his roll by 3, is fast enough to take his Reaction and will get 
  a chance to stab Jack as he moves back.
  Example
  +7
  +3
  -1
  
  JAGS Combat
  112
  Advanced Reaction Rules
  Here are three advanced Reaction rules you might want to use in a game where tactical 
  situations are very important.
  Rule
  Description
  Guardian
  If you are acting as a body-guard you can respond to actions that 
  effect your charge.
  Covering
  If you have a targeted a person or area you can React to their 
  attack with one of your own.
  Blind Response
  In some conditons you can respond to actions you can’t see 
  (such as using indirect fire to hit a retreating foe).
  Advanced: Guardian Actions
  If you are acting as a body-guard to someone then the GM can declare that an action 
  against them counts as an action against you (so if they are attacked, you can block … 
  or body block). In order to be counted as a body-guard you cannot be engaged with other 
  attackers. You must be waiting (or have declared your body-guard status) and will only take 
  aggressive actions against people attacking you or your subject.
  Advanced: Covering Someone
  If at the start of your Turn you declare you are “Covering” an area or person then you can 
  Respond to a Medium action they take (or that someone in the area takes) with your own 
  Medium Action. This violates the rule that you must respond with a faster action.
  • 
  Covering something (like a person or a doorway or a sixty-degree arc—you 
  cannot “cover” an entire field fire) requires a 5 REA “Covering” Action. It doesn’t 
  do anything—but it sets you up to take more actions quicker.
  • 
  If you are Covering a person and they declare an action then your Medium action 
  “interrupts” theirs and goes first.
  • 
  Once you “cover” something, moving or shooting (including taking the Covering 
  Shot) will end the Covering situation (so if you wish to be able to do it again, take 
  another Covering action).
  Advanced: Blind Response--responding to an Action You 
  Cannot See
  Imagine that you have a grenade launcher and you think someone is taking a Long Action 
  Move behind a wall. You want to Respond to it and fire a grenade over there before they 
  can get to cover. How does that work? 
  • 
  The GM adjudicates that, yes, it is legitimate to respond to having a target run 
  away if you were more or less engaged with them. If you’d already fired on them 
  previously then it’s likely that you would be considered “engaged” with them. If 
  you are aware of them then that’s likely too. However, if you are just probing the 
  area with fire then the GM would likely rule that you must fire on your Turn. The 
  GM can call for a successful Strategy Skill roll (possibly at negatives if you have 
  little information about the target).
  • 
  The GM may rule that during the Round you act at your normal Initiative: you 
  cannot see if they are moving or not so you don’t get to “act out of Initiative.” If 
  you were within 5 of their Initiative your shot is treated, retroactive to their move 
  as though you’d interrupted and fired.
  • 
  The GM may simply let you respond to the action, resolve the fire, and then 
  determine (secretly) if anyone was hit.
  
  113
  JAGS Combat
  Resolving Actions
  So now it’s your Turn (or maybe someone else’s Turn and you are Reacting to them!). How do 
  we resolve each of those actions you might want to take? Well, it’s on an action-by-action basis. 
  So let’s take a look.
  Ending Your Turn
  When you have spent all your REA your Turn is over. However, you can choose to end it earlier 
  and save some REA for Defensive Actions. When you declare you are Ending Your Turn you 
  cannot take any more Attack actions until your next Turn unless you declare you are waiting 
  which cost 2 REA if you have taken any Attack Actions so far this turn.
   A warrior has 14 REA. He strikes one foe (5 REA) and thinks another, who is outside 
  range, may attack when he gets to go. So he has a choice: he can End His Turn with 9 REA 
  remaining (14 – 5 = 9) which is enough for 3 Blocks … or he can choose to Wait for 2 REA 
  (since he took an Attack already this Round).
  He decides to Wait and spends 2 REA. The Round continues and the warrior, with 7 REA, 
  waits. If the opponent decides to move up to him (to strike), the waiting warrior can interrupt 
  the guy’s Turn (after the move is declared) and take another Strike for 5 REA.
  Example
  Attack
  The attack is a common action during combat. The basic attack action is resolved as follows:
  Step 1:
  Pick a specific attack action from the list below and a target.
  a. 
  Determine all modifiers to hit. Is the target within Reach for a hand-to-hand 
  attack or within range for a ranged attack? Is there low visiblity? High winds?
  Step 2:
  If the target can Block or Dodge, they may choose a Reaction Move to do so. If 
  they wish to take a defensive action they must declare that intent and spend the 
  REA before you roll to hit.
  a.
  The target must be “fast enough” to do so: if their Initiative for the Round is 
  more than 5pts less than the attackers, they must make an REA roll to attempt a 
  defensive action.
  b.
  The defender must have enough REA (3pts for a Block, 5 for a Dodge, usually) 
  to spend.
  Step 3:
  Roll to hit using either an appropriate Skill or a Stat. Take into account any 
  modifiers to the to-hit roll.
  a.
  If the roll misses, the REA is spent and the action is over.
  Step 4:
  If a Block or Dodge (or other defense) was declared, the defender rolls to see if 
  it worked.
  a.
  If the defense roll is made by equal or more than the attack roll was made by, 
  REA for both moves is spent and the attack “misses.” If the defense roll is not 
  made by enough, the defense fails and the attack hits.
  Step 5: 
  If you hit, resolve Damage.
  
  JAGS Combat
  114
  Dargath, a man-at-arms is defending a caravan attacked by goblins. He has a sword and 
  uses it with Level 2 (Professional) skill on a 14-.  It is his Turn to go.
  1. 
  He declares a Sword Strike against a goblin who has spent all his REA for the turn 
  climbing over a ridge.
  a. 
  The goblin has an 11 AGI, giving him a -1 to hit. He will hit on a 13-.
  2. 
  The goblin had 10 REA and spent 8 of it climbing over the ridge. He has 2 REA left: 
  that is not enough to block so the goblin gets no block attempt.
  3. 
  Dargath’s player rolls to hit and rolls a 10. This hits by 3 (the necessary roll to hit 
  was a 13-).
  4. 
  There is no roll to block since no block was attempted.
  5. 
  Play moves to the damage resolution to see if the attack got through the armor and 
  hurt or killed the goblin!
  Example
  Expanded List of A�ack Actions
  Let’s look at various Attack Actions (Each is described in more detail in its own section).
  Action
  REA
  Speed
  Notes
  Autofire
  10
  Medium
  Using a weapon on fully automatic costs 10 
  REA.
  Continuing 
  Beam
  10
  Long
  A weapon that fires a continuous beam can be 
  used to “sweep” multiple targets.
  Controlled 
  Burst
  5
  Medium
  A short burst of gunfire that gives the attacker a 
  better chance to hit.
  Cross
  5
  Medium
  Once per turn you may throw a Cross—a heavy 
  punch (see Cross Action)
  Double Tap
  5
  Medium
  Two shots at the same target. The gun cannot 
  be fired again that turn.
  Full Strike
  Wpn+3
  Medium
  A full swing with a weapon costs more REA but 
  does +2 Damage.
  Grab
  5
  Medium
  A grappling move: getting a hand on someone.
  Grapple
  8
  Long
  Tackling someone or bear hugging them.
  Kick
  6
  Medium
  Kicks are slower and hit at -1.
  Martial Arts 
  Move, head 
  butt, bite, etc.
  Varies
  Varies
  There are some special martial arts moves that 
  may cost more or less REA and be of different 
  speeds. These are covered in the Special 
  Moves section.
  Overrun
  8
  Long
  This means running into someone or over them.
  Punch
  5
  Medium
  A basic unarmed blow
  Shoot Gun or 
  Bow
  5
  Medium
  Take a shot.
  Choosing a Target
  This is pretty self-explanatory but there are a few things that you need to consider. 
  • 
  Range and Reach. In JAGS Revised there are three “hand to hand” distances wherein 
  weapons of various length can be used to strike. Further away than that you need a 
  ranged or thrown weapon.
  • 
  Some targets may be harder to hit or see than others (Range, Cover and Visibility). 
  Your target must be “within range” (usually no more than a -6 to-hit modifier).
  
  115
  JAGS Combat
  • 
  A Target, with an explosive weapon, may simply be a spot on the ground. See the 
  section on explosives and indirect fire.
  • 
  Your target will get a chance to React to being chosen.
  Rolling To Hit
  The to-hit roll is most often based on your Combat Skill (a Martial Art, Firearms, Melee 
  Weapons). However, if you do not have a weapon skill, you can use your AGI for hand-to-hand 
  attacks or COR for ranged attack. 
  Unskilled Attacks
  1. 
  With a hand-to-hand. Negative modifiers are not doubled.
  2. 
  With an unskilled ranged attack, if the character does not take a 5 REA Medium Aim 
  action all negative modifiers will be doubled.
  Negative Modifiers to the To-Hit Roll
  Not all targets are equally easy to hit. Targets may be behind cover, a long way away, obscured 
  by smoke, highly mobile, etc. Listed below are the common modifiers that apply to most to-hit 
  rolls. When a target is selected, all the relevant modifiers will be added up and applied to your 
  roll to hit.
  The two most important modifiers to the game are AGI Bonus, the natural defense high 
  AGI characters get (-1 per point of AGI above 10 in hand to hand, half that rounded down 
  vs. ranged attacks) and the Skill Bonus which lets Level 3 and Level 4 characters ignore 
  -3 or -6 points of negative modifier from everything except AGI Bonus (i.e. high winds, 
  range, visibility) for ranged attacks. If you just play with these two modifiers you’ll be fine 
  most of the time. 
  Important Note
  !
  Modifier
  Type
  Notes
  AGI Bonus
  Rng and HTH
  Targets that are aware and agile get a -1 to be hit for each pt. of AGI above 10 in HTH 
  combat and -1 for each full 2pts of AGI above 10 vs. Ranged attacks.
  Stationary Target
  Rng and HTH
  Stationary, passive, unaware targets are at +5 to be hit.
  Range Modifier
  Rng
  Targets at range are at negatives to be hit based on weapon type.
  Reach
  HTH
  Hand to hand weapons have a Reach listed as to how far they can strike.
  Speed Modifier
  Rng and HTH
  Faster targets are harder to hit than slower ones.
  Size Modifier
  Rng and HTH
  Bigger targets are easier to hit than smaller ones.
  Visibility Modifier
  Rng and HTH
  If you can’t see well you take negatives to hit targets.
  Prone
  Rng and HTH
  Targets on the ground are both harder to hit (at range) and have a harder time hitting targets 
  in HTH combat (but not at range).
  Hit From Behind
  Rng and HTH
  if you are struck from behind or flanked you are easier to hit. Striking to the rear is hard too.
  Off hand penalty
  Rng and HTH
  If you are using your off hand, you take negatives to hit targets.
  Blast Radius
  Ranged
  Explosive weapons get a plus to hit.
  Cover
  Ranged
  Targets behind cover are harder to hit.
  Exotic Conditions
  Rng and HTH
  Fighting in space or underwater will give some modifiers.
  High Skill
  Rng and HTH
  If a character has a Level 3 or Level 4 Skill they ignore -3 or -6 points of modifier.
  High Winds
  Ranged
  High winds can make a shot harder to hit with.
  AGI Bonus
  If you are striking in Hand-To-Hand combat you hit at -1 per point of AGI the target has above 10. 
  If the target’s AGI is below 10, that’s +1 per point! They’re easier to hit. A non-moving target is at 
  +5 to be struck.
  
  JAGS Combat
  116
  You are trying to strike a super-fast Ninja with a 15 Agility! You have a 14- Melee Weapon 
  skill (you have a Katana). The Ninja’s AGI reduces your roll to hit from a 14- down to a 9-!
  Example
  Stationary Target
  A completely non-moving target is at +5 to be hit. This applies to unconscious or kneeling 
  characters but not to conscious ones who are just “standing around” unless struck from surprise 
  and not aware they are even in a battle.
  Range Modifier
  Weapons have a Range (RNG) listing that’s something like -1/X yards. This is the negative 
  modifier the weapon gives you at longer ranges. 
  A hand gun has a -1/5y Range modifier. A character using one is trying to hit a target at 5 
  yards distance and has a 13- Firearms skill. The negative modifier is -1 (due to range) and 
  the roll is reduced to a 12-.
  Example
  Reach (Hand to Hand Attacks)
  A longer reach confers a substantial advantage: you can hit someone before they can hit you 
  (and they may have to maneuver in order to land a blow!). There are four categories of Reach in 
  JAGS Revised:
  Reach
  Approx.
  Distance
  Attack Types
  Notes
  Close
  1 yard or less
  Grappling, head 
  butting, biting.
  Close fighting happens after a Grab, 
  Grapple, or getting very close.
  Short
  1 to 2 yards
  Unarmed strikes 
  (punches and kicks), 
  knives.
  Kicks from Expert Level martial 
  artists hit at Medium Range
  Medium
  3 to 4 yards
  Swords, axes, etc.
  Most “standard” melee weapons 
  give a Medium Reach range.
  Long
  5 to 6 yards
  Staves, pole arms, 
  great swords, spears.
  Big, long weapons give longer 
  reaches.
  When combat begins, unless other conditions are explicitly specified, the distance between 
  characters is the sum of their Reaches.
  Jay-Nine eased the small orbital transport 
  out of the guidance window. He exhaled 
  when the alarms failed to sound. 
  “It worked,” he said, “we’re free flying now. 
  We can dock anywhere on the orbital we 
  want—not that it’ll do us any good.” 
  “Just get us to the heat fins,” the woman 
  said. “There’s a dorsal data-line I need access 
  to. As for ge�ing in, he’ll take care of that.” 
  “Yeah,” Jay-Nine said. “I’ve been meaning 
  to ask about tall dark and dumb back there. 
  Where the hell’d you find him?” 
  “Him?” she asked, “I bought him. Call him 
  Romeo.” 
  Jay-Nine arced the cra� and the light-
  studded steel-grillwork constellation of the 
  heat ducts rose above the curve of the orbital. 
  “How we gonna mate with the data line?” 
  he asked. 
  “Oh that,” she said, slo�ing a clip of gyro-
  jet ammunition into a plastic rifle, “the hull 
  here’s low impact ceramic—doesn’t interfere 
  with the magnetics. Brace for impact, we’re 
  gonna ram it.” 
  ◊◊◊
  
  117
  JAGS Combat
  Two swordsmen are facing off. Both swords are “standard broadswords” and confer Medium 
  Reach. The opponents may be said to be circling at about six yards range.
  Example
  What Reach Means
  When two characters with the same Reach square off, there’s no real impact: both can hit each 
  other “normally.” However, when a character with a longer Reach squares off against a character 
  with a shorter one, this is how it works:
  • 
  The character with the shorter Reach will not be able to roll to hit the character with the 
  longer Reach until they move into range. This means:
  o They must make an 8 REA Long Move Action (which will give the character 
  they are moving in on a Reaction to hit them and they won’t be able to 
  Block). Or--
  o They must make one 5 REA Medium Step Action per difference in Reach to 
  move into range.
  • 
  If a character is two Reach levels inside the Reach of a longer weapon then the longer 
  weapon begins to suffer disadvantages.
  A character with a sword is facing a character with a knife. Both are at “hand to hand combat 
  range” (i.e. they are not across the room from each other). The characters are at Medium 
  Range.
  This means that, in the first Round, the knife wielding character cannot strike the sword 
  wielding character without taking a Step move (5 REA).
  Example
  Being Inside Someone’s Reach
  If you are two levels “inside” your opponent’s Reach they get -2 to all weapon rolls for each 
  additional level you are inside.
  In the example above, the knife using character decides to tackle the guy with the sword. 
  This is risky: a tackle is a Long action and gives the sword user a free reaction strike—but he 
  does it and pulls it off. He gets a grab on the guy with the sword!
  Now, because the fighters have grabbed each other, they are at Close range. This is two 
  “inside” the sword’s Medium Reach. The sword fighter takes a -2 penalty on all rolls! If it was 
  a great sword (two handed) the negative modifier would be -4!
  Example
  Speed Modifier
  Faster targets are harder to hit. The chart below gives moving targets a negative to be hit based 
  on their speed.
  Speed
  To-Hit Modifier
  0 – 7 y/s
  -0
  8 – 12 y/s
  -1
  13 -20 y/s
  -2
  21 – 36 y/s
  -3
  37 – 68 y/s
  -4
  69 – 132 y/s
  -5
  133 – 260 y/s
  -6
  
  JAGS Combat
  118
  NOTE: To compute from miles per hour to yards per second take mph and multiply by two as a 
  reasonably good estimate. This means that most common things people will shoot at in the game 
  are from -0 to -3 to hit. The GM can make a sort of judgment call as to whether they are going 
  slow (-0), kinda fast (-1 or -2) or really fast(-3).
  Size Modifier
  Big things are easier to hit than small things (in general). Here is the table of Size Modifiers.
  To-Hit Modifier
  The notation -4R/-3H means a target of that size is at -4 to be hit with Ranged Attacks and -3 
  to be hit with Hand to Hand attacks.
  STR, BLD, CON, DP, DMG
  These are the STATS that a humanoid of that size would have. To play characters of that size 
  (humanoid or otherwise) see the rules in the Archetypes book.
  Size
  Weight
  Example
  STR
  BLD
  CON
  DP
  Dmg
  To-Hit
  Very Small
  0-5 lbs 
  Hamster, small dog
  1
  1
  10
  2
  -3
  -4R/-3H
  Small
  6 – 30 lbs
  Mid to large dog
  2
  1-2
  10
  4
  -3
  -3R/-2H
  Med Small
  31-90 lbs
  Child, very small adult
  8
  3-6
  10
  6
  -3
  -1R/-0H
  Medium
  91 – 255
  Human
  10
  7-17
  10
  10
  +0
  +0R/+0h
  Med Big
  256-350
  Large human
  13
  18-23
  11
  23
  +0
  +1R/+0H
  Big
  351-500
  Lion
  15
  24-33
  12
  27
  10
  +1R/+1H
  Large
  501-1000
  Massive Tiger
  22
  28-67
  12
  66
  23
  +2R/+2H
  Huge
  1001-1500
  Horse
  29
  68-100
  13
  100
  37
  +3R/+2H
  Enormous
  1501-2500
  Walrus
  42
  101-166
  13
  166
  63
  +3R/+3H
  Gigantic
  2501-3500
  Rhino
  55
  167-233
  14
  233
  90
  +4R/+3H
  Elephantine
  3501-7500
  Elephant
  109
  234-500
  14
  500
  197
  +4R/+4H
  NOTE: Another way to gauge pluses to hit is that every double human size one level higher on 
  the chart and each half human size is one less (so a human head comes in at approximately 2 
  down from Medium or Small (-3R/-2H).
  Advanced: Size and Speed
  Small things are hard to hit if you must shoot at them or if they are moving fast. However 
  ants, while very small, are not impossible to stomp. If a small being cannot move faster than 
  4y/s it gets no negative modifier against hand to hand attacks.
  Visibility Modifier
  In conditions where you cannot see (or see your target) well you must make Perception rolls 
  to fight effectively. At the beginning of a Round you make a Perception roll at -1 per “visibility 
  modifier.” If you make it, you fight that round at no negative. If you miss it, you get a -1 to every 
  to-hit or defense roll you make that turn per point of visibility modifier.
  Condition
  Modifier
  Light Smoke or Fog
  -1 to -3 
  Heavy Smoke or Fog
  -3 to -6
  Dusk, Twilight
  -2
  Dark shadows
  -4
  Complete Blackness
  -6
  Invisible opponent (but you have an idea where he is)
  -6 
  Blind
  -6
  
  119
  JAGS Combat
  Surrounded by gangsters, Treasury agent Sam “Eagle Eyes” Darkly turns off the light 
  plunging the room into almost total darkness. Sam has an 18- perception roll with Keen 
  Senses and a high Reason. The gangsters have a 10 or 11. Each turn that Sam makes his 
  roll at –5, he is at no negative to hit in HTH combat. If the gangsters—or Sam—blow heir -5 
  roll (unlikely for Sam, almost always for the gangsters) they will be at -5 to all combat rolls. 
  “Now you know why they named me Darkly,” Sam says to the last conscious gangster before 
  putting his lights out. 
  Example
  Fighting On The Ground (Ground Fighting, being Prone)
  If you are down on the ground or kneeling you will get the listed modifiers.  Characters with 
  Ground Fighting ability will not suffer the negatives marked with a GF. You get Ground Fighting 
  ability by having the following martial arts:
  • 
  Jujitsu Level 2
  • 
  Wrestling Level 1
  • 
  Street Fighting Level 2
  • 
  Acrobatics Level 2
  Prone Modifiers
  Low Profile
  You are at -2 to be hit by ranged fire unless the attacker is 
  within 4 yards of you.
  Small Surface 
  Area
  You suffer a -4 Damage Modifier from explosives that also go 
  off on the ground (it’s no help against an airburst).
  No AGI Bonus
  GF
  You get No AGI Bonus.
  No Dodge
  GF
  You can’t Dodge. If you have Ground Fighting, Dodges are at 
  -2 when on the ground.
  Worse Blocks
  GF
  You suffer a -2 to Block rolls. If you have Ground Fighting you 
  take no negative to Blocks.
  Hard to Hit 
  Standing Targets
  GF
  You suffer a -2 to hit Standing targets with HTH strikes (note: 
  there may be no assigned negative for swinging at a leg or 
  grabbing one). If you have Ground Fighting you are at no 
  negative to hit standing targets.
  Being Hit From Behind
  A character who is attacked from behind gets no AGI Bonus and is at -2 to Block or Dodge rolls 
  (a “Flank” where the character is aware of the attack but being attacked from two directions 
  might only get the -2 to Block/Dodge). Attacking someone who is behind you is at -4 to hit.
  Off-Hand Penalty
  A character using his “off hand” (i.e. left when they are right handed) may take a -2 penalty 
  to to-hit rolls using that hand. NOTE: This is not appropriate for all fiction. Heroic fiction may 
  involve lots of flashy off-hand fighting and whether this (or other) modifiers are invoked are at the 
  discretion of the participants and the final adjudication of the GM.
  High Winds
  High Winds or other atmospheric conditions can give a -1 to -10 to-hit with common ranged 
  weapons.
  Blast Radius
  If you are using a weapon that has an explosive radius (or otherwise hits a large area) then 
  it’s hard to miss with. Usually an attack that misses by 1 or 2 will “still hit” for half damage. The 
  minimum Damage Modifier (explained in the Damage chapter) is +4.
  
  JAGS Combat
  120
  Advanced: Grenade Bounce
  With explosive attacks, like a hand grenade, you may need to know how much you missed 
  by with an attack to see if the target was in the kill zone. There are several ways that one 
  could calculate how far an explosive landed from its target. Here is a simple method: Take 
  the amount missed by and use that as a rough calculation to determine how far away the 
  attack landed.
  The table gives some estimated distances based on the type of attack (battleship guns that 
  “miss by a little” may hit further than a lobbed grenade that “misses by a little.”).
  Missed 
  By
  Distance
  Thrown 
  Weapon
  Indirect Fire
  1 – 3
  Close
  2 yards
  4 yards
  4 – 6
  Medium
  4 yards
  16 yards
  7 – 9
  Far
  8 yards
  48 yards
  10+
  Distant
  16 yards
  192 yards
  Cover
  Hiding behind something gives you defensive modifiers. They give a negative to be hit that may 
  be used instead of your AGI Bonus.
  Level of Cover
  Cover Bonus
  Light Cover (hiding behind a lamp post)
  -1
  Moderate Cover (hiding behind a low log)
  -2
  Heavy Cover (partially concealed behind a wall)
  -3
  Full Cover (protected firing position)
  -4
  Advanced: Shooting Through Cover
  If a shot misses the target because of the Cover Bonus the GM may treat the Cover 
  as armor. In the inanimate objects section (at the end of Combat) there is some data 
  concerning walls being treated as armor.
  Fighting Underwater (or in Space)
  If you are fighting out of your element the GM will assess modifiers based on how unusual the 
  circumstances are for you and how suited you are for those. Here are some common situations:
  Underwater
  • 
  Movement Rates are 1⁄4.
  • 
  The character suffers -3 To Hit and -4 Damage Mods to all Strikes.
  • 
  Initiative rolls are at -2.
  • 
  The character will be suffocating (see the Tools section).
  Fighting in Space
  • 
  Movement requires an AGI or Acrobatics roll at -4 to get right. If it is missed by 5 
  or more, the character will be spinning out of control (no AGI Bonus, -4 to all rolls 
  to target anything, and the character may simply drift away). Special training can 
  remove the negative modifier to an Acrobatics roll (Zero-Gee experience).
  • 
  The character will be suffocating if they don’t have air.
  • 
  Recoil modifiers are tripled. If a weapon’s recoil is -0, if it does fire a normal bullet it 
  goes to -1.
  • 
  If a weapon accrues -3 or more recoil during a Round it must be “re-readied” with a 
  Draw action.
  
  121
  JAGS Combat
  Specific Attack Actions
  Here is a closer look at the various attack moves. Grappling moves are covered in the Grappling 
  Section.
  Unarmed Strikes
  This section lists all the common (and some very uncommon) unarmed strikes in the game. In 
  the Chi Martial Arts section (see the Archetypes book) there are even more special strikes!
  Combining Martial Arts Strikes?
  Let’s say I have Karate and Kung Fu. Karate gives me more damage per hit and Kung 
  Fu’s strikes are harder to block. Can I combine the two to get an ultra hard, difficult to 
  block strike?
  The answer is no. I can use my Karate Skill to hit for extra damage and my Kung Fu skill 
  to hit more deceptively—but I can’t combine them.
  Important Note
  !
  Breakdown of Strikes
  Here is what the attributes listed for each Strike mean.
  Name
  This is the general name of the strike. Note that a “punch” could be called a lot of different things 
  depending on the genre (it could be a karate ‘back-fist,’ a boxing jab, a ‘shot to the jaw,’ etc.
  REA Cost
  The REA the character spends to take this action. Also listed is the speed (Short, Medium, or 
  Long) of the action.
  Advanced: Striking for 4 REA at Expert Level
  A character with an Expert (Lvl 3) combat skill can take one Strike that would normally cost 5 
  REA for 4 REA during their Turn. This may be applied to unarmed strikes or weapon strikes.
  Roll to Hit
  Most unarmed combat to-hit rolls use either Martial Arts or AGI. Some Strikes (like a Kick) have 
  built-in modifiers to hit (Kicks hit at -1).
  Reach
  Within Hand-to-Hand combat there are four ranges: Close (grappling combat), Short (punches 
  and kicks), Medium (weapons like swords), and Long (weapons like staves or great swords). 
  This lists the Reach the attack has.
  Damage Type
  Impact or Penetrating (usually only special attacks or bladed/sharp weapons do PEN damage). 
  Each Damage Type has its own Damage Table (see the Damage section). Penetrating damage 
  is usually more severe than Impact. Unarmed Strikes almost universally do Impact damage 
  (exceptions: things like Karate “spear hands”).
  Damage
  The “base damage” done by the attack. A character’s Base Damage (the damage they deal with 
  an untrained unarmed blow) is computed during character generation. Here is the formula:
  STR – 10 + [ 1 per 5 BLD above 10 ]
  Weapon damage or martial arts bonuses are added to this score.
  
  JAGS Combat
  122
  A character with STR of 12, a BLD of 13, and Karate Level 2 has 2 (STR) + 1 (BLD of 13) = 3 
  Base Damage. Their Karate gives them +2 damage with any Karate Strike. 
  Since a Punch Move is +0 Damage, the character’s Karate punch does 5 Base Damage. A 
  Kick does +2 Damage so the character’s Karate Kick would land for 7 Base Damage.
  A normal man has 10 STR, 10 BLD, and no martial arts skill. His Base Damage is zero 
  (meaning he must get a good hit or use a special move to do any effective damage in a fight).
  Example
  Description
  Anything special about the attack will be noted here.
  List of Unarmed Strikes
  Name
  REA Cost
  To-Hit
  Reach
  Damage
  Notes
  Punch
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Short
  +0
  A basic jab.
  Kick
  6 REA Medium
  -1
  Short
  +2
  Medium Reach for Level 3 Martial Artists or Level 2 Tae Kwon Do
  Cross
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Short
  +1
  You can only do it once per turn and are more vulnerable until 
  you next turn.
  Head Butt
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Close
  +2
  Extra bonuses for Street Fighting martial arts.
  Bite
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Close
  1 PEN
  Chomp!
  Grab
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Short
  None
  See Grappling Combat
  Spear Hand
  5 REA Medium
  -2
  Short
  +0 PEN
  Requires Level 4 Karate, at +2 to be blocked.
  Karate Chop
  7 REA Medium
  -0
  Short
  +2
  -1 to target’s CON roll, -4 to Inanimate STC Roll
  Punch
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: AGI or Martial Art that allows strikes (all of them but Level 1 Tai Chi)
  Modifiers: Hand-to-hand
  Reach: Short
  Damage Type: Impact
  Damage: Base HTH damage
  Description: This is the basic empty-hand punch, jab, or wallop. For a more powerful blow, 
  see the Cross. Note: An extremely fast, comparatively weak kick could be considered a 
  “punch move” if the participants are more interested in approving descriptions than making 
  sure that they canonically match the move name.
  Kick
  REA Cost: 6 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: AGI or Martial Art that allows kicks (all of them but Boxing and Wrestling, and low 
  level Tai Chi)
  Modifiers: -1 to hit (unless using Tae Kwon Do) Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Short or Medium with Level 3 Martial Art (or Lvl 2 Tae Kwon Do)
  Damage Type: Impact
  Damage: Base HTH damage +2
  Description: A strike using the foot. This is harder to hit with for most people and costs a 
  little more REA. NOTE: In Close Combat you cannot Kick without special training.
  Trey Logan pushed the rebuilt Thunderbird 
  over 80. The southern California road 
  remained miraculously clear save for the 
  black custom job less than twenty-four 
  inches behind them and to their le�. 
  In the passenger seat, the massive form of his 
  partner, the six-foot plus American Indian 
  Calvin Proudbear cranked his body around 
  to stare through the window of the vehicle 
  behind them. 
  “He’s going for it,” Calvin said, his voice 
  hissing with a half-yard from-the-guard-rail 
  edge to it. “Around the outside. I should be 
  driving.” 
  “I did this in my movie Game of Damage, 
  Logan said, “and I see him.” 
  Trey cut the car out as the other driver 
  changed tacks heading for the inside as they 
  rounded a curve. 
  The black car cut expertly and Trey had to 
  pull back as it came even and then inched 
  ahead. 
  “Damn! Damn! We’re losing him!” Trey 
  swore. 
  “You’re losing him!” Proudbear snapped. 
  
  123
  JAGS Combat
  Cross
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: AGI or Martial Art that allows strikes
  Modifiers: Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Short
  Damage Type: Impact
  Damage: Base HTH damage +1
  Description: A cross may only be thrown once per turn. After throwing it you are at +1 to be 
  hit and get a -1 to all Blocks or Dodges until your next Turn next Round (i.e. you are more 
  vulnerable). This can be a “right cross,” an uppercut, a haymaker, etc.
  Head Butt
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: AGI or any Ground Combat Martial Art
  Modifiers: Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Close
  Damage Type: Impact
  Damage: Base HTH damage +2 + Street Fighter Damage Bonuses (only!)
  Description: You slam your forehead into your opponent’s face. It isn’t civilized but it can be 
  very effective! If you hit by 0,1, or 2, you take half the damage done yourself. NOTE: This 
  must be done in Close Combat (see the section on Close Combat). 
  Bite
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: AGI or Ground Combat Martial Art
  Modifiers: Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Close
  Damage Type: Penetrating
  Damage: 1pt PEN
  Description: Normal human jaws do 1pt PEN damage with a bite. Note: this must be done 
  from Close Combat (see the Close Combat section).
  Grab
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: AGI or Martial Art
  Modifiers: Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Short
  Damage Type: None
  Damage: None (see Grappling)
  Description: a Grab is the most basic Grappling move (reaching out and grabbing 
  someone). See the Grappling section for a full explanation of what it does.
  Karate Chop
  REA Cost: 7 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: Karate
  Modifiers: Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Short
  Damage Type: Impact
  Damage: Karate Punch / Cross +2
  Description: The chop or “breaking blow” is a punch designed to do deep internal damage. 
  If a CON roll or STC roll (vs. Inanimate objects) is called for, these are at -1 and -4 
  respectively. It may be combined with a Cross as well for even more damage.
  “If you’d re-built the engine with some kick 
  I’d be dusting him,” Trey said. “I drive be�er 
  than you on a bad day.” 
  “Maybe one of my bad days,” Calvin said. 
  Trey swerved, threatening to hit the car but 
  the driver didn’t panic. Instead, he punched 
  it and raced ahead, onto the stretch of open 
  road. Then his break lights flared. 
  “Crud,” Trey said, shaking his head. 
  “Seems he wants to talk,” Calvin said. 
  The license plate read KIK U ASS. “Or 
  something. . .” 
  “Musta been a bribe for that one,” Trey said 
  so�ly. “He can drive . . . but if he wants to 
  fight . . .” 
  “Don’t like it,” Calvin said, but they pulled 
  in behind it, coming to a stop behind the 
  sleek black sports car. 
  A�er exchanging glances, Logan and 
  Proudbear exited the Thunderbird, easily 
  launching themselves over the closed doors 
  to stand on either side of it. The black thing 
  opened like a spaceship’s pod unfolding. 
  “Recognize him?” Trey asked quietly. 
  “Nope,” Calvin said. “Should I?” 
  “Only if you’ve seen a fighting movie in the 
  past half.” 
  “That’d be no then,” Calvin snorted. 
  “That’s Kenny Jastrom—one of the best 
  fighters in the world if you believe his press.” 
  The man’s features were perfect. His body 
  was stacked with gymnasium muscles and 
  lean from the regimen of a professional 
  dietician. He was bronzed like a sun-god and 
  his smile was the hard and mirthless sneer of 
  a man who liked to fight. 
  Logan raised an eyebrow. 
  “You drive worse than my sixteen year old 
  daughter,” the man said, walking towards 
  them—ready to take both at once. Calvin was 
  big—but Jastrom wasn’t intimidated. 
  “Your legitimate one?” Calvin asked. 
  “You’re going to regret that” Jastrom replied 
  coldly. 
  
  JAGS Combat
  124
  Spear Hand (Karate)
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: Karate Level 4
  Modifiers: -2 to hit, +1 to be blocked.
  Reach: Short
  Damage Type: Penetrating
  Damage: HTH damage, 2x damage is PEN Value.
  Description: The character makes a “knife” or “spear” of his fingers and strikes, plunging 
  them into the flesh of his target. This hits at -2 and does PEN damage. Attempts to block it 
  are at +1, making it a “finishing move” against an equal. The PEN Value of the attack is 2x 
  the standard damage making it work well against light armor. If the blow achieves a Dying 
  result, treat this as Dead as the Karate master has ripped a vital organ (the heart?) out of the 
  target!
  Hand-to-hand Weapon Actions
  If you are using a weapon like a sword, axe, knife, or club it’s very much the same as unarmed 
  combat but there are a few differences.
  Drawing
  If a weapon is sheathed it costs REA to draw it based on how experienced you are with it. The 
  REA is as follows:
  Level
  REA To Draw
  Level 1
  5 REA Medium Action
  Level 2
  5 REA Medium Action
  Level 3
  5 REA Short Action
  Level 4
  0 REA Short Action
  A character with Level 3 Skill may attempt to Quick Draw and instantly draw their weapon with a 
  Skill Roll. If the Roll is failed the weapon is still drawn and 5 REA is paid. A character with Level 3 
  or Level 4 Skill may draw and block as the same action.
  NOTE: Ranged weapons must be Drawn as well. The Draw action can apply to anything that is 
  readied for use in combat.
  Maximum Strikes Per Turn
  Weapons have a certain number of allowed strikes per turn based on the weapon type and your 
  skill with it. If you wish to exceed that number of strikes per turn, you pay 10 REA per additional 
  strike (so a character with 15 REA using a weapon that grants 1 strike per turn at their Skill Level 
  could strike once for the usual 5 REA and again for 10 REA).
   A character with a 15 REA has Melee Skill at Level 2 and carries a Broadsword. On the chart 
  the maximum number of attacks per turn for Level 2 is listed as one (1). Although he pays 
  only 5 REA per swing (and therefore could pay for three swings) he is limited to one strike. 
  When he improves his skill to Level 3, he will be able to make two strikes per turn.
  He could, however, make two strikes per turn paying 10 REA for the second strike since he is 
  very fast.
  Example
  Extra Swing Cost
  Very large weapons cost extra REA to swing. 
  “I read once that good driving o�en 
  compensates for bad sexual performance.” 
  Calvin said. 
  “Uh,” Trey said interrupting, “Isn’t it a 
  li�le weird—not to mention illegal—to just 
  race with random Californians and then pick 
  fights with them? Not that I’m complaining 
  really . . . it just seems like something 
  counseling could fix.” 
  “It’s what I do for fun,” Jastrom said. “I find 
  two guys who look like they need a lesson in 
  manners and work out a li�le frustration. 
  Now, if you have a gun or knife, I suggest 
  you start going for it because I eat guys like 
  you for breakfast and I’d like for this to take 
  a while.” 
  “We’d rather stand here and beli�le you,” 
  Calvin told him. 
  “I thought you talked like that in your 
  movies because your scripts were bad,” Trey 
  said, astonished. 
  That was all it took. 
  Jastrom exploded across the pavement in a 
  perfectly timed lunge-strike maneuver. 
  Calvin had time to exchange a lightning-
  quick glance with Trey—He’s good. 
  He wasn’t lucky. With speed that matched 
  Jastrom, Logan sank back in a fighting stance 
  combined with a snapping karate kick that 
  caught Jastrom in mid-stride. Logan hit a lot 
  harder than he looked like he could. 
  With a circular block Logan shrugged off 
  Jastrom’s punch and spent a moment looking 
  into his a�acker’s stunned eyes. 
  Logan’s punch snapped Kenny’s head back 
  and they stood there—ready to circle, one 
  staggered, the other smiling. 
  Of course the take-out-the-small-guy-first 
  tactic hadn’t exactly worked. 
  Later, Trey reclined on the hood of the car, his 
  back resting against the glass. 
  Proudbear, a slight smile on his face, sat at 
  the front-le� corner of the car and looked up 
  at the sky. 
  “That didn’t take long,” Logan mused. “I 
  had him fine though, you didn’t have to grab 
  him like that.” 
  
  125
  JAGS Combat
  Large Weapon Bonus
  Using something like a chair or a table gives you a better chance to hit people. A Large Weapon 
  Bonus is a +1 to +3 to-hit. This bonus is added to your to-hit roll but is not factored in for 
  purposes of damage (see the Damage section). 
  Furthermore, each +1 to hit is subtracted from your opponent’s Block score (larger weapons are 
  harder to successfully block) unless they have a large weapon themselves or a shield in which 
  case it is added (a shield, however, makes it easier to block a Large Weapon).
  A castle guardian is swinging a massive hammer with a +1 Large Weapon Bonus. He has a 
  13- Melee Weapons skill. When he rolls to hit against an opponent with no negative to-be-hit 
  modifiers (AGI 10) he rolls a 14.
  That would normally miss, however, because the weapon is so big it hits due to the large 
  weapon bonus. It gets a +0 Damage Modifier.
  On a second attack on a later Round he rolls a 10. This hits by 3 and not by 4 for purposes of 
  Damage Modifier since the Large Weapon Bonus doesn’t add to Damage Modifier.
  Example
  Minimum Strength
  You have to be quite strong to use some weapons effectively. If a character is below the listed 
  STR Minimum for a weapon they add +1 REA to the strike cost per point they are under.
  Advanced: Maximum Strength
  If a character is more than 2 STR under the weapon’s required STR it cannot be wielded 
  without a STR roll successfully made each turn.
  Damage Bonus 
  Each weapon has a bonus to damage listed. This is added to the character’s Base Damage with 
  the weapon.
  Weapons Chart
  Weapon
  Skill
  Damage
  STR 
  Min
  Swing
  Block
  Att 
  Lvl1
  Att 
  Lvl 2
  Att
  Lvl3
  Att 
  Lvl 4
  Reach
  Notes
  Brass Knuckles
  Any Martial Art
  +2 IMP
  None
  None
  2
  3
  4
  5
  Short
  Small Knife
  Knife/Melee
  +2 PEN
  None
  Special
  1
  2
  3
  5
  Short
  Large Knife
  Knife/Melee
  +3 PEN
  None
  Special
  1
  2
  3
  5
  Short
  Short Sword
  Melee
  +4 PEN
  9
  +0
  1
  2
  3
  3
  Short
  Broadsword
  Melee
  +6 PEN
  11
  +0
  1
  1
  2
  3
  Medium
  2Hand Sword
  Melee
  +8 PEN
  12
  +1
  +0
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  Hatchet
  Melee
  +5 PEN
  9
  -1
  1
  2
  2
  3
  Short
  May be thrown
  Battle Axe
  Melee
  +9 PEN
  11
  +1
  -1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  May be thrown
  Great Axe
  Melee
  +12 PEN
  14
  +1
  -1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  Spear
  Melee
  +5 PEN
  10
  +0
  1
  2
  2
  2
  Long
  May be Thrown
  Club (baton)
  Melee/StreetFght
  +4 IMP
  10
  +0
  1
  2
  2
  3
  Medium
  Hammer/Mace
  Melee
  +9 IMP
  12
  +1
  -1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Medium
  Great Maul
  Melee
  +14 IMP
  14
  +2
  -1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  Baseball bat
  Melee/StreetFght
  +6 IMP
  10
  +0
  1
  2
  2
  3
  Medium
  Morning Star
  Melee
  +8 IMP
  11
  -1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Medium
  -2 to be blocked
  Staff
  Staff
  +5 IMP
  10
  +0
  1 
  2
  3
  4
  Long
  Must have Staff 
  Skill
  “Ah,” Calvin said, “I was looking out 
  for your best interests—you know, lucky 
  punch . . .” 
  “And did you have to do that to his face?” 
  Trey said. “I hear he’s shooting around 
  now . . .” 
  “It’ll be bruised and swollen,” Calvin said. 
  “Nothing a lot of makeup won’t fix.” Then 
  he laughed a warrior’s laugh and then 
  there was silence. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  126
  Melee Weapon Moves
  Name
  REA Cost
  Roll To Hit
  Modifiers
  Damage
  Description
  Full Strike
  Strike +3 REA
  Normal
  +0 to hit
  +2
  A fully committed strike
  Feint
  3,5, or 8
  Normal
  None
  N/A
  -1,-2, or -3 for your next strike to be blocked
  Lunge
  Strike +2
  Normal
  Normal
  Normal
  Step Move + Strike with Fencing Weapons
  Full Strike
  REA Cost: +3
  Roll to hit: normal
  Modifiers: normal
  Damage: Weapon Type +2
  Description: Any non-fencing weapon larger than a dagger or knife can be used to Full 
  Strike. This is a powerful, fully committed blow. It costs +3 REA (above whatever is normal) 
  and does +2 Base Damage.
  Feint
  REA Cost: 3, 5, or 8
  Roll to hit: none
  Modifiers: none
  Damage: none
  Description: A Feint action gives the target a -1,-2, or -3 to their Block roll against the next 
  attack made by the feinting character. NOTE: As an advanced rule, this can be done with an 
  unarmed attack.
  Advanced: improve or decrease the block modifier for each level of difference the attacker 
  has over the defender. If you are Expert Level (Lvl 3) against a Level 2 character and 
  perform a 5 REA feint, they are at -3 instead of the listed -2 to block. Against a Master (Lvl 
  4) opponent, you would only reduce their block by -1 instead of the listed -2. 
  A character is in a sword fight and it is his turn to go. He is facing an opponent with a sword 
  and shield and wishes to get in a powerful blow around it. He has Melee Weapons at Level 2 
  and so he gets one strike per turn. He has 13 REA and a 12 STR.
  He declares a 5 REA Feint. This gives his opponent a -2 to Block and then declares a Full 
  Strike for 5 (Strike) + 3 (Full Strike) = 8 REA. This rolls to hit as normal, but the damage is 
  6 (broadsword) + 2 (Base Damage) + 2 (Full Strike) = 10 Base Damage! And it’s at -2 to be 
  blocked!
  Example
  Fencing Weapons
  Fencing weapons are light, fast, and are not built to work against armor. They will have difficulty 
  blocking heavier weapons but are quite deadly in their element (-1 to Block against any weapon 
  with a Base Damage of +7 or more). They use the Fencing Weapons Skill. 
  NOTE: Fencing weapons cannot use the Full Strike attack.
  Fencing Weapons List
  Weapon
  Skill
  Damage
  STR 
  Min
  Att 
  Lvl1
  Att 
  Lvl 2
  Att
  Lvl3
  Att 
  Lvl 4
  Reach
  Notes
  Epee
  Fencing
  +3 PEN
  --
  2
  3
  4
  5
  Medium 
  Rapier
  Fencing
  +4 PEN
  9
  1
  2
  3
  4
  Medium
  Saber
  Fencing
  +5 PEN
  11
  1
  2
  3
  4
  Medium
  “It’s just like the one he used in the TV 
  series,” the man behind the counter said, 
  handing me the faux ivory-handled katana 
  sword. 
  “Really?” I asked, trying to keep the mirth 
  out of my voice. 
  “Yes,” he said. “Real blade too.” 
  “Folded metal—twenty folds?” I asked. It 
  wasn’t atomically possible—but he didn’t 
  know that. 
  “Stainless steel,” the man said. “But be 
  careful—you could take someone’s head off 
  with that. For real, I mean.” 
  “Oh, yeah,” I said. Oh yes indeed. 
  You a fan of the show?” he asked. 
  “Sort of,” I said. “I had one like this but I 
  lost it recently—and I’ll need another one for 
  tonight.” 
  Outside, I sheathed the blade and tucked it 
  under the trenchcoat. The show got it almost 
  all wrong—public disinformation. But the 
  bloodlines did use swords—they were right 
  about that . . . and I had an engagement 
  tonight; and a modern, insultingly carved, 
  cheap fake katana like this would have to do. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  127
  JAGS Combat
  Lunge (Fencing)
  REA Cost: +2 (7, usually) Medium Action
  Roll to hit: Fencing Skill
  Modifiers: Hand-to-Hand
  Reach: Long (special)
  Damage Type: Penetrating
  Damage: By Weapon Type
  Description: A Lunge move is a fencing maneuver that extends one’s reach greatly with a 
  thrusting strike. The character can take a Step Action and hit at Long Reach, clearing a large 
  distance for only +2 REA.
  Flails
  Flails are any kind of chained or hinged weapon that can be used to generate power and strike 
  around a weapon or shield. They are difficult to block when used well but tend to be difficult to 
  master. They use the Melee Weapons skill.
  Block Neg
  The negative characters trying to Block the flail get the Block Negative applied to their roll.
  Flail Weapon List
  Weapon
  Skill
  Damage
  STR 
  Min
  Att 
  Lvl1
  Att 
  Lvl 2
  Att
  Lvl3
  Att 
  Lvl 4
  Reach
  Block Neg
  Nunchaku
  Melee
  +5 IMP
  10
  2
  3
  4
  5
  Medium 
  -2
  Morningstar
  Melee
  +8 IMP
  11
  1
  1
  2
  3
  Medium
  -3
  Flail
  Melee
  +10 IMP
  11
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  -1
  Optional Rule: Martial Arts Weapons
  Weapons like Nunchaku and Staffs may be used with an appropriate Martial Arts skill (i.e. 
  probably not Boxing). 
  Using this rule simplifies characters since they need not purchase two separate skills in order 
  to use weapons. It also makes martial arts skills more valuable since they now include armed 
  and unarmed fighting.
  This would be appropriate in a game where the characters are martial arts masters but do not 
  commonly fight each other with weapons.
  Tangle Weapons
  Weapons that can be used to entangle or trap an opponent are Tangle Weapons. The most 
  obvious one is the weighted net—but lassos, bolas, and even a whip can be a Tangle Weapon. 
  They are difficult to master and often need to be recovered after use. They use the Tangle 
  Weapon skill.
  When you hit someone with a Tangle Attack, depending on how the attack works and how well 
  you hit they may be Grabbed (like having an arm wrapped with a whip), Held (impaired but not 
  immobile—like having a net over you), or Pinned (completely helpless). 
  Grapple
  The Grapple Score is the “effective STR” of the Tangle Attack for purposes of hanging on.
  Escape
  If you are grabbed by a whip or covered with a net, you can pick your way out given time. 
  However if you are trapped in a force bubble or webbed up with sticky webbing then careful 
  struggling won’t work. The Untangle rating tells whether the trapped character can work their way 
  out (Escape Artist helps) and how long it takes. 
  
  JAGS Combat
  128
  To untangle oneself one must make AGI or Escape Artist Rolls by the listed number. The effect is 
  cumulative over multiple turns. Missed rolls count as +0. These rolls are at -4 if the character is 
  held. If the character is Pinned they cannot try to escape.
  Armor
  You might also try to cut or blast your way out. The Armor rating (and DP) is the amount of 
  damage necessary to break through a Tangle. Most attacks take a -8 Damage Modifier from 
  Impact blows from weapons (but not to characters trapped inside and flexing: that uses the 
  whole body).
  Damage Points (DP)
  When this number of DP is done to the Tangle attack, it is broken. 
  Ready/Recover
  Most Tangle attacks take a little while to “get ready” (such as starting up a lasso or bolas or 
  collecting a net to throw). This is based on the skill level of the character using the Tangle Attack. 
  After each attempt to hit with a Tangle Attack you must Ready it again (this is called “recovering” 
  it).
  Skill Level
  Action
  Notes
  Level 1
  8 REA Long
  Requires Skill Roll
  Level 2
  5 REA Medium Action
  Requires Skill Roll
  Level 3
  3 REA Short Action
  No Roll Required
  Level 4
  None
  No Roll Required
  NOTE: This REA cost is in addition to the Draw cost, if any.
  Hitting Someone With a Tangle Attack
  When you hit someone with a Tangle attack, it doesn’t hit for damage (unless that is an 
  additional effect as well—like an electrified net) but instead, well, tangles them. This is a pretty 
  straightforward effect so we’re going to list it here (unlike Damage, which is more complex and 
  gets its own section).
  Grapple Chart
  Hit By
  +0 to +3 +4 to +6
  +7 to +9
  10+
  Effect
  Grab
  Hold
  Mjr Hold
  Pin
  NOTE: Tangle attacks with areas of effect or Large Weapon Bonuses or Cone Effects do add the 
  bonus to what they hit by (unlike hits for damage where the Large Weapon Bonus doesn’t add to 
  Damage Modifier).
  For Tangles It’s How Well You Hit
  Many grapple effects are based on how well the Grapple roll is made by. For Tangle 
  attacks, the Result is based on how well you hit.
  Important Note
  !
  Effect
  Result
  Grab
  a Grab attack that hits by 2-3 can Immobilize a Limb (see Grappling). Attempts to break the Grab require one level of success.
  Hold
  The subject is at -4 Damage Modifiers to hurt anything. Attempts to Break the Hold require two levels of success.
  Major Hold
  The subject is at -6 Damage Modifiers to hurt anything. Attempts to Break the Hold require three levels of success.
  Pin
  The subject is so tightly held they can take no action other than Break Grapple in an attempt to escape. Attempts to Break the 
  Hold require four levels of success and are not cumulative.
  
  129
  JAGS Combat
  Advanced: Tangling the Legs
  A hit by 2-3 or better can “tangle the legs” of a character if the attacker decides to (which limb/
  limbs are tangled is at the discretion of the attacker). If the target was moving they must make 
  an AGI or Acrobatics roll to stay standing.
  Move Rate
  Roll Modifier
  Walking
  -2
  Running
  -4
  Sprinting
  -6
  NOTE: This table list some hypothetical high-tech Tangle attacks.
  Tangle Weapons List
  Weapon
  Grapple
  Armor/DP
  Escape
  STR 
  Min
  Att 
  Lvl1
  Att 
  Lvl 2
  Att
  Lvl3
  Att 
  Lvl 4
  Reach
  Whip
  12
  6/1
  5
  9
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  Bola
  13
  8/1
  5
  11
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Thrown
  Net
  14
  12/1
  9
  11
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Long
  Lasso
  13
  6/1
  4
  10
  1
  1
  2
  2
  Thrown
  Foam Grenade
  20
  4/8
  None
  9
  Thrn
  Thrn
  Thrn
  Thrn
  Thrown
  Web Gun
  30
  9/24
  None
  None
  1
  1
  1
  1
  Ranged
  ROF is 1
  Tractor Beam
  40
  4/40
  None
  None
  1
  1
  1
  1
  Ranged
  ROF is 1
  Here’s a hypothetical Glue Gun that is a little more complex than the table allows for.
  Glue Gun
  ROF 1
  Range -1/10y
  Shots 8
  The hyper-tech glue gun uses a shotgun like cartridge that produces a cone of super-
  fast drying adhesive designed to immobilize a target. When fired it uses the “Continuing 
  Beam” Effect and can stick multiple foes. Here’s how that works.
  Grapple: 
  30
  Armor/DP: 
  9/24
  Large Weapon Bonus 
  +1
  Continuing Beam 
  Effect
  The Continuing Beam effect means that firing the Glue Gun is a 10 REA Long Action. If 
  targets are swept the character can hit about 4 of them with separate to-hit rolls. Each roll 
  gets a +1 to hit which does in this case apply to the hit-by amount. If a target is hit more 
  than once (a Continuing Beam can be held on a single target for the entire second) then 
  each additional hit adds to the DP of the total hold and the attacker makes 4 rolls to-hit 
  and takes the best!
  Example
  
  JAGS Combat
  130
  A captured rogue with an 11 STR, 13 AGI, and Street Fighting Level 3 is forced to fight in the 
  arena. A gladiator throws a weighted net at him. The rogue’s Defensive Grapple score is 11 + 
  2 for Level 3 Street Fighting for a 13 Defensive Grapple. The gladiator has a 14- skill with the 
  thrown net. 
  When the battle begins the gladiator takes a 5 REA Medium action to ready the net and 
  then throws it. He rolls to hit and rolls a 9. The gladiator’s to hit roll is 14 – 3 (the rogue’s AGI 
  Bonus) – 0 for being at close range = 11-. A roll of a 9 hits by 2. This scores a Grab result.
  The net’s grapple is 14 vs. the rogue’s 13 Defensive. This is an 11- roll for the net. The GM, 
  rolling for the gladiator, rolls a 4. This succeeds and the rogue is grabbed.
  The gladiator could choose to immobilize a limb but instead opts for limiting the rogue’s 
  movement to stop him from running around. The gladiator’s choice of Tangle Legs means 
  that if the rogue was moving (he wasn’t) he’d have to make a roll to keep on his feet.
  When the rogue gets to go, he can choose to break the grab with his offensive grapple of 
  16 against the net’s 14 (a 12- roll) or try to start escaping, making AGI rolls by a total of 9 or 
  more to get the net off. He opts to break the grab and rolls a 10, throwing it off.
  Example
  Thrown Weapons
  Thrown Weapons come in two basic types: those designed to be thrown (knives, spears, 
  shuriken, axes) and those which are improvised (a sword hurled in anger, a super hero tossing a 
  car).
  Drawing
  Thrown weapons must be “drawn” (placed in hand) or picked up before they can be Thrown.
  • 
  Melee Weapons skill at Level 3+ will let you Fast Draw one weapon per turn for 0 REA 
  as a Short Action with a successful roll.
  • 
  Thrown Weapon skill at Level 3+ will let you Fast Draw as many weapons per turn as 
  you want for 0 REA as a Short Action with a successful roll for each draw.
  To-Hit
  In the absence of a Skill, the character’s COR is used to hit. All normal ranged attack modifiers 
  apply to thrown weapons. The target’s AGI Bonus only counts for half (rounded down).
  To use a skill, a few rules apply:
  • 
  If the weapon is not listed in the Thrown Weapon’s list, its range mod is -1/3 yards 
  (thrown swords are not very accurate).
  • 
  If the character has reduced his COR (during character generation or due to some 
  injury) then each point of reduction will give a -1 to hit with the Skill roll, even if the skill 
  is based on AGI.
  • 
  If the character has Thrown Weapon Skill at Level 3+ then they may ignore -3pts of 
  negative modifiers. Otherwise, even a Level 3 or Level 4 Melee Weapon skill won’t let 
  you do that unless you are using a Spear.
  Rate of Fire
  Throwing is a 5 REA Medium Action like a strike. The Thrown weapon hits as though it was used 
  in a Hand-To-Hand strike. 
  Defenses
  Thrown Weapons can be Blocked or Dodged normally.
  Range
  Thrown weapons have a listed Range on the chart (if not specified it is at -1/3y). The maximum 
  range of a thrown weapon is not specified exactly although some rules in the Tools section can 
  be used to help figure out how far something very large can be thrown.
  Fast, Slow, and Very Slow Missiles
  JAGS Revised makes distinctions between 
  fast missiles (bullets, lasers), slow 
  missiles (arrows), and very slow missiles 
  (thrown chairs, hurled axes, etc.). These 
  distinctions are repeated again under the 
  defensive move category—but they bear 
  some examination here as well.
  • 
  Fast Missiles: you cannot block 
  incoming missiles and are at -4 
  to Dodge them (since you must 
  “dodge the barrel of the gun” 
  rather than the missile). 
  • 
  Slow Missiles: you can see them 
  coming (if only barely). You 
  can Block them with a shield. 
  Dodging them is at -4.
  • 
  Very Slow Missiles: you can 
  see them coming pretty easily. 
  You can Block or Dodge them 
  normally.
  Designer’s Notes
  “Hold your fire,” I hissed, peering through 
  the jungle. The men were jumpy . . . they 
  looked warily into the darkness. “Don’t fire 
  until you see them.” 
  “What exactly are we look’in for Sarge?” my 
  radio man, Corporal Hill, asked. 
  I shook my head. The radio report had been 
  on the proper channel—but I still wasn’t 
  sure I believed it. It had been clipped and 
  broken through the static. They had said to 
  expect a wave of “victims” of the air strike 
  heading towards us at a steady 4 miles per 
  hour jog. 
  “Survivors,” I said, “from the nuclear 
  strike.” 
  The young man looked at me, his face pale in 
  the thin light from the moon above the trees. 
  “But didn’t Tac say they were all . . . you 
  know, killed?” 
  “They reported 100% mortality,” I nodded. 
  “Still, something’s coming.” Up in the dark, 
  jungle night, I saw the first one—a skeleton 
  covered with burnt flesh still clinging to 
  greenish, glowing bones—appear above the 
  rise. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  131
  JAGS Combat
  Carry
  This number indicates what a “standard” number of the weapons might be for a warrior to carry. 
  Whether this is enforced in some way or not is up to the participants.
  Optional Rule: Heavy Thrown Objects
  If a character hurls a big, heavy object such as in the case of a super hero hurling a car, you 
  can get some advantages for doing so:
  • 
  Extra Damage: A generic large object might do +1 Base Damage or +10%, 
  whichever is more.
  • 
  Large Weapon Bonus: Throwing a big object like car might get a +2 or +3 Large 
  Weapon Bonus to hit (this does not effect Damage Modifier).
  Rationale: The reason for doing these things is to make throwing things an attractive option 
  since it creates exciting battles with collateral damage. Keep in mind that characters will need 
  to move around to find objects to throw and take a 5 REA Medium action to acquire them 
  before chucking them.
  Advanced: Wind-Up
  If a character spends an 8 REA Long Action doing a “full body” throw, the damage is +3 Base 
  Damage or +30%, whichever is more. This can be combined with Aim (taking up to 16 REA to 
  do if the Long Aim action is chosen).
  Weapon
  Damage
  Carry
  Range
  STR 
  Min
  Notes
  Throwing Knife
  +2 PEN
  Many
  -1/6y
  09
  Shuriken
  +2 PEN
  Many
  -1/6y
  09
  Large Knife
  +3 PEN
  5
  -1/5y
  09
  Axe/Tomahawk
  +5 PEN
  4
  -1/6y
  11
  Spear
  +5 PEN
  3
  -1/10y
  10
  Javelin
  +6 PEN
  5
  -1/15y
  11
  Designed for throwing with a leather thong for better grip. 
  Boomerang (Kylie)
  +4 IMP
  3
  -1/10y
  10
  A standard Boomerang will, in fact, return to the thrower the turn after 
  being thrown.  A Kylie curved or hooked hunting stick won’t. Returning 
  boomerangs may be used as weapons in a romanticized campaign.
  Ranged Weapons
  Guns, lasers, and bows use a similar set of mechanics in JAGS. These are the rules.
  AGI Bonus
  Being agile counts less against ranged attacks. You are at -1 to hit for each two full points of AGI 
  the target has above 10 (so a character with a 14 AGI is at -2 to be hit. A character with a 12 or 
  13 AGI is at -1).
  Range
  Each weapon has a Range listed. This is the negative-to-hit it gets for firing at a distance (-1/X 
  number of yards). Weapons with a flatter trajectory tend to hit better at long range.
  Rate of Fire (ROF)
  A weapon’s Rate of Fire is as follows:
  
  JAGS Combat
  132
  ROF
  Notes
  1
  Fires 1 shot per second. Possibly 1 shot per 10 REA.
  S
  Standard: fires one shot per trigger pull (5 REA).
  3x, 4x, etc.
  The weapon is capable of fully automatic fire and can fire short bursts or 
  full-auto (or 1 shot per trigger pull). If there is a number in [brackets] after 
  the ROF this is the number of bullets or charges the weapon expends with 
  one second of automatic fire (if you are tracking shots in the magazine or 
  whatever).
  Recoil
  Most conventional guns have a kick or “Recoil.” This is a negative to-hit modifier added to every 
  to-hit roll after the first done in a single turn.
  Firearms Actions
  Action
  Move 
  Notes
  Shoot Gun
  5 REA Medium
  Firing a weapon at someone.
  Double Tap
  5 REA Medium
  The gun cannot be used again this Round.
  Automatic Fire
  10 REA Medium
  Blazing away with an automatic weapon. It may be used to hit multiple targets (or one 
  target more than once).
  Controlled Burst
  5 REA Medium
  A 3-round burst of fire used to improve a chance of hitting a single target.
  Suppression Fire
  10 REA Medium
  Spraying automatic fire to keep people in an area down.
  Aim
  3, 5, or 8 REA Medium/
  Long
  Lining up a weapon on a target.
  Continuing Beam Sweep
  10 REA Long
  Hit multiple targets with a beam weapon.
  Reload
  5 REA Medium
  How fast you reload a gun depends on your Firearms Skill and the type of gun.
  Advanced: Bipods and Tripods
  Some mounted weapons use special devices to lower their Recoil scores. A weapon 
  mounted on a Bipod reduces its recoil by 1pt. A tripod reduces recoil by 2pts. These take 
  some time to set up and require the user be prone on the ground (see Prone characters).
  Bipod: Weapons (like machine guns) equipped with a fold out bipod require a 5 REA 
  Medium action to deploy it.
  Tripod: If a weapon is to be mounted on a Tripod it usually takes three 8 REA Long Actions 
  to deploy the tripod and mount the weapon. A helping character can take one of these 
  actions simultaneously with the gunner who must then take the other two.
  Advanced: Point Blank Range
  Firearms used at effectively “zero range” hit a good deal harder than they do at range. If the 
  group wishes to simulate this, weapons held against the target or that are almost touching 
  take standard HTH to-hit modifiers and get an automatic +2 Damage Modifier.
  Shoot Gun
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: COR or Firearms or Bow Skill
  Modifiers: Ranged Modifiers
  Damage Type: Based on Weapon
  Damage: Based on Weapon
  Description: The basic action with a gun.
  
  133
  JAGS Combat
  Double Tap
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: COR or Firearms
  Modifiers: -2 for each shot (reduced by Firearms Skill)
  Damage Type: Based on Weapon
  Damage: Based on Weapon
  Description: Any gun with an ROF of ‘S’ or better can be used to Double Tap. This means 
  firing two shots at the same target for 5 REA. After a weapon has been used to Double Tap 
  it cannot be used any more that turn.  Both shots take a -2 modifier in addition to any other 
  negatives. This Double-Tap modifier is reduced by Firearms Skill level.
  Automatic Fire
  REA Cost: 10
  Roll to hit: COR or Firearms
  Modifiers: Recoil Modifier for each shot
  Damage Type: Based on Weapon
  Damage: Based on Weapon
  Description: A gun with a listed ROF of 3x, 4x, etc. can be fired “fully automatic.” This means 
  you depress the trigger and you get to roll to hit that many times with the gun. The shots 
  may be at the same or different targets. Each shot after the first takes a cumulative Recoil 
  modifier.
  Controlled Burst
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Roll to hit: Firearms or COR
  Modifiers: +1 to-hit.
  Damage Type: As per weapon
  Damage: As per weapon
  Description: Any weapon with a ROF of 3x or better can execute a “Controlled Burst” if the 
  using character is skilled enough to control it that way. A controlled burst is a 5 REA Medium 
  action that fires a burst of about three bullets at one target for a better chance to hit. This may 
  be combined with aim. How often this may be done depends on the attacker’s skill level. A hit 
  with a Controlled Burst is only assumed to hit with one bullet.
  Skill level
  Number of Controlled Bursts per Round
  Level 1 or no skill
  None.
  Level 2
  One Controlled Burst per round.
  Level 3
  Two Controlled Bursts per round.
  Level 4
  No limit (each burst is 5 REA though).
  Optional: Weapons with a very high rate of fire get bigger plusses to hit. If a weapon has a 
  5x ROF it gets an additional +1 to hit (+2) and a further +1 for each additional ROF after that 
  (a ROF 7x gun gets +4 to hit with controlled bursts). Using this rule gives more power to high 
  ROF weapons. In cases where one wishes to distinguish between “standard” guns and exotic 
  high ROF guns, you can use this rule.
  Optional: Hitting with more than one round with a Controlled Burst. A hit by 5+ will give the 
  attacker an option of having two bullet strikes each at -3 Damage Modifier (so a roll of a hit by 
  8 would either be one hit by +8 DM or two hits by +5 DM). Using this rule will make a bigger 
  deal of automatic weapons and might be of interest in a military game.
  Jay-Nine held the Storm Rifle across his chest 
  like an old fashioned rifle. It was set to sca�er 
  fire—if the trigger was pressed it would emit 
  a blast of hundreds of fragments of stabilized 
  plasma solitons. In terms of firearms it was 
  pre�y much the ultimate weapon—he liked 
  carrying it—but he was afraid he was going 
  to have to use it. 
  The woman and her dark companion worked 
  on the console. The ship they had come in 
  was smashed into the Urside Orbital’s solar 
  grid—there was no real way to dock with the 
  station if they didn’t want you to. 
  He heard her voice over the tight-link: 
  “We’re working on the virus. They think 
  we’re trying to negotiate. This is where 
  they’re going to storm us. Get ready.” 
  “Hey Romeo,” he called to the muscled 
  humanoid in a slick black combat suit. 
  It—he—had some kind of exotic weapon and 
  he stood motionless, watching the entrance. 
  “Take the le� doors.” 
  The AS-pod, the Abandon the Ship before 
  it goes down and everyone on it is burnt to 
  ash pod was unlocked and waiting for them; 
  a bulkhead between them and salvation. He 
  watched the screens as the virus worked. Not 
  much longer now. 
  “That’s right,” she said. “Either you meet all 
  of my demands or I drop the orbital on the 
  York-squared Metropolitan Grid. Millions 
  die.” She winked at Jay—it was slated for 
  splash down in the Atlantic—traumatic . . . 
  but not as bad as she was claiming. 
  She listened to something on the other end, 
  shaking her head in agreement. Her hands 
  brought the gun up in a smooth, fluid 
  motion. 
  Jay-Nine felt the door go. It just vanished 
  in a thunder clap and burning mist spilled 
  through into the large empty chamber 
  followed by a hailstorm of light. 
  
  JAGS Combat
  134
  Supression Fire
  REA Cost: 10
  Roll to hit: COR or Firearms
  Modifiers: to-hit roll based on Rate Of Fire
  Damage Type: Based on Weapon
  Damage: Based on Weapon
  Description: A weapon capable of fully automatic fire or Continuous Beam can be used 
  to “suppress” an area. This means taking a 10 REA action and firing into a “zone.” The 
  exact size of this zone is up to the GM to determine. Usually a 90-degree arc in front of a 
  character is allowed. If targets are moderately close together, the attacker can declare “I am 
  suppressing those people by the tree” (or whatever).
  A character using Supression Fire gets no AGI bonus against being hit. 
  When an area is suppressed, each target in it may be hit, as well as any target who moves 
  into it during the Round. Any character who takes an Aim, Attack, or Move Action (excluding 
  actions to take cover) will get another roll to hit against them.
  This is a 7- chance to hit, +1 per ROF of the weapon (so a standard 3x machine gun would 
  have a 10- chance to hit targets in the suppressed area). This roll-to-hit happens before the 
  action does. The effect lasts until the end of the Round. It may be continued on the next 
  Round by paying 10 REA before Initiative rolls are made. NOTE: This does not track number 
  of bullets expended. The GM may wish to invoke some reality checking if there are densely 
  packed people in the target zone, it is unlikely that more people will be hit than there are 
  “bullets fired.”
  Aim
  REA Cost: 3 REA Medium, 5 REA Medium, or 8 REA Long
  Roll to hit: None
  Modifiers: +1, +2, or +3 to hit.
  Damage Type: None
  Damage: None
  Description: An attacker with a ranged weapon may choose to Aim. There are three different 
  degrees of Aim:
  Action
  Plus to Hit
  3 REA Short Action
  +1
  5 REA Medium Action
  +2
  8 REA Long Action
  +3
  After a single shot is taken, the Aim bonus is gone and additional shots fired to not benefit 
  from it. In the case of the Long action, the target may respond (shoot back).
  Advanced: Sights and Scopes
  Having a scope on a weapon can make it far more accurate at long ranges. Having a laser-
  designator can simply improve the user’s effective weapon skill. All of these require an Aim 
  action to get any bonus.
  Sight
  Bonus To-Hit With 
  Aim
  Range 
  Mod
  Laser Sight
  +1
  +5y
  Standard Scope
  +1
  +20y
  Advanced Scope
  +2
  +50y
  Jay ducked. Somehow, instinctively, he went 
  sideways and down. The access bank behind 
  him ceased to exist. 
  He rolled across the floor trying to see 
  through the fiery haze. Something slammed 
  into the wall above where he lay. The gun 
  was military grade and the particle beam 
  punched through the wall rather than killing 
  Jay with the collateral damage. The bulkhead 
  to the AS-pod seemed miles away now—
  through hell. 
  Jay fired back, blindly. He didn’t know if 
  his friends were alive or dead. He didn’t 
  know if he was hurt or not. He just fired. 
  On maximum output the Storm Rifle could 
  sustain fire for four seconds before shu�ing 
  down. 
  Galaxies of light coiled out of his barrel 
  towards the open doorway. He saw armored 
  figures, illuminated by his fire, evaporate 
  under its onslaught. 
  Four seconds. Still firing he rolled to his feet. 
  Three seconds. A hellishly bright lance of 
  light traced a melted-metal trench inches 
  from his feet. He felt his flesh cook through 
  the protective clothes. 
  Two seconds. The gun in his hands hummed 
  like a tuning fork. He ran. They might 
  predict that he would head towards the 
  pod—they might cover it with their fire. He 
  didn’t care. 
  Somewhere, in the back of his head, he knew 
  he was abandoning his friends—leaving 
  without them even if they were still alive. 
  He didn’t care. The world was an inferno of 
  collapsing metal, melted steel, and sheets of 
  fire. He felt the gun cut out on him and he 
  dropped it in his mad dash for the pod. 
  Goodbye, he thought silently to his friends 
  as he threw himself through its mouth. He 
  thought he could hear them back there—
  screaming and firing . . . maybe screaming 
  and dying. He depressed the close the bu�on 
  and the sound went away. 
  “What kept you, Jay?” she asked, amazed. 
  “I didn’t expect you to stand and fight with 
  them! You go hero on me?” 
  She twisted the release lever then, and the 
  artificial gravity fell away as they dropped 
  into their re-entry descent. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  135
  JAGS Combat
  Continuing Beam Sweep
  REA Cost: 10 REA Long
  Roll to hit: Standard
  Modifiers: Standard Range, Each target after 4 is at a cumulative -1 to hit.
  Damage Type: By Weapon
  Damage: By Weapon
  Description: Some science fiction weapons fire a “continuing beam” that will last for an 
  entire second. A Continuing Beam Sweep is a Long Action. The character can sweep a 120-
  degree arc in front of him and get a roll to hit all targets in that area (note: The decision can 
  be made to limit this effect to no more than five people if it is getting cumbersome). The beam 
  will hit half the targets for the first part of the action and then hit the rest of the targets after 
  any responding actions.
  Each roll to hit targets after 4 is at a cumulative -1. This applies to all targets in the area. Thus 
  an attempt to hit six targets with a Beam Sweep rolls to hit all of them at -2.
  NOTE: If there is a small number of targets or a large number but they occupy a very tight 
  space (GM’s adjudication) then it is legitimate to hit a group of targets before the reaction. 
  Usually 3 to 4 targets may be hit by the beam before any character gets a Response action. 
  If the situation has a cluster of targets within a narrow (30-degree or less) arc in front of the 
  shooter, all could be hit before a response.
  NOTE: If a Continuing beam is “held steady” then one target may be hit twice but each hit will 
  do double the Base Damage. One hit happens before the Response can happen and one hit 
  happens after.
  
  JAGS Combat
  136
  A character with Level 1 Firearms skill is trying to load a breach-loading double-barreled 
  shotgun having expended the two bullets last Round. The Reload REA cost is 10. The 
  character has 12 REA. On his Turn he spends 5 REA to do a Medium Action Step behind 
  cover and then spends 5 REA to begin the reloading process. That is all he can do for that 
  Round.
  On the next Round he is able to spend the remaining 5 REA to complete the loading of 2 
  shots and may spend 5 REA to fire.
  Example
  Optional Rule: Reload
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium
  Roll to hit: None
  Modifiers: None
  Damage Type: None
  Damage: None
  Description: Reloading weapons requires one or more 5 REA Medium Actions. These are paid in 5 REA chunks and thus may take place 
  over several turns. A character’s Firearms and the type of gun determines how much total REA must be spent to reload it. 
  Gun Type
  Reload
  REA Cost
  Notes
  Muzzle 
  Loader
  1 bullet
  Lvl 1
  Lvl 2
  Lvl 3
  Lvl 4
  40
  30
  20
  10
  None
  Breach 
  Loading
  1 or 2 bullets
  Lvl 1
  Lvl 2
  Lvl 3
  Lvl 4
  20
  10
  5
  0
  None
  Revolver
  1 bullet
  Lvl 1
  Lvl 2
  Lvl 3
  Lvl 4
  10
  5
  *
  0
  A character at Level 3 can reload one shot for each point of Skill 
  above 10 with a 5 REA Medium Action and a successful Skill roll. 
  Or they may load one bullet each Round for free.
  Speed 
  Loader
  6 bullets
  Lvl 1
  Lvl 2
  Lvl 3
  Lvl 4
  10
  5
  *
  0
  A character at Level 3 with a speed loader can reload a revolver 
  for 0 REA if they make a Skill roll. Otherwise they pay 5 REA to 
  reload the entire chamber.
  Magazine or 
  Belt Fed
  Full Clip
  Lvl 1
  Lvl 2
  Lvl 3
  Lvl 4
  10
  5
  *
  0
  A character at Level 3 can insert a new magazine for 0 REA if 
  they make a Skill roll. Otherwise they pay 5 REA to draw and 
  insert the magazine.
  “It’s a dwarven personal cannon.” 
  “A what!?” 
  “A personal cannon—like a cannon . . . but 
  . . . personal. The tube has small cannon 
  balls—some kind of powder goes in the horn. 
  “ 
  “Yeah?” 
  “Yeah. Then you turn the 
  crank. BOOM.” 
  “Like a cannon?” 
  “Like a cannon.” 
  “Do, uh, do they know you 
  have this?” 
  “I’m still breathing, aren’t I?” 
  “I guess they don’t.” 
  ◊◊◊
  
  137
  JAGS Combat
  Firearms Table
  Weapon
  Damage
  Range
  ROF
  Recoil
  Clip
  Notes
  Small Pistol
  4
  -1/4y
  S
  -0
  6
  Hold-out gun
  Standard Pistol
  6 
  -1/5y
  S
  -0
  9
  9mm
  Large Pistol
  9
  -1/7y
  S
  -1
  6
  .45 ACP
  Huge Pistol
  13
  -1/8y
  S
  -2
  6
  .357 Desert Eagle
  Massive Pistol
  15
  -1/9y
  S
  -3
  6
  .44 Automag
  .22 Rifle
  21
  -1/50y
  S
  -0
  8
  Small hunting shell
  .30-.06 Rifle
  31
  -1/100y
  S
  -1
  8
  Medium game shell
  Huge Rifle
  50
  -1/150y
  S
  -2
  8
  Big game shell
  Sub Machine Gun
  9
  -1/15y
  4x [12]
  -0
  32
  M-11
  Heavy SMG
  12
  -1/20y
  4x [12]
  -1
  32
  Hekler and Koch MP5
  Assault Rifle
  24
  -1/50y
  3x [8]
  -0
  16
  M16
  Machine Gun
  40
  -1/100y
  3x [8]
  -1
  --
  Belt fed M60
  Heavy MG
  80
  -1/200y
  3x [8]
  -2
  --
  Belt fed .50 – cal
  Shotgun
  24
  -1/25y
  S
  -2
  8
  Pump shotgun
  Shotguns
  Shotguns can be treated just like any other firearm—but if you wish to model them a little 
  differently, here’s how they depart in JAGS Revised terms. Shotguns (also called “scatter guns”) 
  fire a number of smaller pellets in the same trajectory. This increases the chance of hitting 
  someone and may even hit more than one (closely packed) target.
  Shotguns also can carry different types of shells (they can fire single slugs, “Door busters”, 
  “less-lethal beanbag shells”, incendiaries, and other munitions including the standard buckshot 
  pellets).
  Standard Buckshot
  The standard 12 gauge buckshot does 24 PEN damage.
  Weapon
  Damage
  Range
  ROF
  Recoil
  Clip
  Notes
  12 gauge Shotgun
  24 PEN
  -1/25y
  S
  -2
  8
  Scattergun
  Lock burster Round
  16 PEN
  --
  S
  -2
  8
  Hatton Round.  Loose metal dust and wax. No range.
  Beanbag round
  12 IMP
  -1/3y
  S
  -2
  8
  A nylon bag filled with lead shot.
  Flechette Round
  22 PEN
  -1/30y
  S
  -2
  8
  Shell is filled with needles. Double PEN factor. 
  It also has spread. This represents the individual pellets getting further apart as they travel. 
  Spread: Near Miss
  At 1 – 12 yards range if you miss by 1 you still hit for half damage.
  Spread: PEN Value
  Bullets usually have a Penetration Value against armor that is equal to their damage. In the case 
  of a scatter gun, however, this is less. This is explained in the armor section: it means shotgun 
  bullets are less likely to penetrate armor than some other munitions.
  Spread: Damage Reduces
  Damage for a scattergun reduces as the range gets further out. 
  Spread: Targets
  If human sized targets are close together (usually less than a yard) a single to-hit roll may hit two 
  or three of them for the listed damage at longer range.
  
  JAGS Combat
  138
  Range
  Effect
  Targets
  Close (1 – 12 yards)
  PEN Value is treated as 16. Gets +1 to-hit near 
  miss
  1
  Medium (13 – 50 yards)
  PEN Value is treated as 12. Damage is 20 PEN
  1
  Long (51 – 100 yards)
  PEN Value is treated as 10. Damage is 16 PEN
  2
  Very Long (101-150 
  yards)
  PEN Value is treated as 6. Damage is 9 PEN.
  3
  Bows and Arrows
  Bows function much the same as guns but they are traditionally slower to reload and must be 
  drawn using the character’s strength. Each bow has a damage and a STR rating. If the character 
  is below the STR rating by one point there is an additional +1 REA cost for each shot. If the 
  character is 2 STR below the rating there is a +5 REA cost per shot. If the character is 3 or more 
  below the cost of the bow they cannot use it.
  Aiming with a Bow
  An Aim action can be taken either before or after the bow is drawn.
  Drawing The Bow
  Each Bow Shot costs some amount of REA based on the character’s Skill Level. This is paid in 
  5pt chunks (if a character has 13 REA, he can only pay 10pts per Turn). When the last chunk is 
  paid, the character rolls to attack.
  Bow Skill Level
  Level 1
  Level 2
  Level 3
  Level 4
  REA Cost Per Shot
  15 REA
  10 REA
  5 REA 
  5 REA
  Bow Table
  Bow
  Dmg
  Range
  Pull 
  (STR)
  Light Crossbow
  8
  -1/15y
  9
  Heavy Crossbow
  11
  -1/15y
  11
  Short bow
  7
  -1/20y
  9
  Long bow
  9
  -1/20y
  11
  Heavy Long Bow
  12
  -1/20y
  14
  Heavy Compound bow
  13
  -1/20y
  11
  Medium Compound Bow
  11
  -1/20
  09
  Light Compound Bow
  9
  -1/20y
  08
  NOTE: The last three bows are only available in modern cultures.
  Tracking Bullets
  JAGS Revised neither requires nor 
  advises that you track bullets or require 
  reloading for most games. Keeping 
  track of expendables is something many 
  (most?) people find boring and adds 
  nothing to their game.
  However: sometimes tracking bullets (and 
  other expendables) does add something 
  to the game. In a Vietnam war game being 
  low on ammo can build drama. In a post 
  apocalyptic game where the characters 
  are prospectors trying to get rich, tracking 
  ammo, food, fuel, and water can be part of 
  the challenge.
  Finally, in a fire fight, having to re-load 
  either creates interesting scenes (one 
  infantry man calling to another for more 
  ammo) or gives a sense of verisimilitude 
  (you can’t fire all day without taking an 
  action to reload the weapon). If either of 
  these is a goal of the players the Reload 
  Action can be used.
  Optional Rule: Out of Bullets!
  During any Round after the second of fire 
  when a character rolls to hit and gets three 
  of the same number on their dice, the 
  GM can rule they have to “change a clip” 
  or are “out of bullets.” The rolled attack, 
  however, still goes off as normal. As 
  noted, the purpose of this is to introduce 
  reload actions without necessitating 
  tedious ammo tracking. The odds of this 
  happening are about 1 in 10 shots.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  139
  JAGS Combat
  Move Actions
  A Move Action is declared when you want to get somewhere (such as charging into or out of 
  combat). These rules also touch on paranormal movement forms (teleporting, phasing out, and 
  super speed).
  Mired
  In some cases a character will move in adverse conditions (up to their thighs in mud or snow, 
  on a slippery surface, etc.) While the full possible scope of conditions can never be covered in 
  detail, here are some guidelines.
  Stuck
  A character about waist deep in mud or snow suffers the following modifiers:
  • 
  They lose their AGI Bonus.
  • 
  Their movement speed is reduced to 1 second of Walking Speed with a Full Move or 1 
  yard of movement with a Step action.
  • 
  They get a -4 to Dodge.
  • 
  They are at -2 to Kick.
  • 
  They are at -4 to Initiative rolls.
  Very sticky conditions can make these modifiers worse: a +1 Stuck condition, for example, would 
  make the character at +1 to be hit, -5 to dodge, -3 to Kick, and -5 to Initiative.
  If a condition is sticky enough, the character must make Grapple Rolls against some Grapple 
  Strength every turn in order to move.
  Slick
  A character who steps on a bunch of marbles, is caught on a floor covered with oil, or is out on 
  slick ice has some negative modifiers.
  • 
  A Full Move requires an AGI or Acrobatics roll at -3. This is made when the move is 
  declared, if failed, the character will fall.
  • 
  The character must make an AGI or Acrobatics roll at -1 any time they declare a kick, 
  dodge, or Step. This is made when the move is declared, if failed, the character will 
  fall.
  • 
  A character loses 2pts of his AGI Bonus. If this reduces it below zero, it is reduced to 
  zero.
  Very slick conditions can make these modifiers worse. A +1 Slick condition, for example, would 
  make the character roll at -4 for a Full Move, and -3 for a Kick, Dodge, or Step.
  
  JAGS Combat
  140
  Move Chart
  Action
  REA
  Notes
  Full Move
  8 REA Long or 5 
  REA Long
  Gives you 3 seconds of movement. If you did a Full Move last Round or a Step-And-Keep-
  Moving action then you can continue for a 5 REA Long Action.
  Step
  5 REA Medium
  1 second of movement or less.
  Drive Vehicle/Ride 
  Animal
  5 REA Medium
  This action is required to control a vehicle.
  Turn To Face
  0 REA Medium
  You can turn to face someone who has run around behind you.
  Turn Around
  Varies
  Often free—but under some conditions it is a 5 REA Medium Action.
  Free Step
  0 REA Medium
  If you make your Initiative Roll by 5 or better you can take a free Step Action with any strike.
  Step and Keep 
  Moving
  5 REA Medium
  If you do this on Round 1 you can make a Full Move next Round for 5 REA (continuing).
  Step Inside Reach
  5 REA Medium 
  If you are facing a weapon with longer Reach than yours, you will need to Step Inside Reach 
  to close the distance. Each Step closes one level of Reach.
  Reaction Move
  5 REA Long
  When someone moves up to you and you were already moving last turn, you can take a 
  Reaction Move to simulate the fact that both of you are “really” moving simultaneously. 
  Strike While Moving
  Strike + Move
  If both amounts of REA are paid and the strike is done at some substantial negatives you can 
  move past someone and strike. If they don’t react as you move by, you’ll finish your move 
  some distance from them.
  Charge
  Strike + Move
  You can move towards someone with a Charge. This will do a bit of extra damage and give 
  them a choice: react and hit you on the way in or block your strike.
  Circling
  5 REA Long
  Moving in a circle around someone lets you “keep moving” while being in combat with them. 
  With some optional rules it can make it easier for you to slip inside their reach or dodge/block 
  their attacks.
  Overrun
  Move
  If you “run right over” someone you can do/take damage.
  Get Up
  5 REA Medium
  Getting to your feet after being knocked down (or waking up).
  Crawl
  2 REA Medium
  If you have 2 REA you can move a little bit—but you get no AGI Bonus and are at +1 to be hit.
  Jump/Acrobatic 
  Leap
  5 or 8 REA Long 
  Action
  The character makes a standing or running jump or an acrobatic leap!
  Pounce
  8 REA Long
  A move animals can do (a move and bite combination).
  Teleport
  8 REA Long
  A paranormal movement form: vanish in one place and appear in another.
  Phase Out
  8 REA Long
  A paranormal ability to become insubstantial.
  Super Step
  5 REA Medium
  If you are paranormally fast you can step far further than most humans.
  
  141
  JAGS Combat
  Full Move
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long Action to start moving, 5 REA Long Action to Keep Moving
  Distance Moved: 3x Movement Rate
  Description: The Full Move usually gives you three-seconds worth of flat-out running during 
  a turn. If the character was at a stand-still they must move one Running Move and then two 
  Sprinting Moves. If they were already moving they can move a full three Sprinting Moves.
  As this is a Long Move, any character passed (within HTH range) can respond to it. If 
  someone is approached they can respond and if you are engaged with someone and they try 
  to “run away” you can respond as well.
  If the character took a Full Move action last turn, they may take a Full Move action this turn 
  for only 5 REA—but the action is still Long.
  When approaching someone with a Full Move, you may stop at any point up to and including 
  Close Reach range.
  Being Stopped During Movement: If someone attacks you and scores a Dazed result your 
  movement will be stopped (not so for a Stun). The attacker may determine at what point 
  along your movement you were stopped (so it can be right away).
  Approaching Someone in a Fight: When you are approaching someone you should say 
  what Reach (or “Distance from the target”) you stop at (if you stop) or at least how close 
  you get to anyone who matters. Your options are Close (1 yard or less), Short (1-2 yards), 
  Medium (3-4 yards), Long (5 yards), and Very Long (more than 5 yards). This determines 
  whether you can strike each other (if one of you has a longer weapon than the other) and 
  how many Step Inside Reach moves must be taken to close.
  So you might say: “I dash towards the swordsman and stop one step outside of Medium 
  Reach, and Wait.”
  Optional Rule: Flat Out Run
  REA Cost: 10 REA Long Action (or all the REA you have if less than 10)
  Distance Moved: 6x Movement Rate
  Description: If no one is likely to attack a character they may be allowed to move 6x their 
  normal move instead of 3x during a Turn. A character making a Flat Out Run gets no AGI 
  Bonus and is at an additional +1 to be hit. NOTE: A normal Full Move usually involves some 
  zigzagging or only running for part of the turn (it may not be exactly 3 seconds).
  Optional Rule: Burst of Speed
  REA Cost: +1 REA
  Distance Moved: 1 yard per point an REA roll is made by.
  Description: A character trying for a “burst of speed” may pay an extra REA and make an 
  REA roll. Each point this roll is made by gives them a few extra yards of movement.
  
  JAGS Combat
  142
  Step
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: 1 yard to 1x Walking Movement Rate
  Description: A Step is a Medium Action that moves you a short distance (often 1-2 yards, 
  but possibly more). The closest a single step can get you to a hostile opponent is one level 
  of Reach per step (so if you are at Long Reach from an opponent, a Step will get you to 
  Medium Reach, a second Step will move you to Short Reach, and a third Step will get you 
  to Close Reach).
  Drive Vehicle
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: Dependant on the vehicle’s rate of speed.
  Description: If you are on a moving vehicle then it does not cost any REA to move along 
  with it. However, if you are controlling the vehicle then you must take a 5 REA Medium 
  action to control it. Usually the convention is that vehicles move on your Turn but if you do 
  not take the Drive action the vehicle is “out of control.”
  What this means will vary a lot: A space ship will just go straight on ahead, a car might 
  crash, and a skateboard will almost certainly dump the rider. The GM will make a judgment 
  based on the specific circumstances of the situation.
  Riding: Horses move with their own REA as an Advanced rule but it still takes a 5 
  REA Medium Action to ride them in combat unless the horse is a trained warhorse. An 
  uncontrolled horse may flee from opponents, require Riding rolls at -2 to stay on (if they 
  are ever uncontrolled in combat), and may need to make WIL checks (usually a 10- with 
  negatives for scary opponents) to remain calm. 
  Cars: There are specific rules for vehicular combat in JAGS Have-Not. These can be used 
  for an in-depth look at road combat.
  Skateboards and the Like: If a character is on an uncontrolled skateboard there is a Sports 
  roll at -4 to stay upright with additional negatives for terrain (if it goes down a staircase the 
  roll might be -8 if it is uncontrolled).
  Turn To Face
  REA Cost: 0 REA Medium Action (once per turn, 5 REA after that)
  Distance Moved: 0 – 1 yards (usually)
  Description: If someone declares a Move action or step that puts them behind you can 
  declare a Turn To Face response to turn on them unless they are 5 Initiative or more faster 
  than you. You may not Turn To Face if you have declared an Attack Action against anyone 
  else that Round.
  NOTE: This does not mean no one can ever be attacked from behind. You must know the 
  move is being made and be able to Respond to it to take a Turn To Face action.
  Behind Martin, the cycles were chewing up 
  the distance he’d gained on the straightway. 
  He punched the gas hard into a turn and 
  kissed the thin aluminum guardrail between 
  him and the cliff. 
  Nothing but sky, he thought randomly, like 
  lyrics from a song. He heard the low, bass 
  roar of a cycle behind him. They weren’t 
  firing—they wanted the car in one piece and 
  that meant they needed a head shot. 
  Damn! Ahead the road twisted crazily. He 
  cranked back on the wheel. In the mirror, the 
  biker smiled—the black rod of a 9-millimeter 
  flashed above the curve of the cycle’s 
  handlebars. 
  Martin slammed on the brakes. 
  With the biker three yards behind him he felt 
  the car fishtail and smelled rubber burn as 
  the distance closed like a lightning bolt. 
  The biker was still smiling when he slammed 
  under Martin’s back fender. He made a wet 
  sound before the bike caught the rear axle and 
  muffler. Martin, fearing the worst, mashed 
  the accelerator. 
  The cycles were on him then, like a school 
  of piranha, rushing in behind him. Too fast 
  to escape, and too maneuverable to grossly 
  overrun him they closed the distance. 
  He ducked low and prayed in the quick 
  instants while the car seemed frozen or mired 
  in the speeds below eighty miles per hour. 
  He heard the first crack of a pistol—
  terrifyingly close. 
  One trick le�: with the road ahead wrapped 
  around the mountains like a coiled snake his 
  fingers found the switch—Nitrous Oxide. 
  Time to burn, the voice in his brain said 
  coolly like he was hearing somebody else. 
  In a cold panic, he pictured the road ahead 
  and pressed down hard. 
  He heard the crack of another shot—like a 
  slap in the face—echo off the basalt wall of 
  rock to his right. A fist of acceleration drove 
  him back into the leather and his knuckles 
  went white on the wheel. 
  Frozen, he raced towards the hairpin turn 
  that dipped steeply to the right. Then he 
  screamed. 
  
  143
  JAGS Combat
  Turn Around
  REA Cost: Varies (see below)
  Distance Moved: None
  Description: Turning is a given with a Full Move—but if you need to turn in place for some 
  reason it may cost REA.
  1. 
  A “slight facing change” is a free 0 REA Medium Action. On your turn you can 
  change facing slightly (60-degrees) at will.
  2. 
  Turning to Face Someone who has run around behind you when you are not 
  engaged with someone else is a 0 REA Short Action (see Turn-To-Face).
  3. 
  Turning Around more than 60 degrees is a 5 REA Medium Action unless you made 
  your Initiative Roll by 5+ on a given turn—then you can do it once for free.
  Advanced: Free Step
  REA Cost: 0 REA Medium Action + any strike.
  Distance Moved: 1 yard to 1x Walking Movement Rate
  Description: If you make your Initiative Roll by 5+ you may take a Free Step action with any 
  strike. 
  Advanced: Step and Keep Moving
  REA Cost: 5 REA
  Distance Moved: 1 yard to 1x Walking Movement Rate
  Description: This Step action is a prelude to running. You can take a Step-And-Keep-Moving 
  Action for 5 REA and then next turn take a Full Move (Continued) for 5 REA.
  Advanced: Step Inside Reach
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: 1 yard
  Description: Hand to hand weapons have a Reach statistic which is roughly 1 additional 
  yard of striking distance from the “tip” of the weapon (or its swing radius). Usually one cannot 
  close inside this reach without making a Long Move.
  However, if you wish to move in slowly, each Step action taken in a fight will close the range 
  one level. If at Short Reach you can Step Into Close Combat (which can be very valuable for 
  grappling contests).
  Advanced: Reaction Move
  REA Cost: 5 REA Long Action (Special)
  Distance Moved: As per Full Move
  Description: A Reaction Move may be declared when you are already moving and someone 
  moves in such a way as you may react to it (such as running up to you). This allows you to 
  move away from someone trying to catch you.
  The Move is a Long Move but it happens before the Declared move being reacted to (or, 
  well, technically, at the same time). The rationale is this: if two people are running down 
  a hall one 2 yards ahead of the other, if they sprint at equal speeds one will not just catch 
  the other. Because of the way JAGS handles segmented movement (rather than having 
  everyone confusingly move at the same time) this move allows for a character who rolled a 
  poorer Initiative to essentially not be “standing still” until it is their turn to go.
  NOTE: If the person in back beats the Initiative roll of the guy in front by 5+, though, the guy 
  in front won’t get a Reaction Move and will still be caught!
  The cycle to his right, just against the back 
  door—the owner’s pistol over the rear 
  seats—caught metal and spun out in a fatal, 
  rolling, meat-grinder of a crash. 
  There’s no way—Martin thought. His 
  muscles were like ice under his skin: 
  immobile . . . rigid. 
  Then he decided he wanted to live a�er all 
  and swung out. He felt the le� half of his 
  wheels bite air over the edge of the roadway 
  before he pulled it back. Riding the slide, he 
  folded yards of ancient guard rail into his car 
  while the cycles—their ranks broken by the 
  spill—erupted in a sparkle of badly aimed 
  muzzle flashes. 
  Martin screamed in victory—audible even 
  over the engine—when the car crossed back 
  over the yellow line and onto the straightway 
  at the mountain bridge. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  144
  Advanced: Strike While Moving
  REA Cost: Move + Strike
  Distance Moved: Up to a Full Move
  Description: If you pay the REA cost for a move and a strike you may hit someone and 
  continue moving (slashing at someone as you run by). This is a Long move (so they may 
  hit you as you move by as well) and it isn’t a good strike. A Strike While Moving has the 
  following modifiers:
  • 
  -2 to hit.
  • 
  -2 Damage Modifier
  • 
  +2 to be blocked
  Advanced: Charge
  REA Cost: Move + Strike
  Distance Moved: Up to Full Move
  Description: A character may choose to Charge into combat. This is a Long Action that 
  costs the REA of a Strike and a Move. When the character approaches the target will have 
  a choice: If they take any Response Action (strike the character on the way in) they may not 
  take a Defensive action (Block or Dodge) against the blow.
  Furthermore, the blow does +2 Base Damage.
  NOTE: If a charging person is Dazed on the way in they will be stopped and will not get to 
  attack. If they have enough REA for a second attack, however, after Charging and being 
  Dazed, they may take it.
  Advanced: Circling
  REA Cost: 5 REA Long Action (continuing)
  Distance Moved: Usually 1-5 yards.
  Description: Circling isn’t really a special move—it’s a use of the standard Full Move to try to 
  get an advantage. If you just run around behind someone, they will do a Turn-To-Face move 
  (for free) and you don’t get much. However if you declare that you are Circling then you have 
  some advantages.
  • 
  You are “continuing to move” so you can move away (or closer in) for only 5 REA.
  • 
  If the target ever decides to attack someone else you can move in because they 
  cannot Turn To Face once they’ve done that (without paying 5 REA).
  • 
  If you are outside their striking range you can, with one 5 REA Long Move, control 
  how close you get.
  Optional: Speed Bonus. If you are Circling you get +3 to your Initiative for purposes of being 
  5 Initiative faster than the person you are circling only. This gives you a Continuing Move into 
  range to which they cannot respond (because you are 5 Initiative Faster than them). NOTE: If 
  they are Circling as well then both of you are Circling and it cancels each other.
  Optional: Dodge and Block Bonus. If you are Circling someone and they are not paying REA 
  to Circle you as well, you get +2 to Dodge and Block rolls against them.
  The Optional rules will tend to make characters more likely to spend REA for tactical 
  movement. This could lend excitement to games that, for example, take place in an arena or 
  otherwise focus on the details of tactical battle.
  
  145
  JAGS Combat
  Overrun
  REA Cost: Full Move (Long)
  Distance Moved: Up to Full Move
  Description: An Overrun attack means charging someone to knock them down and keeping 
  on going. This does damage as follows: (STR – 10) + BLD/5. There are more complicated 
  rules in the Tools section for characters with extremely high velocities or BLDs. If the target’s 
  BLD is more than 3x yours, you take all the damage. If your BLD is 4x or more that of the 
  targets’ you take no damage. Otherwise, you take half damage.
  A character with 13 STR and 13 BLD charges a normal man (10 STR, 10 BLD) moving 8 
  yards per second. 3 (for STR) + [ (13/5) ] = 5pts total damage. Because they are roughly the 
  same size, the man target is hit for the full 5 and the attacker suffers a hit for 3pts of damage 
  (Base Damage).
  Example
  Get Up
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: None
  Description: If a character is knocked down they may use a 5 REA Medium action to stand 
  up. If the rising character is Grabbed or Grappled, they must win an Offensive vs. Offensive 
  Grapple Roll to stand. A character with Level 2 Acrobatics can make a roll to get up for 0 
  REA. At Level 3, this roll is at +2, and +4 at Level 4.
  Advanced: Crawl
  REA Cost: 2 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: 1 – 2 yards
  Description: A character who has no AGI Bonus and +1 to be hit for the entire Round can 
  spend 2 REA as a Medium action to crawl (or stagger) one or two yards. This can also be 
  done at the end of a turn to pull the character half-way to a standing position (they can stand 
  next turn for 2 REA Medium Action and recover their AGI Bonus after that).
  Advanced: Jump
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium or 8 REA Long
  Distance Moved: Varies
  Description: There are a three kinds of Jump Actions—standing Jumps, Running Jumps, 
  and Acrobatic Leaps. These are handled separately.
  Standing Jump: A character can jump as a 5 REA Long Move. The character needs to make 
  a STR roll to make a “far” jump (about 4 yards for a normal person). A 5 REA Long Action 
  Jump may include a single step (not a “Step action”, just a ‘step’).
  Running Jump: As part of a Full Move a character can terminate it with a Jump. This requires 
  a STR roll to move an additional second worth of movement and an AGI or Acrobatics roll at 
  -3 to land on one’s feet.
  Acrobatic Leap: A character with Level 3 Acrobatics or better can take a Step Action’s worth 
  of distance with Acrobatic tumbling and leaps as a 5 REA Medium Action. There is usually no 
  roll necessary to clear obstacles the size of a kitchen table or smaller. Serious obstacles (a 6’ 
  wall) require an Acrobatics Skill roll. 
  Acrobatics can also allow a Full Move across Slick or Mired Conditions with a jump. If the 
  character fails his Acrobatics roll they may fall down or be stuck (the grittier the game the 
  greater the chance the character will fall).
  
  JAGS Combat
  146
  Advanced: Super Jumps
  Characters with super strength can jump far more effectively than normal STR characters. 
  You can use notes in the Tools section to figure out how far a character can go (or just 
  estimate it). Jumps are 8 REA Long Actions and there is no “continuing move.” 
  If a Super Jump takes more than a second, the character will get negatives to be hit based 
  on his speed and can make an Acrobatics roll at -3 to roll or rotate in air to get their AGI 
  bonus (otherwise their AGI Bonus will be reduced to zero).
  Pounce
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long Action
  Distance Moved: Up to Full Move
  Description: A Pounce Attack is an attack some animals have (for a human to have it they 
  must have some special training or abilities). When Pouncing the entire attack combines a 
  bite or claw and movement into one 8 REA Long action. A fast animal may pounce and bite 
  and then attack a second time when in close!
  Teleport
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long
  Distance Moved: Varies
  Description: Vanishing from one place and appearing in another is usually an 8 REA Long 
  Action. It may be Responded to at either the disappearance or the appearance point.
  Phase Out (Insubstantial)
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long
  Distance Moved: None
  Description: Becoming insubstantial (or, as is also the case, invisible) is an 8 REA Long 
  Action. You can be hit before you are insubstantial. Becoming substantial again may also 
  be an 8 REA Long Action (meaning that if you Phase In and attack, you can be hit while 
  becoming substantial).
  Super Step
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: More than 15 yards
  Description: Super heroes or other supernaturally fast characters can take a Super Step 
  action. A Super Step is a “normal” step that moves you 2x or more the distance of a normal 
  human’s Step. When you have a Super Step (ground speed of 15y/s or more walking speed) 
  you can do some interesting things.
  • 
  Retreat And Not Be Followed. If you declare a Retreating Block and your opponent 
  is nowhere close to as fast as you are, at the end of the Block you will necessarily 
  be outside of their range for another hit.
  • 
  Hit And Step Away. On your turn you can hit and step away (as a Medium Action 
  to which they get no Reaction strike) and they will have to take one or more Step 
  actions just to catch you (or make a Full Move).
  • 
  Flank. If you make your Initiative roll by 5 or more than they make theirs by, you 
  can Flank them giving them a -2 to Block simply by taking a step action to “run 
  around them” faster than they can turn-to-face.
  None of these advantages apply if your opponent has a Super Step as well (including the 
  Flank effect).
  
  147
  JAGS Combat
  Flight
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Distance Moved: More than 15 yards
  Description: Flight comes in three basic types: Hover Flight, Rocket Flight, and Winged 
  Flight. The flight type will determine what moves are legitimate.
  Acceleration and Top Speed: Characters who can fly will have a top-speed and an 
  acceleration. Each turn they accelerate it cost them an 8 REA Long Action. To fly at their 
  present speed (whatever it is) is a 5 REA continuing move (this is considered cruising).
  Precision Flying: Any fast moving character (say, more than 20y/s) will need to make AGI or 
  Acrobatics rolls to maneuver. Maneuvers may have substantial negative modifiers associated 
  with them.
  The Tools section gives some guidelines for maneuver—but the basic rules here are simply a 
  guideline for how the GM may adjudicate modifiers for precision flying.
  Maneuverability
  Hover Flight
  High Maneuverability
  Rocket Flight
  Low Maneuverability 
  Winged Flight
  Medium Maneuverability
  Ceiling: How high a character can go is dependant on how their flight actually works. A 
  Low ceiling usually means they get up around building height. A Medium ceiling allows 
  unrestricted flight within atmosphere at breathable levels. High ceilings allow flight into space 
  (if the character can survive).
  Hover Flight
  Hover flight usually implies magic or some kind of advanced technology. Hover Flight allows 
  the character to stop flying and stand still in air for 0 REA. The character can take a normal 
  ground-speed step in any direction (although straight up will move half as far as across) as a 
  5 REA Medium Action.
  Rocket Flight
  The character must continue moving for 8 (accelerating) or 5 (cruising speed). The character 
  cannot hover in place but must keep moving. Stall speeds (the speed below which the 
  character will fall) is usually equal to one second of acceleration.
  Winged Flight
  Winged characters can “sort of hover” if they spend 8 REA Long actions (there may be AGI or 
  Acrobatics rolls as well). Furthermore, winged characters need enough room for their wing-
  spread.
  
  JAGS Combat
  148
  Defensive Moves
  When someone declares an attack on you, you don’t just have to sit there and take it. You can 
  try to parry a blow with your sword skill, or attempt an unarmed block with Karate. You can dive 
  behind cover when being shot at, or hit the deck when someone throws a grenade.
  In order to succeed with a defense you have to spend REA for the Reaction and make a roll by 
  equal-to or more than they rolled to hit you (so dodging an expert sniper’s bullet is harder than 
  ducking an unskilled round-house punch).
  Calculating Defensive Roll
  To figure out what your Block or Dodge roll is, look at your character sheet. If you have a martial 
  art (like Karate) the Level you have it at gives you a Block roll that’s close to your skill roll. If 
  you’ve got Acrobatics skill you can use that to Dodge.
  If you’ve got nothing else, you can roll against AGI (but the odds aren’t good, especially if they 
  have a weapon).
  Karate Level 2 gives a -2 Block roll against unarmed attacks. If a character has a 14- Karate 
  skill, he has a 12- Block roll.
  Example
  What You Need To Roll
  Once you know what your roll is then, when you are hit, you must determine how much you need 
  to make that roll by: 
  AGI Bonus Does Not Apply
  To successfully block or dodge the character must make a defensive roll with the 
  appropriate skill by equal or more than the amount he was hit by not including his AGI 
  Bonus.
  Important Note
  !
  Performing a Defensive Reaction
  This is what you need to know about defensive actions:
  • 
  Defensive actions are declared as Reactions to attack actions.
  • 
  If you are immobile (held, tied up, etc.) you can’t dodge. If your arms are tied you can’t 
  block.
  • 
  You have to be aware of the attack.
  • 
  The character must pay the REA necessary to take the action.
  • 
  The character must declare the intent to attempt to a Defensive move before the 
  attacker makes a to-hit roll.
  A knight with a 15- Melee Weapons skill takes a swing at a brigand with a 12 AGI. The 
  Brigand wishes to Dodge. There are no other modifiers to hit in this situation.
  1. The Knight’s to-hit roll is a 13- (15- Skill minus the brigand’s AGI Bonus of -2).
  The roll for the Knight’s strike is a 10. This gives a Damage Modifier of 3.
  2. The Brigand’s roll to Dodge is a 12- (his AGI). He must make his roll by 5 since his AGI 
  Bonus does not count when determining how well he needs to roll to dodge and the Knight’s 
  to-hit roll not counting his AGI Bonus was a 15- (and he rolled a 10).
  3. The Brigand, who needs a 7- to dodge, rolls an 8 and is hit.
  Example
  
  149
  JAGS Combat
  A police man with Level 3 Firearms Skill on a 15- is shooting at a terrorist up on a rooftop 
  who wants to Hit The Deck. The terrorist has a 12 AGI. The Range Modifier is -5 (it’s a long 
  distance shot).
  1. 
  The policeman’s roll to hit is as follows:
  Modifier
  Amount
  Range
  -5
  Terrorist’s AGI Bonus
  -1
  Level 3 Firearms Skill
  Ignore -3pts of 
  environmental modifiers.
  Total
  -3 to hit
  The policeman needs a 12- to hit.
  2. 
  The policeman rolls to hit and rolls a 12. This is a hit by 0 for Damage Mod 
  purposes.
  3. 
  The roll to Dodge against a gun is AGI-4. However, a Hit The Deck action gives +2. 
  The terrorist has a 10- Dodge Score. How much does he need to make his roll by 
  in order to avoid the shot?
  The answer is 1 pt (he needs to roll a 9-)
  Why not 0 points (a 10- roll)? The Policeman hit by 0 points for purposes of 
  calculating damage, but by 1 point for purposes of determining how difficult the 
  shot is to dodge. This is because the terrorist’s AGI bonus makes him harder to hit 
  but does not count toward making the shot easier to block or dodge.
  4. The terrorist rolls an 11 and is hit by the round.
  Example
  Defensive Actions
  Action
  REA Cost
  Description
  Block
  3 REA Short
  Parry a blow or block with a shield.
  Dodge
  5 REA Short
  Get out of the way of a strike. This is 3 REA if you 
  have Acrobatics at Level 3+.
  Retreating Block
  5 REA Short
  A block that gives up ground but gives you a better 
  chance of success.
  Hit the Deck
  5 REA Short
  You throw yourself to the ground. If you cover 
  distance this is an 8 REA Short Action.
  Roll With Strike
  3 or 5 REA 
  Short
  A boxing move that can be combined with a normal 
  Block. It gives you negative damage modifiers if you 
  are hit.
  Block
  REA Cost: 3 REA Short Action
  Roll: AGI against an unarmed attack, AGI-4 against a weapon if you are unarmed, or as per 
  any Martial Art or Weapon Skill
  Description: A Shield may be used to block (see Shields) below. Several attack types cannot 
  be blocked: Overrun attacks, Grapple attacks, and Pounce Attacks. Attacks from Large 
  Weapons are harder to block unless you have a shield.
  Back Against The Wall: If a character has hindered movement they Block at -2.
  Fencing Weapons: Light weapons get a -1 to Block any weapon with a +7 or higher. Base 
  Damage.
  
  JAGS Combat
  150
  Dodge
  REA Cost: 5 REA Short Action (3 REA if the character has Level 3 Acrobatics or better)
  Roll: AGI or Acrobatics against any hand to hand attack. A Dodge is at -4 against ranged 
  attacks.
  Description: Dodges are useful against any attack.
  Retreating Block
  REA Cost: 5 REA Short Action 
  Roll: The Block roll is at +2 
  Description: The character moves back several yards and is followed by the attacker (at 
  the attacker’s discretion, otherwise they will be a Step apart—note the attacker may choose 
  to hit and not to Step). If a Retreating character cannot move back, they cannot take a 
  Retreating Block. Moving “sideways” doesn’t count (once the character hits an obstacle, no 
  more retreating blocks).
  NOTE: Most Blocks (or Dodges) give a bit of ground but a Retreating Block gives a lot up.
  Two swordfighters are dueling in a throne room. The first declares an attack and the target 
  declares a Retreating Block. The attacker then decides whether or not he will follow the 
  target.
  He decides not to follow. 
  The attack is still rolled to hit (it does) and the defender rolls to block (he is successful). Now, 
  however, the characters are a step distant.
  Example
  Hit the Deck
  REA Cost: 5 REA Short Action (8 if the character moves).
  Roll: The Dodge Roll is at +2
  Description: Hitting the Deck makes the character Prone and gives a +2 to a Dodge Roll 
  (although the character may not be able to Dodge again once they are down there unless 
  they take a Get Up Action or have Acrobatics skill or Ground Fighting). Note: A character 
  who makes an AGI or Acrobatics may move a Walking distance with this for 8 REA.
  Roll With Strike
  REA Cost: 3 or 5 REA Short Action
  Requires: Boxing Level 3+
  Description: The character is adept at moving so as to absorb blows. A Boxing Skill roll 
  is made as per a Block against the attack (the roll is at -4 if the attack is a weapon) and, if 
  successful, the character gets a -3 Damage Modifier applied to the attack. For 5 REA this 
  can be combined with a Block roll to avoid the attack altogether—but in that case, if the Block 
  fails the character still gets the -3 Damage Modifier!
  
  151
  JAGS Combat
  Optional Rule: Desperation Block/Dodge
  REA Cost: As per the Block or Dodge
  Roll: Normal—but it may be modified after it is missed
  Description: When a block roll is missed a character can declare a “desperation Block” 
  and retroactively improve their Block score by +1 or +2 if that is enough to make it have 
  been successful. They suffer -3x the increase to all actions for the remainder of the turn 
  and -2x the amount of increase for the following turn.
  Recovering Balance: If a character spends 8 REA to “recover their balance” the remove 
  these negative modifiers.
  NOTE: This rule allows for more dynamic fights with less armor since characters can 
  depend a little more on their Block scores. It might be appropriate in a Swashbuckler’s 
  game. The participants may wish to limit this defensive option to characters with Level 3 or 
  better combat skills (or just “the heroes”).
  Optional Rule: Defensive Positioning
  REA Cost: As per the Block or Dodge
  Roll: Normal.
  Description: When you are in a defensive position your vital organs are harder to hit. If this 
  rule is in effect then any attempt to Block or Dodge an attack results in that attack taking a -3 
  Damage Modifier if it does hit.
  NOTE: This rule makes using a Block or Dodge a very good idea whether you successfully 
  parry the attack or not (you will tend to take less damage just for having tried to Block or 
  Dodge). It might be applicable for a Swashbuckler’s game or any other game without lots 
  of armor but with fairly heroic characters. The participants may wish to limit this defensive 
  option to characters with Level 3 or better combat skills (or just “the heroes”).
  Shields
  Shields serve two purposes. Firstly, they can be used to Block attacks (including arrows). 
  Secondly, they make you harder to hit just by being on your arm. Shields give the user a Block 
  and a Shield Bonus which substitutes for the user’s AGI bonus if it is better (the shield using 
  character can choose which one he is using).
  Blocking With A Shield
  Shields use the Shield Skill to Block. This can be used to Block thrown weapons and arrows (but 
  not bullets). If you can (easily) see it coming, you can Block it with a shield.
  Shield Bonus
  This negative to-hit the shield wielding character can be substituted for the character’s AGI 
  bonus. NOTE: The entire Shield Bonus applies against ranged attacks (unlike AGI Bonus, of 
  which only half applies).
  STR Min
  For each point of STR a character is under the STR Min for a shield the REA cost to Block is 
  increased by 1.
  Shield Table
  Shield
  Shield Bonus
  STR Min
  Small Shield
  -1
  09
  Medium Shield
  -2
  11
  Large Shield
  -3
  12
  Huge Shield
  -4
  13
  Movement During Combat
  Any time someone takes an attack or 
  defense action they are assumed to move 
  around somewhat. The system does 
  not track exactly where they are but it is 
  permissible for the participants to decide 
  that combatants involved in an exchanged 
  have moved a yard or two with every blow.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Combat
  152
  Optional Rule: Shield Damage
  If you use a shield to, say, block a spaceship’s laser gun, it’s not going to deflect. It’s going 
  to punch right through. If the ability of the shield to hold up under the attack is in question, 
  it may act as 5/10 Armor if the GM feels the attack is likely to just go through (powerful 
  handguns: Yes. Swords and arrows: No.).
  Grappling Combat
  If you decide to grab or wrestle with someone you are engaging in Grappling Combat. This 
  happens at “Close Range” (meaning that larger weapons will be reduced in effectiveness) and 
  may “go to the ground” (meaning the combatants are not standing as they fight). Grappling 
  involves Resisted Grapple Rolls.
  Advanced: Multiple Grapplers
  In a many-on-one scenario you don’t just add Grapple Scores. Here’s how you calculate the 
  group: 
  1. Use the highest grappler’s grapple score.
  2. Add [ Defensive Grapple-10 ] for each additional person.
  The person with the highest score gets to roll for the move that’s being done but the GM may 
  limit it to Grab, Hold, and Pin.
  The Grab Action
  Before we get into full blown Grappling, let’s start with the Grab Action. A Grab is when you reach 
  out and lock onto someone. When you Grab someone you declare the action, roll to hit, and then 
  you must win a Resisted Grapple Roll of Offensive Grapple vs. Defensive Grapple. If you lose, 
  they throw you off. If you win, you have Grabbed them!
  Grab Actions
  Action
  To-hit
  REA
  Roll
  Grab
  +0
  5 REA 
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Grab Weapon Arm
  -2
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Take Something Away
  -2
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Offensive
  Break Grab
  None
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Offensive
  Push/Pull
  +0
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Throttle (Choke)
  -2
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Return Grab
  None
  0 REA
  None
  Grab
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: AGI or any Martial Art skill.
  Damage: None.
  Grapple Roll: Win a Resisted Roll of your Offensive Grapple vs. their Defensive Grapple
  Description: When you Grab someone:
  • 
  Both of your AGI Bonuses drop to 0.
  • 
  Neither party can move without either dragging the other person (see Push/Pull) 
  or performing a Break Grab roll (or both agreeing to move).
  • You are at Close Combat range (weapons
  “We,” Trey said, “were not this hard up for 
  a job.”
  “Yes we were,” Calvin answered. The huge 
  man was almost completely hidden behind 
  the newspaper he had open. Around them the 
  airport terminal went about its business of 
  comings and goings as usual. 
  Trey scowled. He wore dark glasses but he 
  still kind of hoped someone would recognize 
  him. His career in films, B-grade martial arts 
  movies, didn’t make him any kind of well-
  known celebrity and certainly, being noticed 
  as an expert fighter right now might scu�le 
  the mission. Still,it’d be nice, once in a while, 
  to have a fan.
  Calvin turned a page.
  “They’re coming out now,” Trey said. The 
  passenger jet was deplaning and tourists, 
  business men, and tired looking returning 
  vacationers were spilling from the access 
  door. “Put the paper down.”
  “Nope,” Calvin said. “Tell me when you see 
  the guy. I’m too recognizable.”
  “I could hit you,” Trey offered. “I’m the 
  damned movie star here.”
  “I’ve never seen one of your movies,” Calvin 
  offered.
  “That’s because you’re a—hey, there he is.” 
  Trey turned, and saw a ghost of himself in 
  the windows. His suit was sharp, his hair 
  was perfect. He smiled his movie-star smile.
  “Good,” Calvin said. “If he has the briefcase, 
  we make the trade and we’re out of here.”
  Trey beckoned. The li�le man, nervous 
  and disheveled looking, glanced about in 
  an almost comic pantomime of paranoia. 
  Trey winced inwardly: if there was trouble 
  waiting for them this guy would stand out 
  like a beacon.
  The man hustled forwards. He clutched the 
  briefcase to his chest. Trey extended a hand 
  and the man looked at it as though it were a 
  poisonous snake. He shook his head. 
  “You have the money?” the man asked.
  “Hi,” Trey said, coolly. “Good to meet you 
  and all that. Yes. You have the goods?”
  “I do.” He sort of bobbed the briefcase up 
  and down. “Why do we have to meet here?” 
  
  153
  JAGS Combat
  A man with a 12 STR and 13 BLD and no special training tries to Grab a normal man (10 
  STR, 10 BLD). The attacker declares a Grab and rolls to hit using AGI. He hits—it doesn’t 
  matter by how much.
  Resisted Roll: The attacker’s Offensive Grapple is 12 (STR) + 1 (BLD/5) + 3 (Offensive 
  Bonus of +20% rounded normally) + 0 (training) = 16. The normal man’s Defensive Grapple 
  is 10 (STR) + 0 (BLD) + 0 (training) = 10. The contest is 16 vs. 10. 
  Using the rules for Resisted Rolls on pg 21, the smaller of the two numbers is less than 20 
  so it is a straight comparison. The attacker has a 6pt edge (16 is 6 higher than 10) so the 
  attacker’s roll is 16-.
  The attacker rolls a 12 and the Grab works.
  Example
  Advanced: Hanging Onto Clothing or Grabbing Moving 
  Targets
  These rules assume that during the Grab process you actually have a contest of strength 
  and size and the winner hangs on—or doesn’t. However, what if you just grab someone’s 
  belt or sleeve? What if they don’t battle with you but just start running away?
  Grabbing Clothing
  In these cases there will have to be a judgment call about how hard it is to hang onto them. 
  Just holding someone firm as in: “I reach out and grab the belt of the guy standing next 
  to me” requires no roll if not in combat—and if you succeed (either rolling to hit or the GM 
  adjudicating the action is legal) then you are “holding on.” A sudden jolt might require you to 
  make a STR roll to maintain grip (possibly at plusses or negatives).
  The GM can rule that if clothing is grabbed and the character being grabbed is not trying to 
  throw the grabber off, then there is no roll—or it is a STR roll modified by solidity of grip. 
  For example, if a character is falling into a chasm and reaches out to grab hold of another 
  person, there is no “Grab Roll” against the person’s Grapple Score (unless the person being 
  held is an enemy). There might just be a STR roll (at some bonus, such as +2) or no roll at 
  all.
  Moving Targets
  If you grab hold of a superhero as he flies by at 220mph, that’s a different deal. Here’s how 
  we might figure that out:
  1. GM adjudication: a super strong character may be ruled competent to grab onto a fast-
  flying target with a to-hit roll and a GM called for throw of a 13-. In this case the number 
  13 is made up by the GM as an adjudicated chance of success based on multiple factors. 
  We strongly advise the number be decided on before the action is declared (unless the 
  participants agree the character and player should not know what all is involved).
  2. Using a Mechanical Approximation: Each 5 BLD moving at 1 yard per second is the 
  equivalent of 1pt of Force (this is in the mechanics section and yeah, we know its complex). 
  A. The target is moving at 220mph—that is approximately 110y/s. 
  B. The character being grabbed has a 13 BLD. This is 3 (for 13 BLD) x  110y/s = 
  330 Force.
  C. In a collision the moving character would inflict Force / 6 Damage = 55pts 
  Damage. 
  the man complained. “There are too many 
  people.”
  “Because we are two of the best unarmed 
  combat experts in the world,” Trey told 
  him. “So we meet in an airport where it is 
  difficult, if not impossible, to bring a gun or 
  a knife. You,” he said, “are selling secrets of 
  one of the most elite private fighting schools 
  in history—so it is possible they will want to 
  stop us. Hence lots of people, lots of security, 
  lots of cameras.”
  “And they’re here,” Calvin said, as though 
  to no one in particular. Trey nodded. Across 
  the concourse, walking towards them, were 
  a phalanx of men with dark glasses, shaved 
  heads, and jet black suits. The guy in the 
  middle was almost as big as Proudbear.
  “Take the big one down,” Trey said, “Tie him 
  up while I go a�er the guy on the right.”
  “I got him cold,” Calvin said, neatly 
  folding the paper and rising easily, a deeply 
  tanned wall of muscle. “This is going to be 
  interesting.”
  The li�le man whimpered. Time seemed to 
  stop.
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  154
  Grab Weapon Arm
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: AGI (or any Martial Art skill) -2
  Damage: None.
  Grapple Roll: As per a Grab. If you succeed:
  • 
  The weapon or arm cannot be used effectively until the subject makes a Break 
  Grab move to free it.
  Optional: A weapon in a grabbled arm is not necessarily useless. If the participants of the 
  game wish to simulate the fact that it could be used—just a lot less effectively—it is legitimate 
  to give the character a -3 to-hit and -3 Damage Modifier with any attack made by the weapon 
  while the arm is grappled.
  Take Something Away
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: AGI (or any Martial Art skill) -2
  Damage: None.
  Grapple Roll: As per Grab but you go against their Offensive Grapple instead of their 
  Defensive Grapple. 
  • 
  If you win by 3 or more you have snatched away anything they were holding in 
  their hand.
  • If you win by 0 to 2 you have the arm grabbed and immobilized.
  Choke (Throttle)
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: AGI or any Martial Art skill 
  Defense: A choke is at +2 to Block. It is easier to defend against than a normal strike.
  Damage: Base Damage with each Squeeze. Damage Mod is +5.
  Grapple Roll: Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Description: You reach out and grab your opponent’s neck. If you win the Grapple Roll you 
  start doing damage! 
  • 
  Your opponent will start suffocating. This is not fast (or pleasant) when done as a 
  basic hands to the neck choke. If you can keep the Grab for their CON Turns, they 
  will pass out whether you do any damage or not.
  • 
  You can Squeeze for 5 REA each turn after you apply the choke. This does Base 
  Damage points of damage with a Damage Modifier of +5!
  Break Grab
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: None.
  Grapple Roll: If you are Grabbed you may make a Break Grab attempt. This rolls your 
  Offensive Grapple against their Offensive Grapple (this is Offensive vs. Offensive). If you 
  win, the Grab is broken.
  
  155
  JAGS Combat
  Push/Pull
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: None if there is a Grab, otherwise AGI or a Martial Art.
  Damage: None
  Grapple Roll: Offensive vs. Defensive
  You can decide to push or pull someone around. You do not need to have a Grab to do this—
  but if you do there is no to-hit roll. A successful pull score will move both characters together 
  wherever the moving character goes. Unless the Pushing character is strong enough to lift 
  the target (see Lift in the Mechanics section) the movement will be at half-rate.
  A Push, if released from the Grab, will:
  • 
  Move the target back 1-3 yards (or so). A super powered push will move the target 
  back Base Damage / (BLD/5) yards. This can send a character flying across the 
  room.
  • May force an AGI or Acrobatics roll at -1 per yard moved to stay standing.
  Return Grab
  REA Cost: 0 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Close
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: None
  Grapple Roll: None
  If you wish to let someone go, you may do so instantly for zero REA on your turn. This 
  “releasing the Grab.” However, if they don’t want to be let go, they may have Grabbed you 
  back. If you have been grabbed on you Turn you may declare a “Return Grab” to lock onto 
  the person who grabbed you. This is free. If the person wishes to let you go, they can—but 
  you’re still holding them. They must win a Break Grab move to release you.
  Grappling Actions
  Grappling actions (Wrestling moves) are tighter and closer in than a Grab. They may also take 
  place on the ground (ground fighting). In order to take many of the Grappling actions you must 
  first “establish a grapple.”
  REA Cost
  The REA the character pays to take the action. Note that a few of these change depending on 
  conditions.
  Range
  Some Grappling actions can be done from range (the flying tackle takedown). Some only work 
  from Close Range (lifting the person off the ground with a Pick Up action). If the Range says 
  Close then it usually means the character must have a Grab or Grapple already established or 
  else be at Close Range by having stepped into Close Combat.
  To-Hit Roll
  Usually AGI or a Martial Art. Even conventional striking arts (Karate) still use their to-hit rolls with 
  a Grapple unless they say otherwise explicitly (Boxing).
  Some Grappling Actions Require No To-Hit Roll: If you have already grabbed someone you don’t 
  have to roll to hit to lift them off the ground. 
  Damage
  Some of these (like a hard takedown or a “slam”) do damage. Some don’t (like lifting someone 
  off the ground). Often, instead of using your to-hit roll for Damage Modifier (because there may 
  not be a to-hit roll) you use a number from the Grappling Chart (see below).
  
  JAGS Combat
  156
  Defenses
  You can’t block a grapple attack (without some special training, anyway)—but you can Dodge 
  one. A Resist Grapple action is usually allowed too.
  Description
  A discussion of the move and the various rules covering it.
  Chart
  The results for various levels of success on the Grappling chart.
  Establishing a Grapple
  What does “establishing a Grapple” mean? It means you declared an action whose result is a 
  grapple and successfully hit with it and then won the Resisted Roll in order to hang on to your 
  target. If the column Establishes is marked YES then this move can be used to start a Grappling 
  contest.
  The Grapple Chart
  When you perform a Grapple Move (and you successfully roll to hit if that is required) then you 
  roll on the Grapple Chart to see what kind of Success you got. This may translate into the target 
  taking damage, being tied up into a pretzel, etc. Each Grapple Action has its own success chart 
  listed with it.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failure
  Minor Success
  Success
  Major Success
  Critical Success
  If you try a Grappling move and Fail, your opponent may immediately pay 5 REA for a 
  Break Grapple attempt (if they have the REA). Otherwise, you don’t “lose” any position 
  you already have.
  Important Note
  !
  Falling Down and Ground Fighting
  If a character is knocked or taken to the ground see the rules on Ground Fighting for the 
  appropriate modifiers and rules.
  Grappling Actions
  Action
  REA
  Establishes Grapple
  Notes
  Grapple
  8 REA Long
  YES
  Two handed grab. Establishes a Grapple.
  Takedown
  8 REA Long
  YES
  A tackle or otherwise going to the ground.
  Wrestling Shoot
  8 REA Long
  YES
  A special wrestling takedown.
  Immobilize Limb
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Lock up an arm.
  Pick Up
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Lift the target off the ground.
  Slam
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Lift target and slam him down!
  Hold
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Attempt to immobilize a target.
  Lock
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A squeezing hold (like a head lock).
  Pin
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Completely immobilize the target.
  Mount
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Ground and pound the target.
  Resist Grapple
  5 REA Short
  NO
  Resist one of the moves.
  Break Grapple
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Try to break the hold on yourself.
  Jujitsu Throw
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A martial arts throw.
  Arm Bar
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A martial arts limb-break/submission.
  Choke
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A submission move to cut off air/blood
  Super Throw
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Special high level Martial arts throw.
  Break Fall
  3 REA Short
  NO
  Take less damage from a fall.
  Super Grapple
  5 REA Med
  YES
  Tentacles, Telekinesis, etc.
  Break Grapple Response
  A substantial change from JAGS is the 
  Break Grapple rule. If someone has you 
  in a Hold, Lock, Pin, etc. and they try to 
  switch to another move (like going from a 
  Hold to a Mount) and get a Failure result, 
  you can immediately pay 5 REA to try for a 
  Break Grapple move.
  Change
  
  157
  JAGS Combat
  Basic Grapple (“Cinch”)
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long or, if the target was Grabbed last round it is a 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Short
  To-Hit Roll: AGI or Martial Art
  Damage: None
  Defenses: You can Dodge a Grapple—but cannot Block it. Resist Grapple works as well.
  Description: This is something like grabbing on to a person with both hands and getting in 
  close. 
  Negative Damage Modifiers (DM): Due to being “in close” it makes it harder to hit someone. 
  You can’t wind up as well to throw the strike. You can’t kick (although special training can 
  overcome this). You can’t Dodge. This applies to everyone in the grapple (the target and the 
  person who started it).
  Return Grapple: As a 0 REA Medium Action a character who was Grappled may “return the 
  grapple” grabbing hold as well. If this is done, neither party may simply “Release the Grapple” 
  and let go. They have to do a Break Grapple move.
  Release Grapple: Letting go is a 0 REA Medium Action. The negative Damage Modifiers will 
  instantly stop. If both parties are Grappling each other, then neither can Release Grapple but 
  must instead win a Break Grapple move.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Your hands are 
  shaken off.
  -4 DM from 
  punches. No 
  kicks.
  -4 DM from 
  punches. No 
  kicks.
  -4 DM from 
  punches. No 
  kicks.
  -4 DM from 
  punches. No 
  kicks.
  Takedown
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long Action or 5 REA Long Action if a Grapple is established.
  Reach: Long (Full Move)
  To-Hit Roll: AGI or Martial Art
  Damage: See Result Chart
  Defenses: You can Dodge a Takedown—but cannot Block it. Resist Grapple works as well. If 
  you are Grappled, you cannot Dodge.
  Description: This is a classic Judo or Wrestling Move (or just a flying tackle). When it 
  succeeds both characters wind up on the ground. If you wish to throw your opponent down 
  without falling yourself, use a Push, Slam, or Throw move.
  Damage: The falling character may take damage this is computed as: Base Damage + 
  (Target’s BLD/5) + [listed number for success]. The Damage Roll is a straight roll plus the 
  listed Damage Modifier.
  Flying Tackle: If you are further than Short or Medium Reach a Takedown may be done as 
  an 8 REA Long Move action. If you miss the target, you will fall anyway.
  Double Leg/Single Leg Takedown: From Medium or Short Reach (2-3 yards) you can do 
  the Takedown as an 8 REA Long Action. However, if you miss the target, you will not fall.
  Hold: A Hold is a controlling position. If the success of a Takedown is good enough, you wind 
  up on top of the target. The Hold is described in its own section.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Attacker thrown 
  off
  Attacker gets a 
  Grab 
  Both fall, attacker 
  has a Grapple.
  Both fall, attacker 
  has a Hold.
  Both fall, attacker 
  has a Hold.
  No Damage
  No Damage
  Normal Damage. 
  +2 DM
  Normal Damage 
  +1. +4 DM
  Normal Damage 
  +2. +6 DM
  Hurting Someone In a Grapple
  A Grapple is pretty much close-in fighting. 
  You can punch from there but it isn’t 
  preferable. Your best bet, if you want 
  to dominate someone and then pound 
  them is to start with a Grapple or Hold 
  (especially a good hold) and then move to 
  a Mount (see below). That will allow you 
  to rain blows down on them with relative 
  impunity.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Combat
  158
  Wrestling Shoot (Wrestling Tackle)
  REA Cost: 8 REA Medium Action (or Long, see Description).
  To-Hit Roll: Wrestling if they are not grabbed. No roll to hit if they are.
  Damage: +2 Damage
  Defenses: As per Takedown
  Description: This move requires Wrestling Level 3. The character must beat their target’s 
  REA roll by 3 in order to perform it as a Medium Action (instead of 5 that it would otherwise 
  take to do an unanswered Takedown action). Otherwise (if the Shooting character did not 
  beat their target’s roll by 3) it is a Long Action.
  Damage: The falling character may take damage this is computed as:
  Base Damage + (Target’s BLD/5) + listed number for success. The Damage Roll is a 
  straight roll plus the listed Damage (which has a +2 over standard Takedowns).
  Flying Tackle: If you are further than Short or Medium Reach a Takedown may be done as 
  an 8 REA Long Move action. If you miss the target, you will fall anyway.
  Double Leg/Single Leg Takedown: From Medium or Short Reach (2-3 yards) you can do 
  the Takedown as an 8 REA Long Action. However, if you miss the target, you will not fall.
  Hold: A Hold is a controlling position. If the success of a Takedown is good enough, you wind 
  up on top of the target. The Hold is described in its own section.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Attacker thrown 
  off
  Attacker gets a 
  Grab or Grapple 
  (no one falls)
  Both fall, 
  attacker has a 
  Grapple.
  Both fall, 
  attacker has a 
  Hold.
  Both fall, 
  attacker has a 
  Hold.
  No Damage
  No Damage
  Normal Damage 
  +2. +2 DM
  Normal Damage 
  +3. +4 DM
  Normal Damage 
  +4. +6 DM
  Immobilize Limb
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Close (Grab or Grapple)
  To-Hit Roll: AGI or Martial Art (-2 to hit if done from a Grab)
  Damage: None
  Defenses: This can be Blocked from a Grab but not from a Grapple. You can Resist Grapple.
  Description: This is described in the Grab Arm move. Until a Break Grab move is taken the 
  character can’t use the arm or a weapon in it.
  
  159
  JAGS Combat
  Pick Up
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Close (you must have a Grab or Grapple)
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: None (but some may come later)
  Defenses: You can Dodge a Grapple—but cannot Block it. Resist Grapple works as well.
  Description: You lift the target into the air. A lifted target will be held aloft for a number of 
  Rounds specified by the success. This count starts the Round after you roll the success—so 
  if you get “Two Rounds” then the round you lift them is Round “zero” and the next round and 
  the round after they’ll be held.
  Holding Them Up: Holding the target up costs 0 REA. It does take a hand or two, though. If 
  the lifting character wishes to keep them up, the action may be extended with another Pick-
  Up roll.
  One Or Two Hands: It may be ruled that a “strong” (or maybe “angry”) character can lift and 
  strike someone. If you want to use a mechanic to approximate if a character can be lifted 
  easily with one hand your (STR-10)/2 must be higher than their (BLD/5). It may be generally 
  ruled that if a character is not judged strong enough to “easily” lift a character with one hand, 
  they may lift them only for 1 Turn and only strike them once while they are held up (with the 
  other hand).
  Note: If a lifted character isn’t fighting and the lifting character is strong enough to lift them 
  there is no roll to pick up the character. The Pick Up action is rolled for in combat conditions.
  Putting them Down: When the time runs out, at the end of the lifting character’s Turn the 
  person will be down. Otherwise, putting them down is a 0 REA Medium Action. If it is after 
  the lifting character’s Turn to act, they can “drop them” immediately, at any time. A scared or 
  disoriented character or one not used to combat might fall (an AGI roll, possibly at a negative, 
  might be called for) when dropped.
  Effects
  While up there they may be struck (if you have a spare hand) or slammed (more easily). They 
  are also easier to hit in general (so your friends might attack them better).
  A picked up character:
  • 
  Is at +2 to be hit by everyone else (they’re dangling).
  • 
  Is easier to Slam (see the Slam Action).
  • 
  Can take any action they want, but can’t dodge (they are grabbed) and are at -2 to 
  any Block actions. They may kick their attacker. Striking others is usually at -2.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  No lift.
  No lift but +1 
  Turn of lift if they 
  are already lifted.
  1 Turn of lift.
  2 Turns of Lift
  Until released.
  
  JAGS Combat
  160
  Slam
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Close (you must have a Grab or Grapple)
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: Based on the Slam Type. Damage Modifier is based on the Success.
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: You lift the subject and then dash them against the ground or throw them 
  across the room! Damage is determined by how successfully you win the Slam roll and 
  whether you choose to release them or not (throwing them does more damage than hanging 
  on).
  A Slammed Target:
  • 
  Is on the ground (see Ground Fighting Modifiers).
  • 
  Is released, held in a grab, or held in a Grapple at the Slammer’s option.
  • 
  Takes damage based on the Roll to Slam and the type of Level of Release.
  • 
  May move a distance based on how far they could be thrown. There are concrete 
  rules for getting specific in the Tools Section of the book otherwise just imagine 
  what it would look like and go with that.
  Level of Release (whether you let go or keep the target held)
  • 
  Complete Release: Attacker’s STR-10 (Min 4) + Target’s (BLD/5) x 3
  • 
  Release to Grab: Attacker’s STR-10 (Min 2) + Target’s (BLD/5) x 2
  • 
  Keep Grapple: Attacker’s STR-10 (Min 1) + Target’s (BLD/5)
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  The Slam fails.
  The Slam fails
  The Slam fails 
  unless the target 
  was Picked Up. 
  DM is +6
  DM is +8
  DM is +10
  The man, high in the air over Calvin’s head, 
  looked terrified for the instant before he was 
  driven into the row of seats hard enough to 
  explode plastic and sha�er bones. Proudbear 
  bellowed as another of the men fired a hook-
  punch into his kidney. Trey had his own 
  problems. 
  He wove between two of the enemy blocking 
  a dazzling array of kicks and punches, 
  ducking and striking back. There didn’t seem 
  to be any end to the black-suited assassins. 
  Security, moving in slow motion compared 
  to the fighters, wasn’t going to be a factor 
  either. This was going to be over almost 
  immediately, one way or another.
  Trey felt Calvin gather his Chi and risked 
  a snap look over his shoulder. Calvin, in 
  violation of what would commonly be 
  considered the laws of physics, put the leader 
  through one of the massive security windows 
  that looked out on the runway.
  There’s our exit, Trey thought, before 
  someone punched him hard in the jaw.
  ◊◊◊
  
  161
  JAGS Combat
  Hold
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Close (you must have a Grab or Grapple)
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: None
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: A hold is an attempt to immobilize an opponent. It might be a classic Judo hold 
  or a more basic “sitting on someone and holding them down” type of thing. When a character 
  is in a Hold they suffer negative Damage Modifiers to any attack they launch. 
  The Holding character also suffers the same negative Damage Modifiers. If you want to 
  get on someone and pound them you need a Mount—not a Hold. A Hold can work from a 
  standing position (bear hug or full nelson) but is most often done on the ground.
  Improving a Hold
  If you are Holding a character and wish to improve your status you may take another Hold 
  roll. If you get a better success you get that. If you get the same success you had, you 
  improve your Hold by one level! If you get a worse success you ignore it.
  No Other Moves
  A character in a Hold can try no other Grappling Actions than Break Grapple. The character 
  can still Strike or try other Actions (telepathic combat?). 
  Auto-Immobilize
  A Successful Hold can automatically immobilize one limb (so if the subject has a knife you 
  can immobilize that limb with a successful hold).
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  The Hold Fails
  The Hold Fails
  Hold Succeeds:   
  -4 DM
  Hold Succeeds:   
  -6 DM
  Hold Succeeds:   
  -8 DM
  Lock
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action
  Reach: Close (you must have a Grab or Grapple)
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: See Below
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: A Lock (like a head lock) is a Hold where you can apply pressure or “squeeze” 
  the target to hurt them. This is a less efficient form of doing damage than the Arm Bar (which 
  requires Martial Arts skill). 
  Damage: When a Lock is accomplished the character can Squeeze for 5 REA as often as 
  they want. The damage done is as follows: [ Attacker’s STR – 10 ] / 2 (minimum of zero).  
  The Damage Modifier is based on how well the Lock is applied (how well the Grapple Roll 
  was made).
  Optional: Increasing Damage. Being in a Lock for several turns is worse as the person 
  gets to really grind in. The Base Damage is increased by +1 for each turn the subject is held 
  up to a total of +2 (on the third turn the target is in the Lock).
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  The Lock Fails
  The Lock Fails
  Lock Succeeds:   
  +4 DM
  Lock Succeeds:   
  +6 DM
  Lock Succeeds:   
  +8 DM
  A massive pro-wrestler with a STR of 13 
  and an Offensive Grapple Score of 26 is 
  grabbing a thug with a Defensive Grapple 
  score of 15, and a BLD of 13. This gives 
  the Wrestler a 21- Grapple Roll against the 
  thug. The Wrestler decides to Slam. He rolls 
  and gets a 10, a +11 Success. He declares 
  this will be a Complete Release (the 
  Wrestler is throwing the thug against a wall).
  The damage is: 4 (it would be 3 for the 
  Wrestler’s STR but there is a minimum) + 
  9 (the thug’s (13 BLD/5) x 3 = 9) = 12pts 
  of Base Damage! The Damage Modifier 
  is a whopping +10. The thug is virtually 
  shattered against the wall.
  Example
  
  JAGS Combat
  162
  Pin
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action You must have had a -8 DM Hold last Turn to attempt a 
  Pin.
  Reach: Close (you must have a Grab or Grapple)
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: None
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: A Pin is the ultimate form of the Hold. It completely immobilizes the opponent 
  and points any weapons away from you. When you have someone in a Pin they can no 
  longer try to strike you through the Hold. About the only action allowed to them is Break 
  Grapple.
   
  NOTE: You must have already had a -8 DM Hold last Round to attempt a Pin. 
  Usually a Pin makes both use of two arms and two legs on the part of the attacker.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Pin
  Pin
  Pin
  Jujitsu Throw
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Reach: Varies 
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: See formula and Chart
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: A Jujitsu or Aikido throw is essentially a form of Slam that is easier to do and 
  requires special training for (a Martial Art that gives you Throw). When a target is Thrown:
  • 
  They are on the ground (see Ground Fighting Modifiers)
  • 
  They will be Grabbed or Grappled if a Grab or Grapple was established prior to 
  the Throw. A Grab or Grapple may be released at the Thrower’s option with a 
  Throw.
  • 
  They suffer: [Target’s BLD/5] + [Thrower’s STR-10] + Modifier Listed On 
  Chart. The Damage Modifier is also as listed on the chart.
  • 
  They may be Thrown about 1 yard. To move someone further, use a Slam.
  When You Can Throw
  • 
  At Level 2 (Jujitsu) you can throw if you have a Grab or Grapple.
  • 
  At Level 3 and 4 (Jujitsu, or Tai Chi) you can Throw if you block an attack or 
  simply roll to hit from Short Reach range and throw.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Damage: +1
  Damage Mod: 
  +2
  Damage: +2
  Damage Mod: 
  +4
  Damage: +4
  Damage Mod: 
  +6
  Damage: +6
  Damage Mod: 
  +8
  
  163
  JAGS Combat
  Jujitsu Arm Bar
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Reach: Close (or in Response to an attack) 
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: See Chart
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: A Jujitsu Arm Bar is a special kind of hold that immobilizes a limb (and it’s 
  hard to do anything with the rest of your limbs too) and allows the person holding it to apply 
  pressure and break it! 
  Squeezing: Squeezing or “applying” an Arm Bar is a 5 REA Short action. It can be done in 
  Response to the person trying to attack you!
  Damage: Damage is a fraction of your Offensive Grapple Score. It is IMP damage (like all 
  Grappling Damage).
  Damage Modifier: As listed.
  When You Can Arm Bar
  • 
  At Level 2 you must have a Grab or Grapple.
  • 
  At Level 3 you can Arm Bar from a block (or just declare an Arm Bar move from 
  Short Reach range and roll to hit).
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Dmg: 1/4th 
  Grapple (Min 
  4pts) Damage 
  Mod: +2
  Dmg: 1/3rd 
  Grapple (Min 
  6pts) Damage 
  Mod: +4
  Dmg: 1⁄2 Grapple 
  (Min 8pts) 
  Damage Mod: +6
  
  JAGS Combat
  164
  Grappling Choke
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Reach: Close 
  To-Hit Roll: None if a Grab or Grapple is established otherwise must be applied from behind 
  with a Martial Art to-hit roll.
  Damage: See Chart
  Defenses: Resist Grapple, Block
  Description: A Grappling Choke is a blood choke applied to the neck. It works more quickly 
  than an air choke. When applied the attacker will immediately have a Hold at one level below 
  their Choke.
  Squeezing: It is possible to kill someone with a Grappling Choke by crushing their windpipe. 
  Squeezing is a 5 REA Medium Action. Damage is based on a portion of the attacker’s 
  Offensive Grapple Score. The Damage Modifier is determined by the chart.
  Lack of Blood to the Brain: The subject will accrue Unconsciousness Points based on 
  the level of the Choke at the end of each Turn it is held for (including the first). When these 
  reach the target’s CON or higher, they will drop unconscious. This requires 10 REA spent on 
  applying the Choke. It may or may not do damage at the option of the attacker.
  NOTE: In order to choke someone you must be able to do damage, even if you choose not 
  to.
  When You Can Choke:
  • 
  At Level 2 with an art that adds to Grapple you must have a Grab or Grapple.
  • 
  At Level 3 or 4 with an art that adds  you can declare a Choke when attacking from 
  behind or from the side from Short Reach Range.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Dmg: 1/4th Grapple (Min 
  4pts) Damage Mod: +2
  Uncon pts: 2/Rnd
  Dmg: 1/3rd Grapple 
  (Min 6pts) Damage 
  Mod: +4 Uncon pts: 
  3/Rnd
  Dmg: 1⁄2 Grapple 
  (Min 8pts) Damage 
  Mod: +6
  Uncon pts: 4/Rnd
  Mount
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Reach: Close (you must have a Grab or Grapple). Target must be on the ground/Held.
  To-Hit Roll: None
  Damage: None … yet.
  Defenses: Resist Grapple.
  Description: Mounting someone means getting on top, with (for example) a knee in their 
  chest, and then getting ready to pound them into the dirt. When you apply a Mount:
  • 
  They must be on the ground or Held, or in a Lock or Arm Bar.
  • 
  All Damage Modifiers due to Grabs or Grapples go away (see last point).
  • 
  They must still win a Break Grapple in order to disengage.
  • 
  You get pluses to hit them based on your Mount.
  • 
  They suffer Ground Fighting negative modifiers if they aren’t trained in Ground 
  Fighting.
  • 
  If they were Held in a 7+ Hold, Lock, or Arm Bar, or a Pin, they get a -4 DM against 
  the attacker, and -1 to hit for each +1 of the Mount modifier against the attacker due 
  to, perhaps, being on their back.
  NOTE: The Mount to-hit modifiers mean you will tend to do more damage and be harder to 
  block!
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Mount: +2 to hit
  Mount: +3 to hit.
  Mount: +4 to hit.
  
  165
  JAGS Combat
  Super Throw (Jujitsu Lvl 4)
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Reach: Close (or in Response to an attack)
  To-Hit Roll: As Throw
  Damage: See Description
  Defenses: Resist Grapple, Block
  Description: The Super Throw is a more spectacular version of the standard Throw. It does 
  +1 Base Damage for each -1 to Grapple Score the character takes when attempting it.
  Super Grapple
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action 
  Reach: Long
  To-Hit Roll: As Grapple
  Damage: See Description
  Defenses: Resist Grapple, Block
  Description: Characters with tentacles, telekinesis, stretching, or other such unusual abilites 
  can perform a Grapple as a 5 REA Medium action (like a Grab). A character who can Super 
  Grapple can also perform a Hold the same Round the Grapple is established.
  Defensive Moves
  These are the defensive tactics that one usually employs in grappling battles.
  Break-Fall
  REA Cost: 3 REA Short Action 
  Description: The break-fall move is taught in many self defense classes where throws are 
  used. When performed, it gives the character a skill roll against the amount the Throw, Super 
  Throw, Slam, or Takedown was made by. If the roll is made by more than the grapple roll 
  was performed by the character takes no damage. If the throw is not made by enough, the 
  character takes a DM of -1 per Skill level. Note: the character still falls. 
  Who can Break fall
  • 
  Jujitsu Level 1
  • 
  Tai Chi Level 2
  • 
  Wrestling Level 1
  • Street Fighting Level 1
  Resist Grapple
  REA Cost: 3 REA Short Action 
  Description: A Resist Grapple Move means you are actively fighting what someone is trying 
  to do. This lets you exchange your Offensive Grapple for your Defensive Grapple when they 
  try their Resisted Roll.
  Break Grapple
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium/Short Action. NOTE: A Break Grapple may be tried for 5 REA any 
  time an offensive Grapple attempt gets a Failed Result.
  Description: You are trying to break their grip and escape from the Grapple. You apply your 
  Offensive Grapple to their Offensive Grapple and roll. Each level of success you get reduces 
  whatever you were suffering. If it goes down to the Failed Category then you break Grapple 
  entirely. Then it is your choice to still have a Grab or not on them.
  Note: To break a Pin you must get 4 Level of Reduction in one success.
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed: No 
  reduction
  Success: 1 level 
  of reduction.
  Success: 2 levels 
  of reduction.
  Success: 3 levels 
  of reduction.
  Success: 4 levels 
  of reduction.
  
  JAGS Combat
  166
  General Actions
  What about actions that aren’t attacks, defenses, grappling actions, or movement? How about 
  things like: Opening a door, Writing a letter, throwing a switch, or driving a car? What kinds of 
  actions are these? How are they handled?
  Action
  REA
  Notes
  Manipulate Object Simple
  5 REA Medium
  Free if “casual.”
  Manipulate Object Complex
  8 REA Long
  May take several Rounds,
  Talkinng
  0 REA Short
  Talking is usually run loosely.
  Drop Something
  0 REA Medium
  Sheathing may cost REA.
  Look Around
  Varies
  Taking a good look or visual search.
  Casual Actions vs. Tracked Actions
  The first major distinction we are going to make here is that of a so-called “Casual Action” vs.  
  a “Tracked Action.” Casual Actions are things that you do (for free (0 REA), usually) as part of 
  another action. Tracked Actions are things you pay REA for. The difference (and sometimes the 
  same basic action can be ruled casual rather than tracked based on the situation) has to do with 
  whether an action is “contested” by an opposing party.
  Two Examples To Illustrate Casual vs. Tracked
  The term “contested” is in quotes because it’s a judgment call on the part of the participants 
  (ultimately adjudicated by the GM—but it’s our hope that people will mostly agree). The basis 
  for making this judgment call is based on a few factors. Before diving into them, let’s look at two 
  examples:
  Let the Gun Do The Talking
  A character has just made an 8 REA Long Action to exit his house out to his front yard where 
  he can see two other people locked in combat on his lawn. He is carrying a shotgun—and he 
  wants to get their attention. He declares he will “fire it in the air” to get everyone to freeze.
  Now: shooting someone is a 5 REA Medium action—the rules are pretty clear on that—
  however, the Player notes that Talking is considered a 0 REA Short action (you will see that 
  a character can talk whenever they feel like it). He makes the case that firing the gun in this 
  instance is equivalent to Talking in the sense that no one in the combat could either easily 
  interfere with it or claim significant tactical disadvantage from it.
  Now, the guy who’s winning the fight on the front lawn might say that having a too-loud-to-
  ignore blast from a shotgun get his and his opponent’s attention might stop the fight early—
  before he’d win—and say that’s a “significant tactical disadvantage,” but the GM (and other 
  Players) consider this potential argument invalid: a really loud shout would have the same 
  effect—making both parties look. 
  In this case, discharging the weapon is considered a 0 REA Casual General Action. KA-
  BLAM.
  NOTE: doing this does not impel the fight to stop. In fact, depending on the specifics (if one 
  of the characters is deaf, for example, or in a blind utter fury, or otherwise in an unusual 
  mental state) it may not accomplish what the Player hopes to accomplish. This is one of 
  those conditions where the situation could call for an Intimidate Roll or some other Drama 
  Roll style-situation if the Player is invested in pushing for a specific outcome. 
  It is also advisable that if the GM feels the action will not stop the fight and the Player 
  wishes it to, that the GM make this clear to the Player especially if there are any Player-
  empowerment issues at the table: (GM: “Okay—you can do this—however, I’ll tell you that 
  the big guy is actually deaf. Does that change your plan?” Player: “Can I ensure he sees the 
  muzzle-flash?” GM: “Hmm. We can assume you fire at the exact moment he looks if you roll 
  under a … 12.” Player: “Good enough.”).
  Example
  Trivial Moves?
  Are Casual Moves “trivial?” Well, if 
  you think some action the character 
  is describing is trivial then it should be 
  casual. If a character making a Long Move 
  through a kitchen grabs a bite to eat on 
  the way through it can be considered 
  color—it shouldn’t be penalized. Turns 
  are 6-seconds in length. The Initiative 
  and REA system is used to measure who 
  gets priority when it is important. If it isn’t 
  important, you don’t need to track it.
  However: we stop short of using the 
  “trivial” designation. Casual moves can be 
  very important. The reason not to charge 
  REA for them is that the REA system is 
  meant to resolve questions of “what can I 
  do that might be contested” in a Turn not 
  just “What/How Much Can I Do?” We don’t 
  know exactly how much a character can 
  do in six-seconds (and combat time for 
  a Round might not even be exactly six-
  seconds—that’s just our average). So if a 
  move is considered Trivial then it should 
  be Casual. If it’s considered important 
  though, it might still be Casual—the 
  question will be whether or not the ruling is 
  that there is sufficient cause to include it in 
  the REA counts for a given Round.
  Designer’s Notes
  “You’re fine,” Calvin said. “Stop preening 
  and get over here and help me.”
  “Piss off,” Trey hissed back. His jaw was 
  painfully swollen and his ribs felt like they’d 
  been crushed in a vice. He turned away from 
  the mirror. On the bed of the hotel room, 
  Calvin worked the locks on the briefcase. 
  “You were already ugly. I, at least, had 
  something to lose.”
  “You say,” Calvin said. “This is supposed to 
  be the good stuff?”
  “Its video and explanation from a rogue 
  master of the fighting secrets the Lotus 
  guys would kill to protect,” Trey told him. 
  “They’re one of the most venerable secret 
  societies of assassins in existence. I’d say 
  that’s the ‘good stuff.’”
  “Those guys in the airport weren’t all that.”
  “Right, because that was the closest chapter. 
  And they prefer to use guns, these days. If 
  
  167
  JAGS Combat
  Opening Doors
  A character with 13 REA is facing an opponent and has his back to a door (one yard distant). 
  During his Turn, he declares: “I turn around, Step through the door, close it behind me, and 
  lock it! Each of those is a Medium Action so my opponent can’t respond!”
  How this is resolved:
  1. 
  Turning around (180-degrees) costs 5 REA unless the character made his Initiative 
  Roll by 5+ this turn (which he didn’t). So that’s 5 REA so far (see Move Actions: 
  Turning Around). Note that Turning-To-Face is a free action but to do that you must 
  be reacting to someone else’s move.
  2. 
  Stepping through the door is a Step Action. If the door were further away than he 
  could easily move with a Step (a few yards) then he’d have to take a Long Action to 
  move it. But it’s close: 5 REA.
  3. 
  How about closing and locking the door? Is that “one action”? Is it two? Are they 
  free?
  Closing the Door
  The action: Manipulating an Object (listed below) is a Medium Action that is considered 5 
  REA if it is not casual. That goes for Opening a Door, Flipping a Switch, etc. So the question 
  is: is this casual?
  The test is pretty much whether someone is close by, is significantly impacted by it, and 
  would like to interfere (and the GM can imagine ways they might interfere easily). In this 
  case, because there is an opponent right there who is going to be shut out of the fight—there 
  is significant impact.
  What about interference? It’s a Medium Action to Manipulate an Object. Well, if the opponent 
  were waiting (they’re not—but imagine they were) then they could interrupt our hero’s turn 
  and take their own Step Action to get into the doorway. This is a very clear case of “potential 
  interference”—the opponent wouldn’t even need to roll anything. Now, this means that 
  in order to do this (slam the door) before the opponent can move, the character acting in 
  combat would have to be pretty fast. So the GM assigns that it is not casual. It cost 5 REA.
  Locking the Door
  If the door locked by itself it’d be clear: no action is necessary. However, we apply the 
  question again: if the door were closed, how would the opponent interfere? By opening it with 
  a 5 REA Medium Action (Manipulate Object: Open Door). He’s right there. He objects to it. If 
  he were waiting, he could interfere easily. So the GM assigns that Locking the door, too, is 
  not casual. It costs 5 REA as well.
  Total Cost: 20 REA for the full suite. The Player picks another set of actions. He chooses a 
  Full Move (Long Action, 8 REA) to move through the door and a 5 REA Medium Action to 
  slam it. This costs a total of 13 REA and does get the door closed. The GM adjudicates that 
  the acting character can be holding the door and leaning his strength against it. If he gets to 
  act first next turn, he can lock it!
  Why does the Move/Shut-door combo cost 7 REA less that “turn, step, slam, lock”? Well for 
  one thing the latter move doesn’t lock the door. For another thing, the Move/Shut-door combo 
  opens with a long Move. The opponent gets a Response before he is shut out of the fight.
  Example
  Manipulate Object (Simple)
  REA Cost: 5 REA Medium Action if not Casual
  Description: Flipping a switch, turning a lock, pushing a button are all simple manipulations 
  you take on your turn. Note that for these purposes anything you can do in about a second 
  can be considered a complex manipulation so you might get to hit more than one button.
  we’d given them more than about six hours 
  to find out where we were meeting the real 
  killers would’ve shown up.”
  “Then we’d need OJ.”
  Trey shook his head. “What’s in there? 
  What’s in there is stuff that’s a thousand 
  years old. You should respect it even if 
  you don’t respect the clan or those guys in 
  particular.”
  Calvin snorted, then: “I got it.”
  Trey hustled over. “Let’s hope it’s the goods,” 
  he said. “We can wire the guy the money if 
  he ever resurfaces.” In the chaos, everything 
  had fallen apart. Trey, more by luck than 
  anything else, had go�en out with the 
  briefcase.
  Calvin looked in. It was a cheaply made 
  DVD box with the words “Lee Hong Fook 
  Teaches Secrets of the Lotus Clan!” It had 
  a splashy orange starburst in the upper 
  right hand corner that said “WOW YOUR 
  FRIENDS WITH MARTIAL ARTS 
  MASTERY  IN ONLY 40 DAYS!”
  It showed a comical looking, elderly Asian 
  man with a long white beard in a crane 
  stance. “Centuries of Secrets Explaned!” 
  read a banner along the bo�om.
  Calvin raised an eyebrow. Trey’s jacket held a 
  packet of money orders for over three million 
  dollars.
  “Who the hell is Lee Hong Fook? I think it’s 
  the Chinese restaurant from that Warren 
  Zevon song” Calvin asked. “And they 
  misspelled ‘Explained.’”
  “This,” Trey said, “cannot be it.”
  “It’s cheesy,” Calvin said. “You think I 
  should still respect it?”
  Trey looked down. He frowned. Then he 
  laughed. “Maybe we oughta watch it before 
  we hand it over?”
  “That,” Calvin said, “was explicitly 
  forbidden by our contract.”
  Trey shrugged. “It’s a DVD,” he said. “How 
  will they know?”
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  168
  Manipulate Object (Complex)
  REA Cost: 8 REA Long Action
  Description: Actions such as setting up codes on a keyboard, disarming a bomb, etc. may 
  take  cluster of Long Actions. If an action takes more than one Round to accomplish (say it is 
  ruled to take 30 seconds to disarm a bomb) then the character must usually stay there for the 
  entire time---but breaks to take other actions are allowable).
  Talking
  REA Cost: 0 REA Short Action
  Description: It is a general rule that characters can say anything at any time. The GM may 
  adjudicate that certain conversations (such as demanding surrender) may not be answered 
  until a character’s turn—but in general you can talk all you need to. And we don’t think the 
  game is usually much improved by using stopwatches to figure out how much you can say 
  during a six second turn. Unless the participants agree to “keep it real” (and we’d only advise 
  that for something like a hard-core military simulation game) speeches and responses can 
  go on for a while.
  Dropping Something/Sheathing a Weapon
  REA Cost: 0 REA Medium Action
  Description: Putting a weapon away is usually a 0 REA Medium Action that can be done if 
  you haven’t used the weapon this turn. Doing Iado style moves where you draw, strike, and 
  sheath in one moment may require skill rolls to accomplish. Telling someone to “drop their 
  gun” is something they usually accomplish on their turn.
  Looking Around
  REA Cost: See Below
  Description: Looking around isn’t an action but searching or studying something can be. If 
  the player wants to take a perception roll at +1 due to a careful search that’s usually a 5 REA 
  Medium Action. If the character is physically searching something (pulling books off a shelf, 
  tossing a drawer) that’s usually a 5 REA Medium action (for a very simple search, pulling 
  open one drawer) or an 8 REA Long action for a moderately quick “toss.” Longer searches 
  may take more time.
  Scanning a crowd or otherwise looking hard for someone is an 8 REA Long Action and gives 
  a +2 to perception rolls.
  End of Actions
  This is the end of the Actions section and their modifiers. We hope it is comprehensive—we 
  know that despite the density of it, it isn’t complete. There will always be actions that someone 
  tries to take that aren’t covered here. When this happens these rules should act as a guideline. 
  Next we come to a common result of combat actions: Damage.
  
  169
  JAGS Combat
  Damage
  When a character suffers bodily harm the amount is expressed in Damage. Characters have 
  a Damage Points score which represents how resistant/resilient they are when it comes to 
  absorbing physical abuse. Weapons have a Base Damage number which is an indication of how 
  much (on the average) destruction they deal out. This is how it gets handled.
  Types of Damage
  There are two general types of Damage in JAGS Revised: Impact and Penetrating (or 
  Penetration—the terms are used interchangeably). Impact represents blunt trauma (but also fire, 
  electricity, and damage from “blasters.”). Penetration damage represents cutting and stabbing 
  wounds (but also lasers and particle beams).  
  Damage Modifier
  The Damage Modifier (DM) is the amount the attack hit by. In some cases special defensive 
  abilities (mystical fields of protection, characters who are built using the Fast Company action 
  hero rules, etc.) will reduce the Damage Modifier by some amount. This is done before checking 
  for PEN Doubling.
  Penetration Doubling
  When a character is hit by a Penetrating attack (meaning that any Armor Saves failed and if 
  there was a Force Field involved the Base Damage was 5x or greater the Power of the field) 
  then, if the attack hit by 4 or more (4+) the Damage Modifier is doubled. This represents a hit to a 
  “vital location” (such as the centerline of a human target … or the head!)
  A fencing master with a 17- Fencing Skill stabs an unarmored foe and rolls a 5! That hits by 
  12! Because the attack is Penetrating (swords do PEN damage) and the attack hit by 4 or 
  better, the Damage Modifier doubles. 
  When it is time to make the Damage Roll, the player adds +24 to the number. The damage 
  done by the stab is likely to be triple or even 4x the attack’s Base Damage!
  Example
  An action-hero PC built using the Fast Company rules (see the expansion available from 
  the website) gets a -8 DM against PEN attacks. This simulates the convention that sharp, 
  internal-damage causing effects are less likely to score a “clean hit” on him: He may be 
  grazed by bullets or scratched by knives but he won’t (likely) be drilled in the chest by a hand 
  gun.
  A terrorist opens fire with a Sub Machine Gun and has a 14- to-hit roll. The PC has an AGI 
  Bonus of -4 to-be-hit because of his 14 AGI and, because of the special Fast Company rules, 
  all of it (instead of half of it) applies against ranged attacks. But the terrorist gets lucky and 
  rolls a 6. 
  His to-hit roll is reduced from a 14- down to a 10- but the roll of a 6 hits by 4. This would 
  be a DM of +4, which, because of PEN doubling would double to +8 on the PEN Damage 
  chart (the PC has no armor). This would be a potentially serious wound! However, the Fast 
  Company rules grant him a -8 Damage Modifier! This means the “hit by 4” drops to a “hit by 
  minus 4!” It does not double.
  The GM, rolling for the terrorist, rolls a 9 for Damage and subtracts 4pts (due to the adjusted 
  -4 Damage Modifier). This becomes an effective roll of a 5 on the PEN Damage Chart which 
  is 1/3rd the weapon’s Base Damage—just a scratch!
  Example
  
  JAGS Combat
  170
  Damage Roll
  Once a target is hit, an any armor save is made (or missed), it is time to roll for Damage. This is 
  done on the Damage Chart for the Damage Type (PEN or IMP). The Damage Modifier is added 
  to the roll (or subtracted if it is negative).
  Weapons
  Hand to hand weapons have a Damage Bonus (such as Broadsword +6 PEN) whereas ranged 
  weapons tend to have a set Damage (9mm pistol: 6 PEN). The difference is that HTH weapons 
  add to your Base Damage. It doesn’t matter how strong the person who fires a gun is (an 
  exception to this rule is thrown weapons where it does matter—another might be an energy 
  sword where the strength of the user doesn’t matter).
  A Character’s Damage with a PEN Weapon is All Penetrating
  A character’s Base Damage added to a PEN weapon becomes PEN damage. If a 
  character has a 2 Base Damage (12 STR) and uses a broadsword (+6 PEN) the total 
  strike damage is 8 PEN.
  Important Note
  !
  Figuring Damage
  When you hit someone, this is what you do:
  Step 1
  Know your Base Damage for your attack, its Type (IMP or PEN), and your Damage 
  Modifier (how much you hit by usually).
  Step 2
  For PEN Damage, if your target is armored, they make an Armor Save. If the 
  Armor Save is successful, Penetrating Damage becomes Impact damage for the 
  purposes of that hit.
  Step 3
  For PEN Damage (unless there was an armor save) if you hit by 4 or more double 
  the Damage Modifier number. This indicates a hit to a vital area. The number “4” 
  is said to be the “magic number” in that a hit by 0 to 3 is a “non-vital” area (as a 
  generalization) while a hit by 4+ indicates a more important area was connected 
  with.
  Step 4
  Make a Roll and add your Damage Modifier to it. This isn’t a roll against any 
  number. Just make a standard JAGS roll and hope for as high as you can get.
  Step 5
  Go to the chart for your kind of damage (PEN or IMP) and check the column for the 
  number you got with your Damage Roll + Damage Modifier. This gives a multiplier 
  number. Multiply your Base Damage by this number. This is the Damage done to 
  the target.
  Step 6
  Subtract any armor’s Damage Reduction from your Damage. This is what is 
  marked on the target as damage taken.
  Step 7
  The target may need to make some checks to find out how well it held up.
  0
  1
  2-3
  4–5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-13
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  12-13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-
  39
  40+
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  PEN Damage Chart
  Roll plus to-hit 
  Modifier
  0
  1
  2-3
  4–5
  Damage Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  If what you hit by (Damage Modifier) plus what you 
  rolled (Damage Roll) equals 9 or 10 then the damage 
  dealt will be the Base Damage -2 (or -20% if it’s a big 
  number).
  
  171
  JAGS Combat
  Let’s see an example of the simple case (Impact damage, no armor). In this case Neil Books, 
  a boxer, is being hassled in a night club by the bodyguard of a movie star who wants Neil’s 
  place at the bar. Neil, having had enough, turns around and decks the guy. 
  Step 1: Neil has a 12 STR and Boxing and hits for 6pts Base Damage. That’s a lot. He also 
  hits on a 15-. When Neil’s player rolls to hit, he hits by 7! The damage, being a fist, is Impact.
  Step 2 and 3:  These are skipped, this is not PEN damage. There is no armor.
  Step 4: Neil’s player rolls for Damage and gets a 10. 
  Step 5: He hit his target by 7 and so the final number is 10+7=17. On the Impact Damage 
  Chart this is +2. The damage done is Base Damage (6) + Chart Modifier (2) = 8 total.
  Step 6: skipped. The target has no armor.
  Step 7: The GM makes a CON roll for the bouncer and it results in him going down hard!
  Example
  Let’s see a slightly more complex one. Dravel, a street-rat rogue from the undercity has been 
  thrown in a cell with a hardened, sadistic, brutal ex-arena fighter. Dravel has a wicked knife 
  he has managed to conceal in his clothes. When the guards, chuckling, turn their backs, the 
  slab of muscle makes his move and Dravel is ready. Dravel stabs the guy hard! 
  Step 1: Dravel isn’t big or strong and does 1pt Base Damage. He has a knife that does +2 
  PEN damage (together this gives him 3pts PEN damage total). He has Knife Fighting Level 4 
  on a whopping 17- and gets +2 Base Damage (total of 4pts PEN). He rolls a 7 and hits by 10!
  Step 2 and 3: Skipped. The target is not wearing armor.
  Step 4: Dravel hit by 10, which is a “hit by 4 or better.” This means the number he hit by 
  doubles so he has a hit-by number of 20!
  Step 5: Dravel rolls for damage and gets a 13. He adds 13 (what he rolled) + 20 (effective 
  hit-by number) and gets 33. On the  PEN damage chart 33 is a 3x modifier. That means his 
  damage is 4 (Base Damage) x 3 (from the PEN Chart) = 12pts of Damage.
  Step 6: Skipped, target is not wearing armor.
  Step 7: The target must make a CON roll to handle 12pts of damage! The brute withstands it 
  fairly well—but Dravel is a knife-wizard and has two or three more of those coming!
  Example
  
  JAGS Combat
  172
  Example: Here’s one with a penetrating attack through armor. Leylan Rogers, the son of a 
  wealthy merchant, is called out for a duel with the young, arrogant Baron LeVoy. LeVoy isn’t 
  half the sword-fighter Leylan is—but he has his father’s chain armor shirt!
  Step 1: Leylan has an 11 STR, and does 1 Base Damage. He is using a broadsword which 
  does +6 PEN damage. His skill is Melee Level 3 on a 15-. He hits for 7 Base Damage and 
  rolls a hit by 3 against the Baron.
  Step 2: The Baron’s armor has a PEN Defense of 8. The Resisted Rolls rules give the Armor 
  an 11- save against the 7 Damage broadsword strike (compare 8 vs. 7 gives the party with 
  the advantage an 11- roll. The rules say the Armor gets the roll). The GM, rolling for LeVoy 
  rolls a 12. No save—it fails. The attack stays Penetrating.
  Step 3: Vital hits double the amount they hit by for PEN damage. In this case, though, 
  Leyland only hit by 3—not enough to double. His hit-by number stays at +3.
  Step 4: Leyland rolls and gets an 11. His score is 11 + 3 = 14 on the PEN Damage Table. 
  That’s +1. His damage for this strike is 7 (his damage with the broadsword) +1 (modifier he 
  rolled on the table) = 8pts.
  Step 5: The Baron’s armor has a 5pt Damage Reduction score. This reduces the damage 
  done from 8 to 3 (8-5 = 3). The Baron takes 3pts of damage.
  Step 6: This is a bleeding scratch (since the blow did penetrate) but the Baron is strong 
  enough to withstand it. He grimaces and then grins … evilly.
  Step 7: Since the damage is a sub-minor wound there is no CON check for Wound Effect. 
  Example
  
  173
  JAGS Combat
  Damage Charts
  Here are the damage charts for Impact and Penetration damage:
  Impact Damage Table
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6-7
  8-9
  10-11
  12
  13-14
  15
  16-17
  18-20
  21-25
  26-29
  30+
  Damage 
  Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  1.5x
  1.75x
  2x
  Penetration Damage Table
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4–5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-
  13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39
  40+
  Damage 
  Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Exceptions and Odd Cases:
  • 
  The -3 to +3 numbers are short-hand for +/-10% to +/-30%. If playing with numbers 
  over 10, use the percents.
  • 
  For very low Base Damage numbers, if a “lower” result is ever better (more damage) 
  use that. So if a 2pt base damage IMPACT attack gets 2x damage (4) but the +3 result 
  would result in 5pts, use 5pts.
  • 
  The minimum damage from an attack that hits is 1 if the Base Damage was 1 or 
  higher.
  • 
  If the Base Damage of an attack is 0 or less then positive damage modifiers are 
  needed to do even 1pt (a normal man strikes for 0 Base Damage—he will need to 
  get a +1 result to do a pt). A 0-Damage attack that gets a multiplier result (1.5x, for 
  example) will do 3pts of damage.
  • 
  A Damage Mod of 0 or less means 1pt of damage. No attack with a Base Damage of 
  1pt or better will ever do 0 damage if it hits.
  A PC is being abducted. She has a concealed blade and stabs her attacker! Her Base 
  Damage is 2 PEN and she hits by 4. This doubles to +8 (a vital hit) and she rolls an 11 on the 
  PEN damage table for 8 + 11 = 19 on the table. This is 2x damage.
  Now, her Base Damage is 2—so 2x that is equal to 4. However: the next lower down column 
  on the chart gives +3 Damage—and that’s better (because her damage is so low) so we 
  don’t penalize her for rolling well: she gets the +3 damage result and that gives her a total 
  damage of 2 (her Base Damage) +3 (Damage Modifier from the chart) = 5pts Damage.
  Example
  Large values. A man with a 31 PEN Damage rifle shoots at a bear. He gets a poor hit by 2 
  and rolls a 14 for his Damage Mod roll. This is goes in column 2 (for what he hit by) + 14 
  (what he rolled) = 16. On the chart, 16 is +2. This is +20% since the Base Damage number 
  is above 10. The damage done is 31 + 20% = 37 (it’s really 37.2, which, rounded normally, 
  becomes 37).
  Example
  Base Damage of zero. A normal man is involved in a fight in a tavern. He turns and hits an 
  opponent with a normal punch. He hits by 2 and rolls an 11 on the Impact Damage table (fists 
  are blunt) for a total of 13. This is +0 Damage. His Base damage is 0 + 0 (what he rolled) = 0. 
  The blow hurts and might even leave a mark—but it does no actual damage!
  Example
  Make A Chart!
  For goodness’s sake, don’t go trying to 
  compute +20% of 24pts of Damage while 
  you’re gaming at the table—you’d need 
  a calculator to do it fast (unless you’re 
  a math whiz). We provide you with a 
  damage table on your character sheet that 
  you should fill out for your standard attacks 
  when you make the character or acquire a 
  new weapon.
  Then you only do this math once and 
  you otherwise look it up during play and 
  go: “+1.75%? That’s 11pts of damage!” 
  (without doing any time consuming math 
  during play).
  NOTE: We have pre-figured damage 
  charts on Page 169 for PEN and IMP Base 
  Damages up to 20.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Combat
  174
  Armor and Armor Saves
  Any protective covering whether it is worked metal plates or a bio-armored shell is treated the 
  same way. Armor has two statistics: Damage Reduction and PEN Defense Value. 
  Damage Reduction
  This is the amount that is subtracted from Damage done by an attack. If the result is zero or less 
  the attack bounces off the armor.
  PEN Defense Value
  This is the number that the armor uses to make its Armor Save against incoming PEN attacks. 
  If the save works, the type of damage is changed from Penetration to Impact (which is often a 
  good deal less severe).
  Fantasy Armor
  Medieval Armor (or, really, any heavy or metallic suit) has two more values associated with it: 
  STR (required to wear) and Stealth Modifier (because it is loud and heavy).
  STR
  The Strength necessary to wear the armor effectively. For each point of STR the wearer is below 
  the listed STR for the armor they are at +1 to be hit (up to +5) and lose 1pt of Initiative.
  Stealth Mod (Stealth)
  Because medieval armor is loud and heavy compared to, say, a Kevlar vest, people in heavier 
  armor get negative modifiers to Stealth rolls or pluses to be heard. Each negative modifier of 
  Stealth is applied to any Stealth roll the wearer makes. If the user doesn’t have Stealth it adds to 
  the perception roll of anyone listening for the character.
  Fantasy Armor 
  Armor
  Dmg 
  Reduction
  PEN DEF
  STR
  Stealth
  Light Leather
  2
  4
  9
  -0
  Heavy Leather
  3
  5
  10
  -1
  Mixed Armor
  4
  6
  11
  -3
  Padded Chain
  5
  8
  12
  -4
  Plate Armor
  6
  9
  13
  -6
  Fine Plate
  7
  10
  13
  -6
  Heavy Plate
  8
  11
  15
  -8
  Modern Armor
  Armor
  Defense
  Pen DEF
  Heavy Leather Jacket
  1
  2
  Light bullet-proof vest
  4
  16
  Heavy Vest
  8
  35
  
  175
  JAGS Combat
  A man in a heavy bullet proof vest is shot by an AK-47 assault rifle round. He has 8/32 Armor, 
  it does 23 PEN damage, and he is hit by 5! This is a hit to a “vital” location so, if the armor 
  fails its save, the hit-by number will double and the man will be looking at (likely) double Base 
  Damage or more! Enough to kill him.
  The armor’s PEN Defense Value is 35 compared to the AK’s Damage of 23. The smaller of 
  the two (23) is between 21 and 100, so both numbers are divided by 5 and compared. This is 
  5 (AK) compared to 7 (armor). The result: advantage 2pts—armor.
  The armored character is the one who makes the Armor Save and he has a 12- roll (2pt 
  advantage = 12- roll). He rolls: a 12! That saves (albeit barely).
  So the damage is IMP. The hit-by number is 5 (the Damage Modifier is 5) and the attacker 
  rolls a 7. The total is 7 + 5 = 12. On the Impact Damage chart that’s -1 or, since the AK’s 
  damage is above 10, -10%. The adjusted damage is 21 (it’s 20.7 rounded up to 21).
  The armor’s Damage Reduction is 8pts so that comes off the 21pts reducing it to 13pts of 
  Damage. This is enough to knock the man down and break his ribs—but it doesn’t slay him!
  Example
  Partial Coverage
  In many cases a person will have armor only over some locations. This may mean that some 
  blows will hit around the armor. When a character has partial armor their armor has a Coverage 
  value. Coverage works as follows:
  When a character is hit by an amount equal or greater than the Coverage of his armor, the 
  attacker can choose to have “struck around the armor” and reduce his Damage Modifier by the 
  Coverage number but ignore the armor.
  A warrior wears a 6/9 Plate Armor breast plate with Coverage 4. When he is struck in combat 
  and the attacker hits by 5, the attacker has a choice:
  • 
  Reduce the hit-by number to 1 and strike “around” the armor, ignoring it.
  • 
  Take the full hit-by 5 but apply the armor.
  The attacker chooses to strike around the armor and the Damage Modifier drops to a hit-by 1 
  (5 – Coverage of 4 = 1). This does not get the PEN doubling (since it’s below 4).
  Example
  Armor
  Coverage
  Dmg Reduction
  PEN DEF
  STR
  Large Breast Plate
  4
  6
  9
  11
  Armored Trench Coat
  5
  4
  16
  10
  Light Bullet Proof Vest
  4
  4
  16
  09
  Ballistic Plate
  2
  12
  24
  09
  Light Breast Plate and shoulder guards
  3
  6
  9
  11
  Force Fields
  Force Fields are hypothetical energy fields (usually high-tech, but possibly mystical) that absorb 
  damage. Force Fields differ from Armor in a few important ways: 
  • 
  They are degraded by damage and may fail.
  • 
  They do a really good job of stopping Penetration Damage so long as they are up and 
  strong enough.
  Power (a.k.a. Field Strength)
  Force Fields act like Armor in terms of Damage Reduction. A Force Field with a 40 Power will 
  reduce damage done by 40pts.
  
  JAGS Combat
  176
  Penetration Resistance
  No Penetrating attack will roll on the PEN damage table against a Force Field protected foe 
  unless the Base Damage of the attack is higher than five times the remaining Power. If it is, then 
  there is no roll to Penetrate—it just does Penetration damage (unless the target has armor as 
  well).
  Field Degradation
  When a field is hit, compare the damage to the Field Strength (Power) and use the following 
  rules:
  • 
  If the damage done is less than or equal to half of the remaining Field’s Power then 
  there is no degradation. The Field’s strength is not changed and the attack bounces 
  off.
  • 
  If the damage done is more than half the remaining Power but less than the remaining 
  Power (that is, no damage got through) then 1/10th of the damage done will be 
  subtracted from the Power of the field.
  • 
  If the damage done is more than the Power of the field then 1/5th the damage done will 
  be subtracted from the Power of the Field.
  NOTE: Degradation is applied after damage to the field’s occupant is computed.
  Field Reinforcement
  Most Force Fields can be reinforced. This is usually a 5 REA Medium Action and restores 20% of 
  the Field’s full Power to its present strength.
  A visitor from the future has a  personal Force Field of 40 Power. He is shot at and hit by a 
  frightened hunter with a 31pt Base Damage hunting rifle.
  The rifle shot is PEN damage but it would have to be over 200pts to roll on the Penetration 
  table. The damage is rolled on the Impact table and the result is +1 (or, in this case, +10%) 
  for a total of 34pts.
  The damage is greater than half the present Power of the field (40) but does not exceed 
  it—so all that happens is degradation: the Power is reduced from 40 to 37 [ 40 – (34/10) ]. 
  The visitor is surprised and fumbles for his stun gun.
  He is shot again. This time the shot (still rolling on the Impact Damage Table) gets a +3 
  (+30%) and hits for 40pts of damage. This exceeds the field’s now-reduced Power.
  The visitor takes 3pts of damage: 40 (the damage done) – 37 (present Power of the field) = 
  3. The Field is reduced by 8pts (40/5) down to 29.
  When the visitor reaches down and adjusts his field he restores 8pts of Power to it, brining it 
  back up to a healthy 37.
  Example
  
  177
  JAGS Combat
  Damage: Effects of Wounds
  When a character suffers Damage Points they may be hurt or even killed. Here is how Damage 
  is applied to living beings in JAGS.
  Step 1
  Keep a tally of all damage 
  taken so far before this 
  latest hit.
  Keep track of all damage as a total. Don’t “subtract” damage done from your damage points—just 
  keep a running count of how much you have suffered.
  Step 2
  Know your current 
  Condition Level (not 
  counting this hit)
  The total damage you have taken gives you your Condition Level. There are four Condition Levels: 
  Normal, Hurt, Injured, and Serious. 
  NOTE: Condition levels do not change as a result of damage. They only change when your 
  character gets more Damage Points (as a result of getting experience and getting tougher).
  Step 3
  Each Condition Level tells 
  you how many points of 
  Damage constitute a kind 
  of Wound. What kind of 
  Wound did you take?
  When you are hit, compare the Damage done by the blow to the four Wound Numbers for your 
  present Condition Level. This gives you one of four types of wounds: Sub-Minor, Minor, Major, and 
  Critical.
  NOTE: Your Wound type and CON roll (if any) is made at the Condition level you were at before 
  this blow landed. You do not add the damage to your total and then look on the chart. Determine the 
  wound 
  Step 4
  If the Wound was Minor 
  or worse, roll for Wound 
  effect on the Wound table.
  If the Wound is Minor, Major, or Critical you make a CON Roll and check the amount you made or 
  missed it by on the Wound Table. This gives you an effect (or, if you make your roll well enough, no 
  effect).
  Step 5
  Apply the Wound Effect 
  if any.
  Wound effects can be things like being Stunned, Dazed, knocked out, or dying or dead. Each effect 
  has a description.
  Step 6
  Add the hit to your total 
  damage so far.
  This may make your Condition level become worse if the new wound adds up enough to push it 
  over.
  
  JAGS Combat
  178
  The Wound Chart
  Each character has a Wound Chart telling you what their Wound Levels are at each Condition 
  Level. Let’s take a look at one:
  A warrior has 18 Damage Points. This is his Wound Chart:
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Normal: 0 to 5 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  0 to 5 DP
  Minor
  6 to 17 DP
  Major
  18 to 35 DP
  Critical
  36 or more DP
  Hurt: 6 to 17 DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 17 DP
  Major
  18 to 35 DP
  Critical
  36 or more DP
  Injured: 18 to 35 
  DP Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  1 to 5 DP
  Major
  6 to 17 DP
  Critical
  18 or more DP
  Serious: 36+ DP 
  Taken
  Sub-Minor
  --
  Minor
  --
  Major
  1 to 5 DP
  Critical
  6 or more DP
  This guy has taken 12 DP from a couple of sword blows. That puts him at Hurt Condition. 
  When he’s hit for a whopping 15pts of Damage, we go to the Hurt Condition line and see 
  that’s still in the Minor Wound range. He makes a Minor Wound roll.
  But now he has taken 12 (total so far) + 15 (damage from most recent blow)  = 27 total 
  damage. That puts him in the Injured Condition level. That’s not good.
  He’s hit again for a comparatively minor 6pts of damage. However, since he’s now at Injured 
  Condition, this is a Major Wound—he still gets to make a CON roll—but that’s likely to take 
  him out of the fight!
  Example
  Understanding the Wound Table
  Here’s how the wound table works conceptually:
  When you are basically unhurt, walking around normally, a hit for less than 1/3rd of your total DP 
  is, like, nothing to be worried about (by itself—they can add up!).
  If you are hit for 1/3rd of your DP—but less than your full DP score then you are “rocked.” That’s a 
  Minor Wound and it might stun you or knock you down.
  If you are hit with a single blow for damage equal to your DP—well, that’s a heck of a shot. It is a 
  Major Wound. It’ll probably take you out of the fight if you aren’t really tough or lucky (it depends 
  on your CON roll).
  If you are hit by a single blow for double or more than your DP that’s very possibly terminal. 
  That’s a Critical Wound and it’s very likely to end the fight (and maybe end you).
  Erin had the plasma-hammer going: I could 
  feel the heat from the other side of the ridge. 
  It was three hours into the night cycle and 
  the ba�le-front looked like sunrise. 
  Seconds counted in this and I came over the 
  top pouring laser fire on targets I didn’t take 
  time to aim at. On the comm-link Erin was 
  bellowing and firing. Clouds of plasma rose 
  from the tight beam of hellfire coming from 
  the close-combat assault weapon. 
  I could see right away that the rest of the 
  squad was dead. The wave of Horde had been 
  boiled to component sub-atomic elements by 
  the hammer but it hadn’t been fast enough to 
  save his mate and, swarming out of the three 
  tactical worm-hole gates, the Horde kept 
  coming. 
  I watched their molecularly thin claw tips 
  tear up the rock. As he swept le� to right 
  they poured in from the le�, trying to reach 
  him. 
  I set my laser to wide-beam and slammed 
  into the ground beside Erin. He blew it and 
  one of the brown, fleshy Horde hurtled itself 
  under the arc-light of the plasma hammer. I 
  felt it puncture the armor around my leg. 
  I killed it without thinking—the wound 
  hurt so bad you wouldn’t believe it for 
  about a second before the suit cut in and 
  amputated—so the toxins wouldn’t get me. 
  As the leg switched to robotic I fired high. 
  You can’t stop—you can’t even pause. All 
  that training for aim was out the window. 
  I’d had enough—I put my last atomic 
  grenade dead center in one of the grayish 
  worm-holes. In synchronization, they winked 
  out. Ha! 
  “Erin,” I managed. Next to the hammer even 
  the tight-beam communicator was full of 
  static. He fumbled to shut it down. 
  “Yeah?” he said. He sounded almost laconic 
  as he struggled to keep the thundering 
  weapon under control. His right arm was 
  in robot-mode. The suit had taken his right 
  foot too. The scars on his armor suggested it 
  might be even worse. 
  “We got to get out,” I said. “They hit the 
  Westminster Command Complex. Charon 
  high-command was wiped out sixty-three 
  minutes ago. They opened worm-holes and 
  unleashed the Horde on the station.” 
  “Crud,” Erin said. 
  
  179
  JAGS Combat
  That’s not so hard to imagine, we don’t think.
  Here’s the more complex part: these wounds add up. Enough jabs will start to take their toll—so 
  we track Condition level too as part of an overall measure of how hurt you are.
  At Hurt Condition, having already suffered damage equal to 1/3rd your DP, any blow for damage 
  causes at least a roll on the Minor Wound chart. At Hurt Condition you are starting to feel it.
  At Injured Condition, having taken damage equal to 1x your normal DP, a blow that would 
  normally be a Minor Wound (when you are unhurt) becomes a fight-ending Major Wound. At 
  Injured Condition it might be time to surrender—if that won’t be worse than possibly getting really 
  badly hurt.
  At Serious Condition, having been beat up for 2x or more your normal DP, you are very possibly 
  disabled. You are badly hurt. Any hit is a Major Wound. A hit that (if you were unhurt) would be a 
  Minor Wound becomes a life-changing Critical Wound. If you are still awake, it’s definitely time to 
  run or play dead or surrender.
  A normal man has 10 DP. He is shot by a Glock 9mm round for 12 Damage. This is a Major 
  Wound (it’s more than his listed DP but not double) and slams him into Hurt Condition.
  Example
  A boxer has 15 DP. He has been battered for 14 Damage so far. He is 1 Damage shy of 
  Injured condition so he fights defensively. When he is hit for a mere 1pt of Damage, however, 
  he must make a Minor Wound roll (since at Hurt Condition, which he is at) any damage 
  causes a Minor Wound roll or worse. He is also inched up to Injured Condition (total damage 
  take is 15, now, equal to his DP). It’s time to throw in the towel.
  Example
  A thug goes to mug an old lady who happens to be a high level black belt. He has 12 DP and 
  she kicks him for an incredible 11pts of Damage. This is a Minor Wound and puts him at Hurt 
  Condition. A Minor Wound is something he can take and still keep fighting (although he is 
  staggered). 
  However: it was a heck of a shot! He is 1pt away from Injured Condition and, although he can 
  take another hit like that (a second 11pt hit would still only be a Minor Wound) another hard 
  blow will put him frighteningly near Serious Condition: that’s probably hospitalized (maybe life 
  threateningly). He decides to break it off while he can still move under his own power!
  Example
  He looked at me and I could see where the 
  suit—capable of vivisecting the human body 
  to keep it alive—had cut down into the right 
  half of his brain. 
  Whatever was le� of him had been capable 
  of firing the hammer—and that was all that 
  ma�ered. 
  “Erin, buddy,” I said, not sure what else to 
  say. “How long does the suit say you . . . 
  have . . . uh . . .” 
  “Suit says I’m fine,” Erin said. “Unlimited 
  action.” 
  “But . . . your brain . . .” 
  “Hey,” Erin said smiling, “we’re infantry.” 
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  180
  The Wound Effects Table
  When you suffer a wound, you make a CON roll and check the row for the Wound Type against 
  the column for how much you made/missed it by, and your Wound Effect is across the top.
  Damage Type Doesn’t Effect Wound Effects
  Damage Type (Impact or Penetrating) doesn’t matter for purposes of Wound Type (Sub-
  Minor, Minor, Major, or Critical), Condition Level (Normal, Hurt, Injured, or Serious), 
  or the Wound Table (Stunned, Dazed, Unconscious, etc.). It may have some effect on 
  the specifics of, for example, how fast you might bleed to death (faster for Penetrating 
  Damage). But those rules are optional. Once you take Damage, all that matters is how 
  many points.
  Important Note
  !
  Wound
  No Effect
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Unconscious
  Internal 
  Damage
  Dying
  Dead
  Minor
  +3 or more
  +2 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 to -10
  Nil
  Nil
  Major
  +8 or more
  +7 to +5
  +4 to +3
  +2 to -1
  -2 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Critical
  +10 or more
  +9 to +7
  +6 to +5
  +4 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Only Use the Worst Wound Effect in a Given Round
  If, in Round 1, you are Stunned twice and Dazed, the net effect is only Dazed. Multiple 
  wounds in the same Round apply only the worst of the effects. This means that once 
  you’ve been Stunned, for a given Round the only thing you have to worry about is a Daze 
  or worse (for that Round)
  Important Note
  !
  The normal man shot by the 9mm suffered a Major Wound. He has a 10 CON and rolls a 13. 
  This misses his CON roll by 3. On the chart, looking along the Row marked Major Wound, 
  we see “-2 to -3” is in the Internal Damage column. He goes down bleeding badly (suffering 
  Internal Damage).
  Example
  Justice, a blind martial arts crime fighter, descends on a thug in an alley way and she 
  punches him for 8 Damage. He has 11 DP and this is a Minor Wound. He makes a CON 
  roll. He has an 11 CON and rolls a 10. This makes his CON roll by 1pt. On the table we look 
  along the Minor Wound row and +2 to +0 is in the Stunned column. He is Stunned for a 
  moment by the blow!
  Example
  A massive, muscled gladiator has 24 DP. He is stabbed for 12pts of damage! This is only a 
  Minor Wound (note that for the example with the normal man it was a life threatening Major 
  Wound). He has a 14 CON and makes a CON roll. He rolls an 11. This makes his roll by 3.
  We look on the Wound Chart under Minor Wound and find that “+3 or better” is in the No 
  Effect column. This sword blow, although it does damage, doesn’t slow the gladiator down 
  for even a moment!
  Example
  
  181
  JAGS Combat
  Optional Rule: Really Bad Minor Wounds
  As we see in the examples, a character who is hit twice for 1pt less than a Major Wound 
  still only suffers two Minor Wounds (although they’re well on the way to Serious Condition). 
  That’s a high survivability for two really hard hits. If the participants want to get more granular 
  about how bad a Minor Wound is, they can assess a -2 CON roll penalty if the wound is 
  within 1/4th total DP of a Major Wound (so for a guy with 10 DP, damage from 7-9pts would 
  be a Minor Wound at -2 to CON roll).
  This rule can also be applied only to “normal people” when the PCs are “greater than 
  normal.”
  This is a good rule for costumed crime-fighter games where the characters will do a lot of 
  damage but maybe not enough to guarantee fight-ending Major Wounds with one shot. It’ll 
  let them trash ordinary guys more easily.
  Optional Rule: Mooks!
  The term Mook in RPG-lingo usually applies to the mass of opponents who are not “named 
  characters” or “serious opposition.” In this case, the GM may rule that any character who is 
  hit for a Minor Wound and is not a “main character” or “hardened combatant” (i.e. a Mook) 
  rolls on the Major Wound chart instead but treats Internal Damage, Dying, or Dead as simply 
  Unconscious results.
  It is also legitimate to simply treat someone who is at or close to Injured condition as 
  unconscious.
  As a final method of speeding things up, the GM can even not-track-damage and simply 
  make the CON rolls for opponents.
  If you want faster combats against many more people, this will speed things up a lot and trim 
  the record keeping down. It’ll also give a lot more detail as to how the PCs are injured while 
  not “focusing the camera” on characters that may be deemed “minor.”
  Wound Effects
  These are what the various Wound Effects mean.
  No Effect
  Self explanatory. You may get bruises and even cuts or scratches—but you suffer no measurable 
  effect in terms of combat ability.
  Stunned
  You are shocked, shaken, or “rocked.” It’s the kind of blow where you spend a moment going 
  “Owww!” You lose 5 REA shaking it off. The number of attacks you can make with a hand to 
  hand weapon is reduced by 1 for that turn. If you have already spent your REA this Turn you pay 
  the 5 REA and suffer the loss of the attack next turn.
  If you have 3 or 4 REA remaining in a turn you can pay it that turn (instead of the full 5).
  Advanced: Defenses Drop
  People who are Stunned are easier to hit! Until you pay the Stun off, you are at -1 to Block or 
  Dodge.
  Dazed
  A character who is Dazed is rocked so badly they may be wobbly and unable to respond much 
  for a Turn or more. They might be reeling on the ground, swaying on their feet, or otherwise 
  temporarily neutralized.
  
  JAGS Combat
  182
  A Dazed character loses 8 REA and must make a CON roll each subsequent turn to recover or 
  they remain Dazed for that turn. They lose 1 attack with a Hand to hand weapon each turn they 
  are Dazed as well.
  If the character has less than 5 REA remaining on the Turn he is Dazed, he loses that as well 
  and must still pay the Daze next Round. If he has 5 or more remaining REA, he pays that and 
  the Daze is considered paid (and rolls to recover may begin next Round).
  Any character who is performing a Long Action and is hit during the action and Dazed will lose 
  the action if the attacker wishes it (the attacker may declare the attack at any point along the 
  completion of the action so it may have happened “right at the start”).
  A boxer is hit for a Minor Wound, misses his CON roll by 1 and is Dazed. He has not yet 
  acted this Turn—so he has not spent any REA. He has 13 REA and it is reduced to 5 this 
  turn as he pays his Daze. He has 5 REA so he can take a swing back at his opponent. He 
  does so, and misses.
  At the beginning of the next Round, he makes a CON roll and succeeds. He recovers from 
  being Dazed immediately and can take his turn normally.
  Example
  A character with 10 REA is running for cover and is shot and Dazed. He spent 8 REA for a 
  Full Move action already this Turn and has 2 remaining. That is not enough to “pay the Daze” 
  so he loses that and ends his turn.
  At the beginning of next Round, the Daze has not been paid so he must pay it (his REA for 
  that turn is only 2—he can’t do anything). The Round comes to a close. 
  On the next Round, at the beginning of it, he makes a CON check. He misses it. He is still 
  Dazed and will continue to be so until he makes a CON check at the beginning of a Round 
  and may then act normally.
  Example
  Advanced: Dazed Modifiers
  Characters who have been Dazed are vulnerable. They suffer the following penalties:
  • 
  -2 to Strike or attack.
  • 
  -2 to Block.
  • 
  Grapple Scores are halved.
  • 
  -2 to any Skill or Perception rolls.
  • 
  -2 to any STAT rolls other than CON rolls.
  • 
  Movement, if available is reduced to 1 second worth of Walking for a turn as a 
  Full Move. Step actions are reduced to 2 yards.
  Optional Rule: Knocked Down or Knocked Back
  It is very common to have characters make CON rolls to see if they are knocked down or 
  knocked backwards some distance. A CON roll might be called for, even for combat-ready 
  characters to see if they are knocked down or back. A roll missed by 3 or more might mean 
  they are sent flying backwards and land in a heap.
  Again, this optional rule will focus on the dramatic effects of combat. It might be invoked 
  when a dramatic blow has been struck and the participants wish to use a dice-check to see if 
  more colorful results have occurred.
  
  183
  JAGS Combat
  Optional Rule: Dropping a Weapon
  A Dazed or Stunned character might need to make a COR roll to hang onto a weapon or 
  other object in hand. This might be at -2 for Dazed characters and no negative for Stunned 
  ones. 
  This optional rule can be invoked when there is interest in whether or not someone retains 
  something important. It is unlikely that a skilled combatant would drop a weapon when hit—
  however, a less skilled or otherwise badly injured character could have something dislodged 
  by a hard blow (especially if they weren’t dedicated to hanging onto it). Invoking this rule 
  could be a good way to distinguish between a trained and untrained fighter.
  Unconscious
  A character who is Unconscious has passed out. Other interpretations might be that they are 
  simply immobile or have collapsed (while retaining basic consciousness). A character who is 
  unconscious gets to make CON or WIL rolls (if the ruling is that they have something specific to 
  fight for and their WIL roll is better) to recover.
  • 
  If they are at Hurt Condition they may make a CON or WIL check to recover in three 
  Turns counting the Turn they were hit.
  • 
  If they are at Injured Condition they may make a CON or WIL check to recover within 
  “minutes.” If this is failed they may recover within 10’s of minutes or even hours.
  • 
  A character as Serious Condition may be unconscious for a long time.
  Optional Rule: Dramatic Recovery
  Rolls at an appropriate modifier can be called for to see if a character can “pull themselves 
  out of unconsciousness” at a dramatic moment. These may even be at substantial plusses.
  This rule would be invoked when the characters are supposed to be “heroes” in a traditional 
  sense who come through at the right times. The purpose for having a roll at all would be 
  to build tension (if the roll is failed, the situation may become more and more grave and 
  difficult). A GM who is playing with a group that has agreed to this rule might give a character 
  who is unconscious two rolls when a pack of wolves set upon someone he was protecting—
  one when they are circling, and one when they begin the attack.
  Optional Rule: Dazed on Awakening
  A character who awakens may be treated as Dazed when they come out of the unconscious 
  state.
  This rule has a certain verisimilitude to it (you usually don’t just jump up after being knocked 
  unconscious). It also highlights the effects of damage by having the character stagger around 
  a bit after being knocked out, making the effects more dramatic.
  Internal Damage
  Internal Damage usually means the character is badly injured (and, often, unconscious). 
  Examples are broken bones, internal bleeding, etc.
  When a character suffers Internal Damage the default ruling is that they are Unconscious. 
  However, depending on the circumstances, that may not be the case.
  • 
  The person controlling the damaged character may request a broken limb instead of 
  being unconscious. If the person controlling the attacker agrees to this, it is the case.
  • 
  The person controlling the damaged character may request severe bleeding instead of 
  being unconscious (the GM may adjudicate this is not applicable if the attack was not 
  Penetrating). If the person controlling the attacker agrees to this, it is the case.
  • 
  The GM may adjudicate the exact effects of damage as above (or add others) at his or 
  her discretion—however, if the target is left alive, the negative effects should be on par 
  with unconsciousness. It is probably more acceptable to leave a PC bleeding to death 
  (but still active) than a major villain whom the PCs were trying to kill anyway.
  
  JAGS Combat
  184
  The standard effect is as follows:
  Internal Damage Standard: The character is unconscious and will be for some time (hours?). 
  When they do recover, they will suffer -3 to all rolls requiring physical exertion and a loss of about 
  3 REA due to wounds. This condition will remain for several days unless they receive medical 
  attention (see the Tools section for rules on healing). A character who is not hardened will need 
  WIL rolls to do just about anything physical. These might be at substantial negatives.
  Broken Limbs: A character who is conscious, but has suffered broken limbs will be Dazed. 
  Broken Limbs leave the character at substantial negatives—1/4th Grapple scores (and WIL rolls 
  to even fight). The character will be at -3 to all rolls. If a leg is broken, they will move by crawling 
  a few yards a second. If a fighting arm is broken they will fight at an additional -2 to all rolls 
  involving striking with that arm.
  Broken ribs might involve the Standard effect as above.
  Bad Bleeding: A character who is badly bleeding is in serious danger of death (and this should 
  not be invoked on a PC without the Player’s permission). They will usually fight for CON-8 Turns 
  before collapse. During that time they may fight at -2 to rolls (the GM may call for WIL rolls with 
  appropriate modifiers if the character is fighting for something specific to fight normally).
  At the end of this time the character will collapse and, if they don’t get first class life-saving care, 
  die.
  Optional Rule: Bleeding to Death
  Internal Damage is worse than Unconscious because, at least in some conventions, you 
  could die because of it. See the Bleeding Rules in the next section for details on how to 
  handle Internal Damage and blood-loss in a more detailed fashion.
  Optional Rule: Severed Limb
  Characters who are hit with a cutting weapon may suffer a severed limb as an optional 
  effect. Usually the owning character must agree to the limb-loss. Disfiguring scars and 
  permanent damage (a limp) are also possible here. An owning character might agree to 
  losing a limb, or suffer a disfiguring scar in order to suffer a Dazed result and keep fighting 
  (or escape).
  This rule will highlight games where combat is bloody and characters may be crippled. It is 
  not appropriate to do this to a PC without the Player’s permission. If Players are okay with 
  having such fates befall their characters, the ability to lessen an Internal Damage result for 
  some permanent injury can make battles more dramatic and the stakes higher than they 
  would be with purely temporary effects. It can also be used to highlight the kind of dramatic 
  action seen in samurai movies where less important characters being crippled is common.
  Dying
  A Dying Result is effectively the same thing as a Dead result if you don’t have immediate medical 
  care. The standard effect of a character who suffers a Dying result is that they will suffer a Dead 
  result in CON seconds if they don’t get immediate medical attention.
  NOTE: See the section on Death and the rules about PC Death in Situation Creation before 
  removing a character from play.
  Death In the RPG
  There are a lot of ways characters can 
  die that don’t involve an explicit Death 
  result on the Wound Table. For example, 
  some neurotoxins don’t roll on the Wound 
  Table—but have their own table that 
  can result in Death. To be less pedantic, 
  a character who is shot out into space 
  without a spacesuit may not go through 
  damage assessment and Wound effects 
  but could still be ruled dead. However, the 
  issue here is what the social conventions 
  for the real people involved are concerning 
  the removal of a character from play.
  This is discussed in the Situation Creation 
  section. If it is decided that either a GM 
  or Player can prevent actual PC removal 
  from play then what does a Death result 
  mean? Here are the guidelines:
  1. 
  Whatever stakes you were fighting for 
  in the combat that resulted in Death you 
  probably lost. If the Player decides to 
  keep the character alive it is common to 
  rule that whatever else was happening 
  in the fight, the GM will adjudicate a 
  situation that leaves the PCs alive but 
  loses the stakes the fight was for (again, 
  as discussed by all the participants and 
  finally adjudicated by the GM). If the battle 
  was purely for survival there may be 
  some other loss such as gear, loot, etc.
  2. 
  The character may be out of play for 
  some time. In order to keep a sense 
  of consistency, Death will likely be 
  interpreted as very severe (but survivable) 
  damage. Unless the time-scale of the 
  game allows it, the character will likely not 
  be able to participate for a while (NOTE: 
  this is not intended to punish the Player—
  it is acceptable to bring in another into 
  play).
  3. 
  In situations where Death is 
  environmental rather than the result of a 
  single blow (the spaceship the characters 
  are on blows up) the GM, with help from 
  the Players, will need to figure out what 
  “really” happened so as to keep continuity 
  without removing the characters from play 
  (maybe they are in a life-pod, maybe the 
  explosion is ruled smaller—enough to 
  take out the ship and leave it looking dead 
  but not enough to kill everyone aboard).
  Designer’s Notes
  
  185
  JAGS Combat
  Optional Rule: Permanent Damage
  As with Internal Damage, it is appropriate for the owning character to request a lesser 
  result (but still some form of permanent damage) rather than a Dying result. Losing a limb, 
  permanent disability, etc. are all legitimate requests.
  Invoking this rule is, as stated above, a good way to reduce the ultimate stakes (PC death) 
  but keep consequences very real. It can also create a gritty feel with characters retiring from 
  action with crippling injuries—if a dark world is sought, this kind of rule can be a good way to 
  achieve it.
  Dead
  The ultimate result on the Damage Table, Dead can mean the character is removed from play 
  or it may simply mean “Serious Damage” has resulted. In this case, while the specifics are up to 
  the GM, the character is probably effectively removed from the rest of the scene and is likely laid 
  up for weeks and may suffer permanent effects. Even in the most rules-centric games, a result 
  of Dead applies only in the “clinical” sense. Medical rolls, specific conditions (like extreme cold), 
  and the like can result in a Dead character being revived if gotten to quickly and with the right 
  life-saving equipment.
  Advanced: Automatic Death
  When a character takes damage equal to 5x or more their DP score they may be considered 
  automatically dead without a roll. This rule puts a limit on how lucky someone can get with 
  the CON rolls and provides a rule for mass-damage attacks such as nuclear explosions.
  Condition vs. Wounds
  As we’ve said, JAGS Revised tracks two separate things with regards to damage: the size of any 
  one wound (which has an immediate effect based on a CON Roll) and the Condition Level of the 
  subject (which is the cumulative effect of damage). As damage adds up your Condition Level will 
  become worse and worse.
  There are four Condition Levels
  • 
  Normal. Total damage is from 0pts (unhurt) to one less than 1/3rd your Damage Points. 
  At this level of damage you are not adversely affected in any significant way. You might 
  be sore or bruised or have a bloody nose—but when it counts, you aren’t impaired.
  • 
  Hurt. Total damage is from 1/3rd your Damage Points to one less than your Damage 
  points. At this level of damage you can still perform normally but you are visibly injured. 
  At this level of injury any hit—even 1pt of damage—will force a CON roll.
  • 
  Injured. You are badly hurt. You have taken damage from 1x your Damage Points to 
  one less than two times your Damage Points. You can’t move all that well any more. 
  Depending on the grittiness of the game you are playing and the injuries you took, you 
  might be bleeding to death. This level usually results in hospitalization.
  • 
  Serious. You are possibly mortally injured. You have taken 2x or more damage 
  than your Damage Points (the general rule is that at 5x your damage points you are 
  unequivocally dead). At this point you may not be able to stand, cannot do more than 
  stagger around, and are greatly impaired. 
  Describing the Effects of Damage
  We don’t get into exactly what Damage 
  and its effects looks like. There’s a reason 
  for this: it can vary a lot. A shot that does 
  10 points of damage will drop a normal 
  man with a Major Wound but a physically 
  “normal” character who is an “action 
  hero” might have 45 Damage Points (an 
  incredible amount). 
  When he is shot for 10pts of Damage 
  the effect might be described as graze 
  even though, for the normal guy, the 
  same numerical value is a shot in the gut. 
  Usually the total amount of damage will 
  give some clue as to the strength of the 
  blow. A bad Damage Modifier can indicate 
  a more grazing or glancing blow (or give 
  a hint as to hit location). The character’s 
  CON roll can determine how much “grit” 
  the subject had but can also change the 
  description from something more major 
  (you score Internal Damage and spill his 
  guts!!) to something relatively minor (you 
  get a Daze result and the blade wound is a 
  painful stab to his side!).
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Combat
  186
  Advanced: Condition Effects
  When you are badly hurt you’ll suffer some negative modifiers outside of the immediate 
  effects of wounds. These are modifiers to all rolls, including CON rolls, and negatives to 
  movement.
  Condition
  Roll 
  Mod
  Movement
  Hurt
  -0
  No effect
  Injured
  -1
  Max speed is 2-seconds of Walking with a Full Move and 1⁄2 
  second of walking speed with a Step.
  Serious
  -2
  Maximum speed is 1-second of Walking with a Full Move 
  and 1 yard with a Step. 
  Optional Rule: Complex Bleeding Rules
  A character who has suffered a Major Wound from being impaled by a sword but rolls an effect 
  like Dazed is not “bleeding” as per the rules for Internal Damage or Dying. However, unless it 
  was a wound-cauterizing laser sword, they are certainly bleeding. How this is handled by the 
  rules will depend a lot on the grittiness of the game. 
  Invoking these rules will make the time after combat as or more deadly than the time during 
  combat and using these rules shouldn’t be done lightly.
  Impact Damage: Unless the character suffers Internal Damage or Dying, they will not be 
  bleeding internally or otherwise getting worse and worse. 
  Penetration Damage: Penetration damage bleeds. The amount of damage a character suffers 
  from bleeding depends on the size of the wounds they suffered. Use the largest wound to 
  determine bleeding speed.
  Bleeding Speed
  A character who suffers a bleeding would will lose Damage Points every so many seconds or 
  minutes. When they change Condition Level (going from, say, Normal to Hurt Condition) they 
  must make a CON roll at the listed modifiers for the appropriate wound type:
  CON Roll
  Condition
  Wound Roll
  Character goes from Normal To Hurt
  Minor Wound
  Character goes from Hurt to Injured
  Major Wound
  Character Bleeds while at Injured Condition
  Major Wound
  Character goes from Injured to Serious
  Critical Wound
  Character Bleeds while at Serious Condition
  Major Wound
  Character reaches 5x DP Total
  Dead
  Bleeding Speed and Roll to Stop
  Worst 
  Wound Type
  Bleeding Speed
  Sub-Minor
  No “after the fact” bleeding for any real effect.
  Minor
  The character will bleed [Minor Wound] DP per 5 min until a CON-1 roll is 
  made. 
  Major 
  The character will bleed [Minor Wound] DP per 10 Rounds until a CON-2 
  roll is made.
  Critical
  The character will bleed [Minor Wound] DP per Round until a CON-3 roll is 
  made.
  
  187
  JAGS Combat
  NOTE: The Condition Modifiers for the CON roll are factored in.
  Example: A character in a “gritty” game with a 10 CON and 10 DP is shot for 12 PEN damage by 
  a handgun. This is a Major Wound. He rolls a Dazed result and is staggered. He is also bleeding. 
  He will bleed for 3 DP every 10 Rounds (a minute) until he makes an 8- roll. 
  • 
  Each time he bleeds he must make a roll on the Major Wound table.
  • 
  On the third turn of bleeding he will go from Injured to Serious condition and must roll 
  on the Critical Wound table.
  • 
  After 13 minutes of bleeding he will have suffered 39 pts of bleeding damage. If he has 
  not died already, this plus the 12 he took initially, will kill him.
  Stopping Bleeding
  In all but the most gritty games a character staunching the wounds will prevent blood loss. 
  However, if you want to create a game with very grim consequences for combat you can require 
  Medical Skill rolls. Usually the medic can make one skill roll each time the character bleeds.
  Condition Level/Wound Effect
  Medical Roll
  Hurt/Internal Damage
  Level 1, -0
  Injured
  Level 1, -2
  Injured/Internal Damage
  Level 2, -1
  Injured/Dying
  Level 2, -3
  Serious
  Level 2, -3
  Serious/Internal Damage
  Level 2, -4
  Serious/Dying
  Level 3, -6
  Example: The character hit above was at Injured and rolled a Dazed result. This requires a Level 
  1 -2 Medical Skill roll to stop the bleeding. 
  Optional Rule: Medical Dramas.
  In the Tools section you can see how to use the Drama Rolls rules to set up life-and-death 
  dramas involving medical skills and bleeding if the game is going to have a focus on that.
  Rationale
  The use of bleeding rules creates a very gritty feel to the game. It may also create a sense of 
  verisimilitude if the participants all agree that, yes, they’d expect people who suffer serious injury 
  to die without medical attention. 
  General Advanced Damage Rules
  We’ve gone through the standard Damage rules and here we want to look at some odds and 
  ends: energy attacks such as electrical and fire damage, “called shots” to the arms or legs, and 
  the like. These rules are all considered Advanced.
  Lightning Damage
  Electrical damage tends to cause muscles to seize up and have stronger debilitating effects. 
  If you are playing with this rule, Lightning causes a -1 to CON rolls. Metallic armor is halved 
  against lightning damage.
  Fire Damage
  When you are hit by flame you can be set on fire! Usually a target simply exposed to flame will 
  only catch fire if either they are ruled to be for some reason flammable or a roll of an 8- is made. 
  If they are hit with a burning liquid, however, they will usually be ignited.
  A character who is burning will be hit for half the initial damage at the end of every turn. 
  Spending an 8 REA Long action to stop, drop, and roll will put out normal fires but not something 
  like napalm (which will burn until neutralized with an agent).
  
  JAGS Combat
  188
  Explosives
  Explosive attacks in JAGS Revised hit an area of effect with a blast wave. Here’s how you 
  resolve them. Explosive damage is denoted with an ‘X’ in weapon descriptions.
  Bonuses to Hit
  There is no direct bonus to hit with an explosive weapon--however a miss by one or two usually 
  results in a hit for half damage.
  Base Damage
  An explosive, like any other attack, has a Base Damage which represents the power of the 
  explosive charge.
  Reducing Damage By Distance From Ground Zero: The Easy Way
  For speed of play you can simply assign an “area of effect” for an explosive based on its Base 
  Damage / 5 in yards (so a 100pt Base Damage explosive has a 20 yard radius). Within this 
  radius all targets not within 2 yards will suffer 1/4th damage (25 Base Damage Blast).
  This is quick, easy, and gives reasonable results.
  Reducing Damage By Distance From Ground Zero: The More Complex 
  Way
  If you want to model explosives in a way that makes distance from the blast area a bigger factor. 
  This may also meet some people’s idea of “realism.”
  Radius (RAD)
  Damage to targets distant from ground zero, the point of the explosive, is reduced by the inverse 
  square law. Here’s how you figure it:
  Damage At Range = Base Damage / (Distance from Ground Zero in Yards/RAD)2
  A bomb does 100pts of Base Damage and goes off 10 yards away from a character. The 
  RAD of the bomb is 2 yards. Damage is: 100 / (10/2)2 = 60/25 = 4pts.
  Example
  Damage Modifier
  The Damage Modifier for explosives is always +4 unless the explosive attack actually hit the 
  character (as with an explosive rocket) in which case the minimum Damage Modifier is +4.
  
  189
  JAGS Combat
  Explosives Table
  Explosive
  Damage
  Notes
  Frag Grenade
  20 X
  12 PEN Damage Shrapnel on a 14- in a 5 yard radius.
  Blast Grenade
  30 X
  No fragmentation.
  AV Satchel 
  500 X
  An anti-vehicle bomb.
  1 Stick TNT
  12 X
  Each additional stick adds +6 X damage.
  Streaming A�acks
  Some attack forms like wind-blasts, water cannons, and force beams do knockback damage 
  even if you aren’t using the optional knockback rules. Here is how they work.
  • 
  Streaming Attacks use the Continuing Beam rules—however, instead of hitting a target 
  four times if trained on a single person, they only hit twice (once before the attack and 
  once after).
  • 
  Most of these attacks do IMP damage as well as having the knockback effect. This is 
  resolved normally.
  • 
  Each weapon has a Knockback Strength. This Strength is modified the same way as 
  Impact Damage is (and by the same Damage Mod roll).
  • 
  When a target is hit, they are pushed back: Strength/(Target’s BLD/5).
  • 
  The target must make an AGI or Acrobatics roll at -1 per yard moved to stay on their 
  feet.
  Pinning Someone With A Streaming Attack
  If a target is knocked back into a wall they may be pinned. The attack has a Grapple equal to the 
  Knockback Damage. If it scores a successful roll the target is Held (-4 to attack and -4 to any 
  DM). The attacker may continue to pin the target by paying 5 REA at the start of every Round to 
  keep the hold.
  Advanced: Escaping From a Streaming A�ack
  An AGI-5, Escape Artist -2, or Acrobatics-3 roll can be used with a 5 REA Medium Action to 
  attempt Escape from a Streaming Attack that has one pinned. It must be made by more than 
  the original to-hit roll.
  Unusual To-Hit Modifiers
  These rules cover some unusual attack types such as “gaze attacks” (the legendary basilisk’s 
  ability to turn you to stone) and similar odd conditions. Many of these attacks will be Resisted 
  Attacks (see below).
  Aura Attack
  When being in your presence has some combat effect (such as a Terror Attack) then this effect 
  will be rolled at the start of the Round after Initiative. If you must do something to start it up, 
  however, activating it is a 5 REA Medium Action (but once started it happens immediately at the 
  start of every Round).
  Gaze Attack
  When you simply need look hard at a target to affect it (petrifaction attack) then you attack as 
  a 3 REA Short Action. You can do this after all “beginning of the Round” stuff (including Aura 
  Attacks) is taken care of and, in order to be able to try to Block, characters must have beaten 
  your Initiative roll.
  Touch Attack
  If you don’t need to hit someone and simply need to reach out and lightly touch them you get +2 
  to hit and -2 to be blocked if the person is barehanded. However, if you must touch bare skin, 
  this becomes a normal to-hit roll if the target is ordinarily clothed.
  Other Hazards
  Suffocation, toxins, and the like are covered in the Resisted Attacks section (next) and the Tools 
  section (following the Combat rules).
  
  JAGS Combat
  190
  Called Shots
  An attacker can try to specifically target a leg or arm of a target. Some special shots (like 
  shooting a gun out of someone’s hand) can be interpreted this way as well. 
  Attack to the Head
  Any hit that does decent damage could be a head hit—and any strike could be targeted to the 
  head in terms of how it is described. However, blows aimed directly at the head can be modeled 
  slightly differently if these rules are in effect.
  Attacking the Head gives the following modifiers:
  • 
  It is at -1 to hit in hand to hand combat and -2 to hit with a ranged attack.
  • 
  Attacks to the head are at +1 to be Blocked, Dodged, or otherwise defended against as 
  people naturally protect their head.
  • 
  Blows that hit the head give the subject a -1 to their CON roll.
  Optional Rule: Hard-Boiled Fiction
  In a lot of noir detective fiction a blow to the back of the head is a clean knockout. If you are 
  playing with this convention then any character will suffer Unconsciousness if a blow to the 
  back of the head is landed and they are not ready for it. 
  Using this rule will simulate literary conventions as well as allowing for capture or 
  neutralization of PCs without a fight (and without killing them). Keep in mind that it is done as 
  a plot device and not a combat strategy.
  Other Optional Wound Effects
  Wound
  Effect
  Major Wound
  A blow with a PEN weapon like a sword or axe will decapitate a target 
  if it scores a Major Wound or better. This rule might only be applied 
  against relatively helpless targets.
  Daze
  The character will fall down. They may get up when they make a CON 
  roll to recover as per a normal Daze (however, they will not pay the 
  REA for a Daze).
  Unconscious
  A character who is rendered Unconscious might suffer memory loss 
  or other “trauma.”
  Internal Damage or 
  Worse
  This can result in lasting injuries, nasty scars, and other medical 
  complications depending on the grittiness of the game.
  Attacking a Leg
  Attacking a leg gives a -2 to hit modifier and, if the attacker lands the blow, a Damage Effect 
  result will mean movement is impaired in some way.
  Wound
  Effect
  Stun
  The character is limited to walking speed for 1 turn. They must make an 
  AGI roll if running or Sprinting in order not to fall.
  Daze
  The character will fall down. They may get up when they make a CON 
  roll to recover as per a normal Daze (however, they will not pay the REA 
  for a Daze).
  Unconscious
  The character will likely fall. The leg will be useless for at least 10 
  Turns—movement is an 8 REA Long Action hobble. The character has 
  no AGI Bonus.
  Internal Damage 
  or Worse
  The leg is likely broken, possibly severed (a Dead or Dying result could 
  mean that). The character will Hobble as above but may do so for 
  several weeks.
  Attacking an Arm
  Attacking an arm gives a -2 to hit modifier and, if the attacker lands the blow, a Damage Effect 
  result will mean use of the arm is impaired in some way.
  The Role of Called Shots in the Game
  Called Shots can have a variety of uses. 
  The first is to allow less-than-lethal combat 
  by targeting non-vital locations (a fleeing 
  felon is shot in the leg by a police officer 
  character). A second one is to display 
  mastery (a dead shot shoots the guns 
  out of people’s hands). Another common 
  one (that is problematic for some groups) 
  is when a tactical edge is sought to be 
  gained by using the Called Shot rules.
  We have tried to make Called Shots, in 
  general, less effective than normal attacks 
  while still giving them some special effects 
  that make them worthwhile in certain 
  situations (stopping a running character). 
  If they are slowing the game down or 
  otherwise bothering the participants it is 
  legitimate for the GM to adjudicate that 
  Called Shots are not part of the game 
  save for use against “minor characters” 
  (that is, not PC’s or NPCs the GM deems 
  important).
  Designer’s Notes
  
  191
  JAGS Combat
  Wound
  Effect
  Stun
  The character loses the use of the arm for a turn (no weapons in that 
  arm can be used) but does not pay the REA.
  Daze
  The character loses the use of the arm until a CON roll is made 
  to recover it (as per a Daze). Anything in the arm will be dropped. 
  Grapple scores are halved until its use returns (note: this is for sudden 
  loss of the arm—a character that is simply missing an arm will have 
  learned to deal with the loss).
  Unconscious
  The arm is useless for at least 10 Turns.
  Internal Damage or 
  Worse
  The arm is likely broken and possibly severed.
  Shooting a Gun out of Someone’s Hand
  This doesn’t do Damage but it’s covered here because it’s the sort of thing one might do with a 
  Called Shot. Targeting a gun in a person’s hand is usually at -4 due to Size in addition to all other 
  modifiers. If the gun is hit, and the target is deemed an important character by the GM (or is a 
  PC) the damage of the shot, +10 is rolled against the target’s Offensive Grapple. If the shot wins, 
  the gun is dislodged. If the game’s convention involves mooks, then any shot that hits a held 
  weapon will dislodge the held gun.
  Advanced: Bigger Targets Take More Damage
  If a target is at pluses to be hit by Ranged Attacks due to its size, add that positive modifier to 
  the explosive’s Damage Modifier. Smaller targets, similarly deduct their to-be-hit modifiers.
  Inanimate Objects and Machines In Combat
  Damage to non-living objects (blocks of cement, cars, robots, moving statues) is handled 
  somewhat more simply in JAGS than attacks on living beings. If you target the engine block of an 
  automobile, try to kick down a door, or are a five-ton war machine, this is how you take damage.
  The Simple Way
  The easy way to handle inanimate object damage is this: give the object some amount of 
  Damage Points. If these are equaled or exceeded, the object breaks—otherwise the object is 
  essentially fine. This works well for things like breaking down doors (or shooting their locks off), 
  smashing vases, and punching out your computer monitor.
  It does not work as well for determining if you can stop an automobile by shooting at its tires (or 
  hitting the person inside) or gunning down a robot or cyborg (both of whom may be degraded 
  somewhat before being broken).
  
  JAGS Combat
  192
  Chart (Examples)
  Object
  Armor
  Dmg
  Notes
  An Exterior Door
  2
  6 DP
  A good kick by a strong guy will break it. Put 
  some really good locks on it and you could get 
  it up to 12 DP to kick it down.
  Shooting a Lock
  5
  1 DP
  A good shot from a gun will break it.
  Breaking a Vase
  0
  1 DP
  Fragile!
  Smashing through an 
  interior wall
  1
  20 DP
  It will take several blows to make a hole big 
  enough for a person to easily get through.
  Smashing through an 
  exterior wall
  5
  40 DP
  This is a strong exterior wall (cement) and a 
  hole big enough for a person to get through.
  Stopping a Car
  7
  14 DP
  Shooting the engine will take a good deal 
  of damage and a big hand gun. Shooting at 
  tires reduces the armor to 0 but is at -2 to hit 
  for size and possibly a lot more for speed, 
  distance, and if you are moving too, your own 
  speed.
  Advanced: Different Damage Types
  Obviously firing a machine gun at a wall won’t make a human sized hole unless you are 
  very careful with the spread of bullets. Firing through a wall, for example, might just treat the 
  whole wall as 5/15 Armor: the small bullet holes won’t significantly damage it. 
  When dealing with damage to inanimate objects the GM will rule on whether an attack 
  is likely to deal most of its damage to the object or through it. If the object is going to be 
  treated as armor, usually its armor value is whatever stats it has for armor and its PEN 
  Defense Value is a third or less its listed DP.
  
  193
  JAGS Combat
  The More Complex Way
  If you want more dramatic structural damage 
  (such as to robotic PCs) these rules can be 
  used.
  Structure Rolls (STC)
  Inanimate objects don’t have a CON 
  (Constitution) score—they have Structure 
  (STC) and that Structure almost always starts 
  at a 15- roll. When an inanimate object is hit, 
  the damage done will reduce this STC roll, 
  the object will make a roll, and the results will 
  determine what happens.
  Reducing Structure
  When an inanimate object is damaged, its STC 
  roll will be checked for reduction (if the amount 
  of damage was sufficient) and then an STC roll 
  will be made. Here is how you determine if the 
  amount of damage done was enough to reduce 
  the STC roll of the object:
  Amount To Reduce = Total Undamaged DP of 
  Object / STC.
  A heavy metal door has 150 Damage Points and a (standard) 15- STC. The amount of 
  damage necessary to reduce its STC is 10pts of damage (150/15 = 10). When a super hero 
  smashes it for 40pts of Damage, its STC drops from 15- down to 11- and then it makes an 
  STC roll to see how well it held up!
  Example
  Types of Damage and Inanimate Objects
  Inanimate objects, as a general rule, don’t suffer Penetrating Damage nor doubling of PEN 
  Damage Mods. However, as this works for, say, large blocks of stone or animate statues, it does 
  not work so well for, say, complex robots who may have vital organs.
  Complex Machines
  A machine may be said to suffer PEN Damage and PEN Damage doubling based on specific 
  rules for its construction (the Vehicle rules for JAGS Have-Not have armed vehicles suffering 
  PEN Damage doubling).
  Core Systems
  Some objects will have a number of Damage Points set aside as Core Systems (or vital 
  systems). When a hit is determined to have hit the Core System, the Simple Way rules are 
  invoked: if the total amount of damage dealt to Core Systems exceeds the damage points, the 
  machine breaks.
  This allows one to, for example, disable a car with a few shots from a powerful handgun: one 
  need not destroy the entire massive vehicle to stop it from moving. How Core Systems get hit 
  varies a lot and depends on the specific rules being used but when you run into the term, this is 
  what it means.
  Skeleton 
  PHY 11
  STR 12
  BLD 4
  STC 15-
  DP 
  30
  Total Damage
  Roll
  0 – 1
  15-
  2 – 3
  14-
  4 – 5
  13-
  6 – 7
  12-
  8 – 9
  11-
  10 – 11
  10-
  12 – 13
  9-
  14 – 15
  8-
  16 – 17
  7-
  18 – 19
  6-
  20 -  21
  5-
  22 – 23
  4-
  24 – 25
  3-
  26 – 27
  2-
  28 – 29 
  1-
  30+
  0
  REF 11
  COR 11
  REA 13
  AGI 11
  INT --
  RES --
  MEM --
  WIL --
  Skeletal Body: Any piercing style attack (an arrow or 
  bullet) hits at -6 against Skeletons. 
  Weapon Skill: Melee Weapons 14- L2
  Base Damage: 8 PEN (Broad Sword)
  Make A Chart
  If you have something in the game that 
  is taking Inanimate Object Damage a lot 
  (like a Skeleton monster) then make a 
  chart that will let you quickly see what the 
  Structure roll has been reduced to.
  Note that each Crack would be kept track 
  of as well since those reduce the roll as 
  well.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Combat
  194
  Cutting Beams
  Some special types of attacks (like energy swords or “molecular blades”) do normal PEN 
  damage with doubling even to objects that don’t specifically “take” PEN damage. This represents 
  special high-tech attacks that are extremely good at slicing through things.
  Making an STC Roll
  An object must make an STC roll when it is damaged. There are, however, some advanced 
  conditions that can be invoked.
  Advanced: No Failure Check
  Lightly Damaged Structures Don’t Have To Roll
  If a structure is hit and the amount of damage done doesn’t change its STC roll—and 
  the STC roll is still 10- or higher, it won’t have to roll. This prevents someone from, say, 
  “scratching” a vault door doing 1pt of damage over many many attacks hoping for an unlikely 
  failure.
  Steps for Resolving Structure Rolls
  Step 1
  Determine Damage 
  Type
  Inanimate objects usually only use the Impact 
  Damage Table. 
  Step 2
  Roll for Damage
  This is done the same way it is done for an attack 
  on a biological target.
  Step 3
  Deduct Armor
  There may be an Armor Save as per normal. Armor 
  (or Force Field) damage reduction works as it does 
  for biological targets.
  Step 4
  Apply Damage
  The total damage taken is updated to show the new 
  damage total.
  NOTE: If an object is reduced to DP of zero or 
  below it is destroyed without requiring an STC roll.
  Step 5
  Check for STC 
  Reduction
  If the damage done is sufficient to reduce STC, 
  mark down an STC reduction appropriate to the 
  amount of damage taken.
  Step 6
  Make an STC Roll
  The Structure makes an STC roll if called for. If it 
  fails the roll, check the Failure chart to see what 
  kind of Failure (minor, major, or critical) happened.
  Step 7
  Apply Failure
  Determine the specific effects of the failure.
  Failure Chart
  When a structure makes an STC roll and it succeeds, nothing happens. If it fails, on the other 
  hand, something bad happens to the object attacked.
  STC Roll 
  Missed By
  Failure 
  Type
  Notes
  -1 to -4
  Minor 
  Failure
  Crack! The object doesn’t suffer any systems failure but 
  the STC roll is reduced by an additional  -1.
  -5 to -9
  Major 
  Failure
  The object is significantly broken. If it was at 10- STC roll 
  or higher it is “significantly reduced” but may keep on going 
  to some degree. If the STC was 09- or lower it may have 
  some remaining function but is essentially destroyed.
  -10 or more
  Critical 
  Failure
  The object is shattered, crushed, or otherwise totally non-
  functional.
  A Closer Look At Failures
  These rules can be considered Optional: the reason to get into detail with inorganic objects 
  failing is that in the case of some things (robot PC’s, space ships you are on, armed cars you are 
  Core Damage
  The concept of Core Damage is an 
  important one. Trying to completely 
  destroy an object can be very difficult—
  imagine someone trying to knock down 
  a building by smashing every fixture and 
  breaking every wall—it would be incredibly 
  difficult, even with high explosives!
  However, most structures can be 
  destroyed with applied force to a relatively 
  small area. Shooting the tires out of a car 
  won’t “destroy it” (like a compactor does, 
  for example) but will render it unable to 
  be driven. Similarly, most buildings can 
  be taken down if you know how to apply 
  explosives to support structures.
  This is similar, philosophically, to the way 
  that Penetrating Damage works on living 
  beings. The net effect is that if you are 
  trying to destroy an object it is usually 
  pretty easy compared to the chances of 
  destruction if you just randomly damage it. 
  Here is a list of DP vs. Core DP we think 
  some common things have. Note that 
  the determination of whether or not Core 
  Damage happens depends on how the 
  item was damaged and, if it was a sincere 
  attack, what the to-hit roll was.
  Object
  DP Total 
  Core DP
  Office Building
  100,000
  800
  Computer
  12
  2
  Handgun
  18
  6
  Sword
  24
  20
  Designer’s Notes
  
  195
  JAGS Combat
  trying to outrun post-apocalyptic cycle gangs in) it can be more interesting, exciting, and dramatic 
  to figure out what, exactly, went wrong.
  Minor Failure
  The Crack Effect means the object will start to fail more quickly. It’s rare that an object will go to 
  “total destruction” before it suffers a Major or Critical Failure. Certain “minor systems” (like a car’s 
  FM radio) may be declared damaged on a Minor Failure.
  Major Failure
  The general (simplified) rule is that an object that suffers a Major Failure is broken and the fight 
  is over even if it retains some utility. However there are a few options—especially in the case of 
  an unlucky roll.
  Walls and Doors
  Walls and doors that suffer Major Failures are open enough for people to easily pass through. 
  Very small characters might be able to get through a wall or door that had only suffered a few 
  “cracks” at the GM’s discretion (depending on how the damage was dealt and what the target 
  was).
  Optional Rule: Robot Rule
  When a Robot suffers a Major Failure, it makes three additional STC rolls.
  Made all Three
  It is “unconscious” for three turns and then gets up.
  Made two of the three
  It is “unconscious” for three minutes before coming back online.
  Made one of the Three rolls
  It is “unconscious” for three hours before coming back online.
  Made none of the rolls
  It is “unconscious” until repaired.
  The reason for using a rule like this is to create more drama in the destruction of a robot or to give PC robots a 
  degree of protection from unlucky rolls.
  Critical Failure
  Critical Failure usually means the complete, irrecoverable destruction of the object (without being 
  rebuilt). It may not mean the utter demolition of it (a car which suffers a Critical Failure wouldn’t 
  drive again without being rebuilt but it might, for example, still offer a barrier to hide behind—it 
  isn’t vaporized. Damage of 5x the listed DP would usually unambiguously shatter an object.
  Resisted Attacks
  Having gotten through the general combat system we are now going to look at “Resisted 
  Attacks.” These are special rules to handle things such as:
  • 
  Poison
  • 
  Mind Control
  • 
  Charisma Attempts
  • 
  Stun guns (or Tasers)
  • 
  Death Magic
  • 
  Etc.
  In these case the general methodology involves a Resisted Roll made by the attack against a 
  character’s Stat (such as CON for a toxin or WIL for mind control). The amount the character 
  succeeds or fails by determines the effect.
  Resisted Attack Chart
  +4 or Better
  +3 to +1
  -0 to –3 
  -4 to  –6
  -7 to –9
  -10 or worse
  No Effect
  Minor 
  Effect
  Standard
  Effect
  Major Effect
  Critical Effect
  Catastrophic
  Effect
  
  JAGS Combat
  196
  Effects and Results
  Each Resisted attack has a table that looks something like this:
  Effect
  Result
  Minor Effect
  Description of result specific to the attack type.
  Standard Effect
  Description of result specific to the attack type.
  Major Effect
  Description of result specific to the attack type.
  Critical Effect
  Description of result specific to the attack type.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Description of result specific to the attack type.
  As you can see each kind of Resisted Attack has its own list of results: a Major Effect for 
  a Paralysis attack will be different than one for a Death Ray. Here is the table and several 
  examples of Resisted Attacks:
  Optional Rule: Resistance Points
  Some characters may come with Resistance Points to Resisted Attacks. These act as a sort 
  of ablative armor: when a roll results in an Effect other than No Effect, the pool of Resistance 
  Points is reduced by whatever number is necessary to shift the Effect to No Effect.
  These points are recovered at some rate—but probably out of combat.
  This rule can represent a certain toughness or resistance some characters have to common 
  Resisted Attacks (possibly due to experience in being exposed to them). It can also be used 
  to prevent one-shot-drops from happening to PCs and important NPCs.
  Example Resisted Attacks
  Poison
  Poisons (the standard kind, anyway) have a Base Damage and a Power. Here is a sample list:
  Poison
  PWR
  Base Damage
  Cobra Venom
  17-
  32
  Arsenic in Drink
  16-
  16
  Cyanide Tablet
  17-
  24
  “Standard” Poisoned Weapon
  13-
  8
  Semi-Deadly Scorpion
  14-
  12
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  Target takes 1⁄4 Base Damage immediately and the same each 10 
  Rounds until a CON roll is made
  Standard Effect
  Target takes 1⁄2 Base Damage immediately and the same each 5 
  Rounds until a CON roll is made
  Major Effect
  Target takes 3⁄4 Base Damage immediately and the same each 2 
  Rounds until a CON-1 roll is made
  Critical Effect
  Target takes 1x Base Damage immediately and the same each 2 
  Rounds until a CON-2 roll is made
  Catastrophic Effect
  Target takes 1.5x Base Damage immediately and the same each 
  Round until a CON-4 roll is made
  Paralysis
  The Paralysis toxin here is non-fatal (in real life your lungs or maybe even your heart stops—
  here it’s just your major muscles that freeze up and loss of consciousness).
  The Problem With Resisted Attacks
  Resisted Attacks work well in “small 
  doses.” It is uncommon that characters 
  get poisoned (in fiction, anyway) and it is 
  uncommon that most battles would revolve 
  around psychological weapons or stun 
  guns.
  From a dramatic standpoint a Resisted 
  Attack is just as likely to “take someone 
  out” on the first shot as the last. While 
  JAGS Revised can be quite lethal for 
  ordinary scale characters, for most heroic 
  types there is at least some assurance 
  that you can take a hit or two—but with 
  Resisted Attacks, one bad roll can finish 
  you.
  If a lot of Resisted Attacks are being used 
  in a game (the party is outfitted with stun 
  guns and psionic weapons, for example) 
  then some of the optional rules might be 
  brought into play to make the game more 
  satisfying.
  Designer’s Notes
  Strength of a Resisted Attack
  Our generalized measure of how “strong” 
  a Resisted Attack is deemed to be is 
  based on what level of Effect incapacitates 
  the target. The term “incapacitated” is 
  used somewhat loosely to mean “rendered 
  pretty helpless” (unconscious) or 
  significantly impaired (Dazed with negative 
  modifiers to recover).
  In the case of toxins which simply do 
  damage, the term “incapacitated” doesn’t 
  have much meaning but, on the other 
  hand, you can calculate the effects 
  mathematically.
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  “Very Strong” Resisted 
  attacks incapacitate their 
  target.
  Standard 
  Effect
  “Strong” Resisted attacks 
  incapacitate their target.
  Major Effect
  “Medium” Resisted attacks 
  incapacitate their target.
  Critical Effect
  “Weak” Resisted attacks 
  incapacitate their target.
  Catastrophic 
  Effect
  “Very Weak” Resisted 
  attacks incapacitate their 
  target.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  197
  JAGS Combat
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  -2 Initiative (not REA) for 3 Rounds.
  Standard Effect
  -2 REA for 3 rounds.
  Major Effect
  Stunned for 1 turn then Dazed for 2 turns. -3 REA for 3 turns.
  Critical Effect
  Stunned for 1 turn, Dazed for 2 turns, then unconscious for 3 turns.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Unconscious for several minutes.
  Terror
  Terror is some kind of fear effect. It may be caused by the supernatural, some sort of “fear gas,” 
  or, at the GM’s option, a really scary event. This is resisted with WIL. The Fearless Enhancement 
  adds to rolls against Terror.
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  Spooked: Target jumps! -2 to Initiative Rolls next turn. Should role-
  play a sudden “fright.”
  Standard Effect
  Shaken: -2 to Initiative rolls for 3 turns. Stunned. Target feels dread 
  for the event or source.
  Major Effect
  Frightened: -3 to Initiative rolls for 5 turns, Dazed. Attacks to hit 
  object of fear are at -2. Must make WIL roll not to flee.
  Critical Effect
  Horrified: -3 to Initiative rolls, loses 3 turns to running or cowering. 
  Attacks are at -3. Must make another WIL-3 roll or flee the subject.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Terrified: Target faints. If the target has a bad heart roll vs. CON or 
  suffer a heart attack!
  Taser
  A Taser is an electric stun-gun used by police. When a character is hit it sends high voltage 
  electricity through the body in a way that causes muscles to seize but so as to do no actual 
  damage (such as you’d get from a lightning bolt).
  NOTE: Although this is an “official” designation we (the authors) are not clear on how effective 
  a Taser “really is.” This should be considered an effective rendition of it. The participants should 
  consider the ramifications of using lots of Resisted Attacks.
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  Shocked! The character loses 1 REA and takes a -1 Roll modifier to 
  their next action.
  Standard Effect
  Dazed. The character is treated as Dazed by the electricity.
  Major Effect
  Staggered. The character is treated as Dazed but rolls at CON-2 to 
  recover.
  Critical Effect
  Knock-Down. The character is treated as Unconscious for 10 
  Rounds.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Subdued. The character is treated as Unconscious for 2 minutes.
  Blinding (Blinding Flash)
  Attacks that blind the target (usually using a pulse of light) are covered here. Note that a Flash 
  Bang grenade may use a combined Resisted Attack.
  NOTE: When a Blinding attack is used on a target they usually get a Short Defensive action to 
  “look away.” This is done as an REA based Block which must be made by 0 or more assuming 
  they are not surprised by the attack.
  Karg rolled. The web-nets of the black shiny 
  spider-thing arced over him. He darted 
  towards it and then jigged le� when one of 
  the smaller, bulbous white spiders that clung 
  to the big one’s under belly jumped off and 
  scampered towards him. 
  They’d meant to shackle his legs for the 
  arena—to make him an easy kill—but the 
  hilt of the axe had contained his lock-tools 
  and he was free of the leg irons. He still had 
  one trick le�. 
  The white spider jumped; its massive stinger 
  seeming to quiver with venom. Karg’s axe 
  caught it in the air and split it from maw to 
  midsection spla�ering its stinger spla�ered 
  like an overripe fruit. 
  The big thing reared up and Karg saw 
  hundreds of the smaller ones clustered 
  there—suckling at it. Disgust coiled in 
  his gut and he fought nausea. They were 
  starting to break free then, working their 
  way out of the massive spider’s flesh. The 
  stone corridor it had come out of was still 
  open—but he’d never make it running—not 
  past that thing.
  A white spider plopped onto the ground. 
  Karg snapped his last trick out of the handle 
  of the axe. 
  It was a thin spike—needle sharp—balanced 
  for throwing. He’d learned to use it in the 
  forbidden lands to the east. The poison on 
  the blade would kill almost anything . . . 
  instantly. To hold the blade was to kiss death. 
  The edge was so sharp he’d never even feel it 
  cut. In the east they trained for years before 
  ever touching a live one. He had no such 
  luxury. 
  He hurtled the spike at the massive creature 
  and, not even watching to see if it hit, he 
  stepped back and swung at the deadly white 
  spider trying to sink it’s stinger into his foot. 
  Karg heard the cry from the crowd go up 
  around the arena in a horrified roar before he 
  heard the monster fall. When he looked up 
  from the dead spider, he saw it, overturned, 
  its legs flailing. The smaller ones staggered 
  and fell around it. 
  The exit gate was still opened while the 
  shocked spectators tried to make sense of 
  their fallen god.
  Second mistake, Karg thought. Second 
  mistake. 
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Combat
  198
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  The character is flashed and loses either 3 REA or suffers spots in 
  the eyes as below. If the character took a “look away” action, this 
  counts as No Effect.
  Standard Effect
  Spots in eyes! The character suffers a -1 Visual Modifier for the next 
  3 Rounds. This requires a Perception roll at -1at the beginning of 
  each Round or all to-hit rolls are made at -1.
  Major Effect
  Dazzled! As above but the Visual Modifier is -3.
  Critical Effect
  Temporarily Blinded. The character cannot see (-6 visual modifiers if 
  they can even determine where people are—such as having been hit 
  by them). This lasts 5 Rounds.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Blinded. The character is blinded as above. This lasts at least 10 
  Rounds and might be “permanent” (up to the participants as to how 
  vision comes back).
  Flash Bang
  A Flash Bang grenade is a non-lethal attack that works to stun or daze opponents.
  NOTE: A 5 REA “Hit the Deck” style Dodge Action will work against such a grenade if an REA roll 
  is made by 0 or more.
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  Stunned! The target suffers the Stun effect.
  Standard Effect
  Dazed! The target suffers the Daze Effect.
  Major Effect
  Disoriented! The target suffers the Daze Effect and recovers at -2 to 
  CON rolls.
  Critical Effect
  Blinded and Confused! The target is treated as Dazed, recovers at -2 
  to CON rolls, and is Blinded for 5 Rounds.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Neutralized. As above but the recovery is at -3 to CON rolls and the 
  Blinding effect lasts 10 Rounds.
  Death Ray
  A high-tech or magical “death beam,” this is one of the “ultimate attack forms” in the game.
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  Minor Wound. The target suffers DP equal to 1/3rd Normal DP and 
  makes a Minor Wound Roll.
  Standard Effect
  Major Wound. The target suffers DP equal to 1x Normal DP and 
  makes a Major Wound roll.
  Major Effect
  Critical Wound. The target suffers DP equal to 2x Normal DP and 
  makes a Critical Wound roll.
  Critical Effect
  Dying. The target suffers the Dying wound result.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Dead. The target suffers the Death Wound result.
  Tear Gas (Mace)
  A crowd-dispersal system, tear gas is an aerosol irritant that makes it hard to see and unpleasant 
  to operate. If  you are operating in a Tear Gas area there is an automatic -2 Visual Modifier for 
  each 10 yards a target is distant. Additionally, you will get an attack re-rolled every 4 Rounds.
  The roll is against CON or WIL, whichever is higher.
  Type of Attack
  Power
  Over The Counter Mace
  11
  CS Grenade
  13
  Military Strength Mace
  14
  
  199
  JAGS Combat
  Effect
  Description
  Minor Effect
  Annoying. You suffer -1 to all rolls for the next 10 Rounds.
  Standard Effect
  Very Uncomfortable. You suffer -2 to all rolls and an additional -1 
  visibility modifier (meaning that you make Perception Rolls at -3 or 
  fight at -3). This lasts 10 Rounds.
  Major Effect
  Strongly Hindered. You suffer -6 to all rolls and an additional -3 
  Visual Perception Modifier (meaning you make Visual Perception 
  rolls at -5 each turn or operate at -5). You will be strongly 
  encouraged to get out of the area. If you fail a (standard) WIL roll 
  to stay the GM may give you strong advice as to the play of your 
  character.
  Critical Effect
  Blinded. You take -8 modifiers to everything. Any WIL rolls called for 
  to stay in the area are at -2. You lose 3 REA per Round due to pain.
  Catastrophic Effect
  Blinded and in Agony. You are Blind as above, WIL rolls are at -3. 
  You lose 5 REA per Round due to pain.
  Charisma Attempts
  Although they don’t do damage … and may not even be hostile, Charisma attempts are covered 
  under the combat section. For a complete description of what these effects are, look at the 
  Character Generation section to see how the numbers are generated and what they mean.
  Charisma Effects in JAGS Revised are treated as Resisted attacks vs. WIL. A “No Effect” is 
  treated as a “Minor Effect.”
  Charisma attempts, when done in combat, are 5 REA Medium actions—which may usually only 
  be attempted once (in a given combat).
  Charisma and Skills
  Say you have an exotic appearance and the Vamp skill (the skill in putting the (sexual) moves on 
  someone): how do they inter-relate? Firstly Charm can be done by anyone of a given gender to 
  anyone else regardless of their sexual orientation—that’s different from Vamp—so the two aren’t 
  necessarily identical (although the effects can be).
  Using a skill (be it Con Artist or Diplomat for Persuade, Vamp for Charm, Interrogator for 
  Intimidate, or Showmanship for Recruit) gets bonuses if you make your Charisma roll (it can get 
  negatives if you blow your charisma roll—or the target is otherwise not swayed).
  When to Use Social Skill Rules
  Social Skills and Charisma Attempts are used in JAGS Revised when a PC is trying to influence 
  an NPC to do something. Use this procedure:
  1. 
  The GM may ask the Player “What do you say and do?” and evaluate the situation 
  based entirely on that. If the GM isn’t completely swayed, a bonus (usually +1 to +4) 
  can be given for a well played approach. If the Approach is bad, the GM may call for a 
  roll of some Charisma attempt or Social Skill at a negative (usually -1 to -6).
  2. 
  If the result is not satisfactory to the Player or the Player doesn’t wish to speak/act 
  word-for-word for the character then a roll (Charsima or Skill based on the situation as 
  determined by the GM) may be used (and the results are whichever result would be 
  preferable to the Player).
  3. 
  If what the Player says is, in the GM’s opinion, entirely unsuitable to the situation, 
  the GM may rule the Charisma attempt will fail—but this should be an extreme and 
  unusual case. Usually applying negative modifiers is sufficient.
  Who is Susceptible To Charisma 
  Attempts?
  There are a lot of possible conventions 
  but we suggest that the Charisma 
  Attempt rules not be employed to wrest 
  control from PCs or NPCs the GM 
  deems important. This kind of violation of 
  character sovereignty is not something that 
  we suggest you do lightly if at all. Instead, 
  if a Charisma Attempt is successfully 
  employed against a PC or important 
  NPC, we advise it be taken as moderate 
  advice as to the play of the character. If 
  the character has some Trait that indicates 
  that the character is particularly easy to 
  manipulate in this fashion, then take the 
  advice as a much stronger guideline. 
  Designer’s Notes
  Re-computing Charisma Scores on a 
  Situational Basis
  A character who is particularly lustful might 
  be more easily swayed by someone with 
  the “Attractive” Trait of the appropriate 
  gender. A character with “Likeable” might 
  be able to use her bonuses over the 
  phone. It’s an advanced rule, and more 
  complex than most games are likely to 
  get, but it’s acceptable for the GM to 
  reconfigure Charisma scores and adjust 
  bonuses for the situation. This can make, 
  say, Attractive different from Likeable even 
  though they are mechanically identical in 
  terms of bonus.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Combat
  200
  Persuade
  Effect
  Skill
  Description
  Minor Effect
  -2
  Target evaluates the offer on its logical merits only. If a skill 
  was employed other than Diplomat, the target will probably be 
  angered.
  Standard Effect
  +1
  The target examines the proposal on its logical merits only.
  Major Effect
  +2
  The target is motivated to do what the persuader asks. The 
  target trusts and likes the persuader.
  Critical Effect
  +3
  Trust is won! Even moderately hostile juries or targets are 
  swayed. Something that is obviously a fairly bad deal may still 
  be taken to please the target.
  Catastrophic 
  Effect
  +4
  The target is devoted in a lasting fashion to the persuader. 
  Sacrifices will be undertaken gladly.
  Recruitment
  Effect
  Skill
  Description
  Minor Effect
  -2
  Target is of unchanged loyalty and feels manipulated.
  Standard Effect
  +1
  As above but target doesn’t feel manipulated.
  Major Effect
  +2
  Troops get +2 to WIL rolls in scary situations. Attentive crowds 
  are swayed. Neutral characters will join as soon as they see 
  some good or progress in the character’s cause.
  Critical Effect
  +3
  Troops rally to the character’s side (+4 WIL). Crowds are 
  swayed. Individuals called will see make personal sacrifices to 
  the mission.
  Catastrophic 
  Effect
  +4
  Followers are fanatic (+8 WIL rolls). Crowds are totally under 
  the character’s command. Double agents switch sides. 
  Assistants go way beyond the call of duty.
  Charm
  Effect
  Skill
  Description
  Minor Effect
  -2
  All but the most naïve targets feel they are being manipulated.
  Standard Effect
  +1
  Target is not especially attracted to the character. If the 
  character is a knockout then it may be tone or actions that 
  have put the target off.
  Major Effect
  +2
  Target is very attracted. Perception rolls and RES rolls to 
  notice trickery are at  -2. Target will exercise poor but not 
  horrific judgment.
  Critical Effect
  +3
  Target is entranced: -4 to rolls to spot tricks. Target will execute 
  very poor judgment.
  Catastrophic 
  Effect
  +4
  Target is in love—will do very foolish things..
  Intimidation 
  Effect
  Skill
  Description
  Minor Effect
  -2
  Target is no more intimidated than is logical. He may even feel 
  he has the edge.
  Standard Effect
  +1
  Target is no more intimidated than is logical.
  Major Effect
  +2
  Target gets -2 Initiative rolls for the first round of attack if acting 
  against the intimidator. Target is at -1 to RES or WIL rolls to 
  avoid pressure or deception. Target may try to deal.
  Critical Effect
  +3
  Target is scared and will run. -4 To initiative rolls and -2 to hit 
  the character for the first three seconds of combat.
  Catastrophic 
  Effect
  +4
  Target will flee or cower or deal (some other surrender type 
  effect).
  The meeting with Eddie had le� 
  Hammerhead awash in conflicted emotions. 
  He could see how people, exposed to the 
  man’s sheer force of personality, came away 
  feeling transformed—even saved. With his 
  brain put back together and reinforced with 
  the mass of psychological implants he’d been 
  stable, sincere, friendly, and lucid. 
  He’d apologized for his actions and explained 
  that he had no real recollection of talking to 
  McLear—only the records to show it had 
  occurred. He said there were still holes in his 
  security since he did get private time and 
  sometimes there was a collapse.
  He didn’t know how his multiple had found 
  McLear—but it wasn’t important. He didn’t 
  think anyone was trying to kill him and if 
  they were he had the finest security possible. 
  Hammerhead asked if he trusted his handlers 
  and Eddie Byline had pointed out that, on a 
  daily basis, his actual brain was literally in 
  their hands. If they wanted him gone, he’d 
  be gone.
  Hammerhead couldn’t argue with that.
  Now he had to make some unpleasant 
  choices about his job and, he though, his life 
  in general. He looked back at the super-sky 
  rise where Eddie’s penthouse covered the 
  top five floors. Even across the city it was  
  visible. Eddie was safe up there, he thought, 
  until his brain collapsed and he degenerated 
  into unrecoverable psychosis. He stuffed his 
  hands into his pockets and walked against 
  the stiff wind.
  There was something in there—a card—
  with an address and a single word on it 
  “Exegesis.” Hammerhead stared at it. Where 
  had that come from?
  The air whipped around him. He narrowed 
  his eyes.
  The top of the building exploded in a flash of 
  man-made sunrise. Even from the distance 
  McLear could feel the heat as a small glowing 
  mushroom cloud rose slowly into the sky 
  casting a hellish light over the city.
  ◊◊◊
  
  201
  JAGS Combat
  End of Combat Section
  This brings us to the close of the (long) section on combat in JAGS Revised. There’s a lot 
  here—a huge amount, really—and we hope you haven’t tried to digest it all at once. A great deal 
  of the material is either advanced or optional and that’s, really, the plan. These pages should be 
  a reference to help keep the game on track—unless you are playing out a highly complex tactical 
  situation many of these rules may never come into play.
  Finally, if you want to examine a trimmed down version of these rules, we again suggest you look 
  at JAGS-2. It covers what we do in over a hundred pages in about 20. The next and final section, 
  Tools, covers some conventions of the game we think you can use to design your own rules for 
  situations we haven’t covered. See you there.
  The blow from the axe handle crunched into 
  bone as Karg dashed under the gate and 
  bolted up the wide stone corridor.
  There were two guards at the top. Both died 
  with frozen looks of horror on their face and 
  neither tried to defend themselves. Karg 
  barely slowed down: he knew where the 
  horses were. 
  There was an alarm being raised but he 
  could tell by the silence in the narrow, twisty 
  streets of the town outside the arena that 
  the entirety of the cult was back there, in the 
  stadium, staring in uncomprehending horror 
  at the dead thing that they had worshipped.
  There was an outer wall—and probably a 
  thin guard on it—but they wouldn’t stop 
  someone like him—they weren’t prepared 
  for someone like him.
  Karg smiled grimly as he took the confused 
  looking man-at-arms in the stable. They’d 
  put all their might in one place and now 
  it was paralyzed. Third mistake, thought 
  Karg, kicking the horse to a gallop—third 
  mistake! 
  ◊◊◊
  
  Situation Creation
  202
  Situation Creation
  Making characters is only part of making the “game” (and here we mean the work for the actual 
  play not “the rule book.”) There are a lot of ways to go about setting up a game and you are 
  welcome to do whatever you find works best. Here we are going to give you our idea of a “best 
  practice” we think not only works well but integrates with the Character Creation rules.
  Basic Overview
  The GM creates the back story for the “Situation” of the game (also called “the Scenario” or “the 
  Story” depending on what experience and perspective you have on this). This involves doing 
  preparatory work for what’s going on, back-story, NPCs the characters may meet, and probably 
  some information about things the Players (and characters) may not know (who dunit?). 
  The Players then make the PCs, who are the main characters of the story and begin play by 
  interacting with the situation in the form of making decisions for their characters and offering 
  input about the game world (as we have seen, players can and do create NPCs, set up conflicts, 
  and otherwise influence the prep-work the GM does).
  With that basic dynamic we have a simple method that structures things for maximum ease of 
  integration of Player input and GM input. That’s what this chapter is about.
  The Steps of Situation Creation
  These are the steps we’re advising for a group of participants who’ve come together to play.
  1. 
  Discussion of the basic approach to the game.
  2. 
  Creation of the Situation Foundation.
  3. 
  Creation of Characters by the Players and sharing information about them.
  4. 
  Creation of the Situation by the GM.
  5. 
  Framing to the opening scene(s).
  Step 1: Discussion of Approach to the Game
  These rules do not cover every conceivable question or methodology a group may have to 
  play. That’s intentional: they are presented to give a resolution method that is generally a best 
  fit to simulating an imaginary world. This means that various “conventions” or “meaning” will be 
  supplied by the participants. What does that mean?
  Well, for starters, it means that the rules can give a “Death” result (or, at least, a “Grievously 
  Wounded” one) in circumstances the group of players might not like (i.e. your character is killed 
  in a “trivial” battle creating an unwanted and unsatisfying sense of anti-climax).
  In the section on Damage Effects (see the Combat section) we discuss whether a “Dead” or 
  “Dying” result, by itself will actually remove the character from play. Answer: it depends on your 
  group’s decision about that. Some groups will rule that even if a Dead result comes up the GM 
  must validate it (that is, the GM may override it, ruling that the character simply suffers a terrible 
  wound or serious loss but will recover). In some groups, the Player must validate the death (that 
  is, the GM can’t kill the character unless the Player agrees). In still others, the result of Death will 
  mean the character dies whether the participants really like it or not.
  All of these approaches have their value. In the first, the GM can help ensure that characters 
  stay in the game unless they do something that is a really bad idea (in which case the GM will 
  validate the death). In the second case, assuming it doesn’t lead to situations the group hates, 
  (like PCs cavalierly jumping off cliffs) it means no Player will have to worry about an unwanted 
  death. In the third it means that all tense situations may have an “objective” feel to them where 
  you roll the dice and take your chances.
  This is the kind of discussion we advise should have before play. Here are a few areas of interest 
  we think should be discussed at least once for any group:
  Transparency
  One of the hardest things to figure out 
  exactly is what information about a 
  game should be shared with the Players 
  up front. In some games there can be 
  big surprises—such as if the group of 
  modern-day technologists are going to get 
  teleported back to medieval times (another 
  example is the classic murder mystery 
  where the fact that there will be a murder 
  may be secret and who did it is certainly 
  secret).
  How much of the situation is made clear 
  to the players and how fast this “hidden 
  information” becomes clear is called 
  ‘transparency.’ We believe that the greater 
  the transparency the greater the ability 
  the Players have to interact with the game 
  world but the lower the sense of surprise. 
  So it’s a trade off.
  Here are some considerations:
  • 
  Don’t bait-and-switch. If you tell the Players 
  the game will be a modern-day detective game 
  and then have them kidnapped by aliens, they 
  may feel somewhat cheated. We advise that 
  any big change in story direction be laid out to 
  the Players before play starts (same for going 
  back in time—a case where some character 
  designs may be far more effective than others).
  • 
  Don’t ‘pixel-hunt’ the PCs to move the game 
  forward. In some computer games you have to 
  move the mouse cursor over every pixel of the 
  screen looking for a hidden item or clue. This is 
  painstaking and annoying. You don’t need to do 
  that in human moderated roleplaying. If there is 
  something of interest that is vital to the pacing 
  of the game, the GM can simply describe 
  it without calling for a perception roll or any 
  other skill check. This is a transparency issue 
  because, if the GM is up-front about clues 
  (although not necessarily what they mean) then 
  the Players can be reasonably assured they 
  have all the information they ought to and are 
  not simply missing things because they didn’t 
  think to say something like “I search the desk.”
  • 
  Decide if the game focuses on “figuring 
  things out” vs. “what to do about them.” 
  Players playing a group of Navy Seals 
  attacking an enemy installation will have a very 
  different experience if they are given a map of 
  the installation with all the sentries marked on 
  it versus having to infiltrate it themselves and 
  discover the sentries during the raid. The first 
  is much more about the tactics they employ 
  with a knowledge of the situation (a good plan 
  is much more likely to work). The second has 
  a much higher luck factor. This also applies 
  to a murder mystery where solving it would 
  be “figuring things out” and judging the killer 
  would be “what to do about it.” The more the 
  game is about “what to do” the higher your 
  transparency up front will be.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  203
  Situation Creation
  PC Death
  How do PCs die? And if a PC does die, what’s the general procedure for re-integrating the player into the game?
  Options:
  • 
  A “Death” result is absolute.
  • 
  A “Death” result must be validated by the GM.
  • 
  A “Death” result must be validated by the Player.
  • 
  Other (group consensus?)
  Comfort Zone
  What kinds of things would you not want to see in the game (depiction of torture? Mushy romantic dialog? Etc.)
  Options:
  • 
  Participants state up front what actions, concepts or scenes are “not allowed” in the game.
  • 
  Participants discuss what elements will be glossed over or “shown off screen.”
  • 
  Participants reserve the right to “pull the plug” on objectionable content. If this happens play will stop and the 
  group will work to rectify things immediately.
  Rules Usage 
  Is there anything the group wants to change from the printed rules? Are there any rules you wish to bring into the game? 
  This is also the time to discuss optional and advanced rules.
  Options:
  • 
  List all changed, optional, and advanced rules in the game.
  • 
  Participants can introduce optional or advanced rules during play with agreement from the Players and GM (a 
  player may call for a “Desperation block” (an advanced rule) and, if there is no strong objection, it enters play.
  PC Hijacks
  Can the GM (or the rules) “assume control of the Character” away from the Player? We feel that this should never be done 
  to resolve something the Player is interested in—but in some cases groups may cede such power to the GM (or group 
  vote). If a fantasy elf is talking in gangster speech, the GM may have the power to legitimately call a halt to the game and 
  intercede with play that is hurting the experience for everyone.
  • 
  If play is judged to be detrimental to the experience of the group by a participant, then the GM may adjudicate 
  and, if it is deemed that the game is improved by the GM forcing the character’s hand, that will happen.
  • 
  Only a Player may control self-directed actions by their character (input is still welcome).
  • 
  If a character is acting in a way to be deemed “out of accordance” with a Trait, a WIL roll with modifiers deemed 
  appropriate by the GM may be called for. If made, the Player is in charge. If failed, the GM is in charge.
  Gritiness of the 
  game
  Aside from the absolute question of PC Death the participants will want to discuss how grim and gritty the tone of the game 
  will be. Things like bleeding rules, attention to recovery times from combat wounds, and how cheap life will be should be 
  discussed. These can be done as “tone” questions. A light tone indicates that characters will not have bleeding or disease 
  tracked and NPCs who are “down” will not be explicitly tracked to see if they die. 
  Cooperation vs. 
  Competition
  We think the default for RPG-play is that players are generally cooperative and no one is intentionally gunning for anyone 
  else. If that isn’t the case, if you are likely to engage in PvP play, bring it up before the game starts so no one is caught 
  unawares. If the play of the game simply leads to PvP (i.e. in-game conditions lead to a duel between two PCs but neither 
  player in the game came in with the explicit intention of going after each other) then we suggest checking in with both actual 
  players before continuing the conflict.
  Heroic vs. 
  Conventional
  In some games the characters will be the kind of people who usually don’t screw up. When things go wrong it’s because the 
  situation is hard or something unexpected happens. In other games the characters will be more mundane and may suffer 
  trials and tribulations that plague ordinary folks. In the heroic convention, Players will be told by the GM when he or she 
  thinks plans are going to go awry. When the dice indicate failure it’ll usually be mitigated in some way other than that the PC 
  simply wasn’t good enough. When things fail the character will not look foolish or stupid unless the Player agrees.
  In the game for Hammerhead McLear, the Death will be adjudicated by the GM (the general feeling, however, is that a Death result will be 
  mean  the removal of the character from play), there is no specific comfort zone, and any participant may introduce an optional or advanced 
  rule if there is no objection. 
  The game world includes behavior modifying chips (which neither character has installed at the start of play). If that were to happen, however, 
  the result would be that the character was, in fact, no longer under control of the Player. However, this is like mind control or some other loss 
  of control due to environmental factors. This isn’t directly addressed by the “Character Hijacks” discussion.
  The GM suggests that Players will be in charge of their characters and there will be no assumption of control due to Traits or other character 
  descriptors (i.e. if I have the Trait Greedy it means I want to have my character be Greedy—but the GM will not take control to enforce that). 
  The GM would award Success Points as a bonus for aggressively playing negative Traits.
  Example
  
  Situation Creation
  204
  Step 2: Creation of the Situation Foundation
  The Situation Foundation is defined as “the least amount of information about the upcoming play 
  to allow the Players to make fit characters.” This includes (usually):
  • 
  The setting (Modern day? Far future? Some kind of fantasy?)
  • 
  The general genre if there is one (Zombie horror? Action adventure? Western?)
  • 
  An idea of what the action will be and parameters on who the characters may be. This 
  includes what Archetype Abilities are legal.
  • 
  Some clue as to what the major conflicts might involve.
  Example: A modern-day horror game where the characters are medical students at a major 
  university. A beloved and trusted professor has summoned his head students (the PCs and 
  some NPCs) and told them that something is amiss. He does not go into detail but explains 
  that a former friend and now disgraced physician has asked for a dinner with the professor’s 
  head students. He has severe misgivings about this but has agreed to it. The characters feel 
  this is some sort of test … or clash of philosophies.
  The players are told that there is something unwholesome that may be revealed at the dinner 
  and the characters should come to the game with a philosophy as to why they practice 
  medicine.
  Example: The characters are young adventurers in a fantasy world with underground 
  caverns, mysterious magical treasures, and the like. They are setting out to make their 
  fortunes. They will be presented with a map of the surrounding area with possible cavern-
  areas marked on it (a treasure map). There will be no “pressing objective” for the characters 
  (i.e. they will not be sent on a mission). The Players are encouraged to come up with new 
  additions to the world which the GM will work in.
  Example: The characters are secret agents who will be sent on missions by their super-
  secret organization. The game parameters involve a James Bond-esque good vs. evil 
  dichotomy (the character’s organization is “good”) and while the characters may find it a bit 
  bureaucratic or stuffy, they are expected to make agents who will participate in the missions. 
  There will be little moral ambiguity in the missions. The genre is “action adventure.”
  Example
  Step 3: Creating the Dramas
  In JAGS Revised there are a number of “sub-systems” for handling certain kinds of special 
  events that may occur in games. The first one is the Combat System. In JAGS Have-Not, there 
  is the Vehicle System, and so on. These collections of rules get more and more refined when it 
  comes to a specific kind of event.
  For situations that are important and dramatic in the game, but for which there is not a suitable 
  sub-system, there is the Drama Rolls system (explained in the Drama Rolls chapter). In this 
  case, a specific, expected in-game event that’ll be important is considered and a Drama Rolls 
  Framework is developed for it (usually by the GM).
  If your game is going to include some specific dramatic situations then you should create and 
  define some Drama Roll Frameworks for those situations so that Players will know how to create 
  characters for them.
  Example: There are no specific jousting rules in JAGS Revised so a game where the PCs 
  are knights might involve a Drama Roll Framework for Jousting (using Melee Weapon skill as 
  the primary skill and Riding skill (horsemanship) as a secondary skill.
  Example: A game that mimics a Legal Drama TV show would probably have a Drama Roll 
  Framework developed for handling court-battles.
  Example
  Characters in Motion: Kickers and 
  Flags
  From Indie RPG theorists Ron Edwards 
  (Adept Press) and Chris Chinn, come two 
  terms we think are awesome and can be 
  used to increase the Player input to your 
  game: Kickers and Flags.
  A Kicker is a Player-generated starting 
  situation. The Player says what’s going 
  on when the game starts and the situation 
  includes some dramatic event the PC 
  cannot ignore—it demands action! This 
  jump-starts the game in a way that is very 
  specific to the PC and has the Player’s 
  interest (since they came up with it). A 
  Kicker should be presented well before 
  play starts so the GM will determine what’s 
  behind it. The amount of information a 
  Player gives the GM should be roughly 
  limited to what the PC knows—the back-
  story behind the Kicker is part of the GM’s 
  domain.
  Flags are things the Player has noted 
  about the character that they’d like the 
  GM to key on during the game. If my 
  character is an expert race car driver then 
  I can “flag” my driving skill and that tells 
  the GM I’d like a driving scene somewhere 
  in the game. Same for enemies, friends, 
  etc. If the Player wants some aspect of 
  the character in the game they can “flag it” 
  (discuss it with the GM, put a mark on the 
  character sheet) and it says “hey, this is 
  something I think is cool—I’d like to do it in 
  the game.”
  Neither of these are required but both can 
  give the GM a good handle on what will 
  motivate and interest the Player. 
  Designer’s Notes
  
  205
  Situation Creation
  Step 4: Creating the Characters
  Once you have the Situation Foundation, you build the PCs. We discussed this previously but to 
  reiterate:
  • 
  Don’t make characters in a vacuum. Talk to the other players about what you are going 
  to do. It’s okay to leave some stuff for exposition during the game but everyone needs 
  at least a reasonable chance to be on the same page with each other.
  • 
  Characters,Archetype Abilities, and Traits should be in line with the parameters set out 
  in the Situation Foundation. If you are deviating substantially, talk it over with the GM 
  and other Players first.
  • 
  Don’t forget to make an attempt to have the characters be relevant to each other 
  in some fashion. This is another way of building momentum for the shared play 
  experience.
  Step 5: The GM Creates the Situation
  Given the Foundation and the Characters and their Archetype Abilites, Traits, and other data, the 
  GM puts this all together to create the game. This should include:
  • 
  A good faith effort to include any significant Player input. If a Player has a character 
  whose nature doesn’t fit, the GM and Player should re-work it until it does.
  • 
  The action in the game should revolve around the characters. Why is this happening to 
  them? How is the story tailored to the PCs (how would it be created differently if it were 
  another group of characters built to the same Foundation)?
  • 
  What sorts of decisions will the characters likely have to make? The Players? Are they 
  the same?
  Best Practices
  Here’s some advice we have for the creation of the Situation.
  • 
  Don’t have pre-determined scenes. If you have the major bad-guy show up at the 
  beginning of the game and figure the PCs will meet but not fight with him … and they 
  decide to fight, you should be prepared to lose him (so if you’re not, how about having 
  an agent of the major antagonist show up?)
  • 
  Don’t pre-determine endings. We think it’s best when the ending or solution is up to the 
  participants (a combination of the GM and Players)—not either set.
  • 
  Design the situation so that it interests the characters. Characters have goals and 
  motivations. The situation should provide a plausible reason to engage them.
  • 
  Design the situation so that it interests the Players. This is different but equally 
  important. A character may be highly motivated when his life is threatened. If the Player 
  doesn’t think that’s fun then you have a problem.
  Opening the Game
  Play is ready to start and the GM determines when, where, and what’s going on when it does. 
  Some suggestions:
  • 
  Beginning the game with a high-energy event (like a combat the PCs are very likely to 
  win) can be a good way to spike initial interest. Explain what’s going on later!
  • 
  Use a map of the known area if the PCs are going to be exploring anything. Props like 
  maps are a good way to “grab” player interest. This also gives the players a basis from 
  which to make informed decisions.
  • 
  Spotlight a character (this is good for continuing the game too!). If the initial action 
  focuses on some character’s nature that’s a good way to let that Player shine. Just 
  make sure the spotlight moves around fairly.
  End of Situation Creation
  With Characters and Situation you are ready to play. The next part of the game focuses on 
  various game mechanics (Combat, some general world-physics stuff) that is more specific than 
  the Drama Rolls system (and uses the Stat, Skill, and Resisted Roll mechanics in a good amount 
  of detail). Keep on reading!
  Scenes vs. Exploration
  In some games the PCs will be moving 
  around in a well understood (at least by 
  the GM) imaginary terrain. An example 
  of this would be 1920’s adventurers 
  searching for the source of the Nile in 
  a world where there is low-key magic, 
  mythical African lost-empires, etc. In this 
  case, the PCs will decide where they go 
  and the GM will tell them what they find 
  when they get there. This is one classic 
  game dynamic and we’ll call it Exploring.
  Another classic game dynamic is 
  where the PCs are trying to accomplish 
  something and they already know what’s 
  involved and where things are. An 
  example would be a political intrigue game 
  in a fantasy court: the PCs know all the 
  NPCs and know where everything is pretty 
  much (minus a secret passage here or 
  there, maybe). In this case, each action on 
  the part of a PC creates a “scene” like you 
  might find in a book or movie. In this case, 
  the GM may ask (if it isn’t obvious) what 
  the Player is trying to accomplish in the 
  scene and, keeping that in mind, it can be 
  properly played out.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Tools
  206
  JAGS Revised Tools
  In this last section, we get to JAGS’s Tools. The JAGS rule-set is not intended to concretely 
  cover every possible situation or answer every possible question that could arise during play: 
  that task resides with the group itself with the GM acting as the final authority.
  The rules we’ve presented are a framework that, in our experience, makes for a positive 
  gaming experience (very detailed combat, flexible character generation, guidelines for common 
  environmental situations, etc.). Here we go into deeper detail and discuss some of the thought 
  behind the rules and mechanics to help you extend them.
  Core Guiding Principles
  JAGS Revised has four guiding principles behind its rules. We advise the participants to keep 
  them in mind when interpreting the rules and making judgment calls. They are:
  • 
  Balanced Combat: We feel that combat is exciting—and more exciting when 
  decisions involve trade-offs and there is no absolutely dominant strategy or character 
  design.
  • 
  Verisimilitude: We have provided rules that we hope will provide a general sense 
  of “being there.” When possible we have tried to make sure that the way the rules 
  resolve things is at least reasonable with regards to what you’d expect from reality or 
  at least realistic fiction. The rules are clearly not a painstaking simulation of things—but 
  hopefully they will not produce absurd results.
  • 
  The Needs of the Narrative: All games create some kind of story. How the group 
  emphasizes that and interprets that varies a lot. We have included some elements of 
  design that should provide mechanical support for certain types of activities that will 
  help the participants directly influence or address elements of narratives.
  • 
  Player Empowerment: Although the GM is the final authority, we intend that Players 
  should always be consulted about rules decisions and input solicited. Furthermore, 
  where PCs are meant to be heroic or otherwise “dominant” (perhaps above what their 
  raw numerical scores would suggest) there are some mechanics that can assist with 
  that. Finally, the rules provided should give Players input over the in-game situation 
  and some say over what is important in the game.
  Game Balance: Unusual Combat Situations
  The JAGS combat system is pretty concrete: actions are broken down in to specific types and 
  then checked for success (often with resistance attempts, exact damage, etc.) However, during 
  the game, situations may arise that the rules do not explicitly cover.
  A small humanoid troll has attempted to grapple a character and has failed (but has a 
  Grab). The GM declares that the troll is “on her back, hanging on—but has not wrapped its 
  arms around her.” The Player then declares she is going to grab the troll’s arms and throw 
  herself on her back to smash it. There are several different ways the existing rules might be 
  applied—however there is no exact rule for this. Here’s why it is an unusual case:
  • 
  The rules do not detail exactly what happens when you have a Grab, go to a 
  Grapple, and fail. Specifically, nothing in the rules specifies that the troll would be 
  “on her back.”
  • 
  There is nothing that is a perfect analogy for throwing yourself on your back to 
  crush an opponent. A Slam is pretty close but this seems like a far easier situation 
  than just lifting and thrashing a target—the troll is already up in the air.
  • 
  This kind of move isn’t literally a “can’t miss” move—but it does seem like it’s more 
  likely to hit than not … and the PC doesn’t really have to overpower the troll to pull 
  it off.
  • 
  The exact damage isn’t clear from the rules. It’s a short fall. The PC is falling on top 
  of the troll but they’re falling together.
  Example
  
  207
  JAGS Tools
  A Kung-Fu expert wishes to kick a gun out of someone’s hand. There is no specific disarm 
  move. How is that handled?
  Example
  In cases where an unusual situation presents itself in combat, the GM will adjudicate it using 
  the existing body of rules as a framework for making a decision. In these cases we recommend 
  some attention to the principal of “game balance.”
  That is: it is probably not good for the game if the decision about a unusual situation is 
  that it is overwhelmingly good tactics. We recommend that judgment calls prevent “special 
  circumstances” from being dominant in the game.
  How do you do that?
  Here are some principles you can follow:
  1. 
  Damage from a blow counts as a 10 + Damage Done grapple force where applicable.
  2. 
  Unusual moves tend to do damage about like a punch or kick. Sometimes a 
  character’s BLD/5 can be added to STR damage if the character’s full weight is 
  involved somehow.
  3. 
  Moves that seem likely to hit usually get +1 to +4. This bonus may not apply to 
  Damage Modifiers.
  4. 
  Any move that seems to require great skill or “luck” to pull off can often be 
  accomplished with an Acrobatics roll at -1 to -6. Characters who traditionally do 
  things like knock one person into another or otherwise pull of wild stunts should have 
  Acrobatics skill in JAGS.
  5. 
  Usually moves that are beneficial have an associated risk with them (for example, if a 
  character decides to knock one character into another, an Acrobatics roll at -5 might 
  be called for to set up the shot: if missed, the REA for the attack would be spent but 
  automatically miss—the extra Acrobatics roll is an extra associated risk).
  6. 
  If a move is likely to really screw over another character, you usually have to dominate 
  them in the fight. The kinds of characters who can reliably kick guns out of people’s 
  hands are the types of characters who can usually dominate the gunmen if they are 
  unarmed. Requiring a Standard or Major Success on a resisted roll is often required to 
  really mess someone up.
  7. 
  Defenses against special moves often get +1 or +2.
  Using these guidelines, let’s look at the situations:
  Slamming the Troll: The GM rules that the attempt will be handled as a Slam where:
  • 
  The target (troll) is already picked up.
  • 
  The attacker (the PC) will fall down as well.
  • 
  Falling down as well makes the attack “more likely to hit” and is generally 
  disadvantageous to the character who falls, so the GM arbitrarily grants a +3 
  Grapple Score to the PC.
  Example
  
  JAGS Tools
  208
  Kicking the gun out of someone’s hands: The GM makes the call as follows:
  • 
  The GM calls for a roll to “hit the gun” (or even the hand). This, according to the 
  rules is at -2. 
  • 
  When the character does hit, the GM will call for a Grapple Roll of the Kung Fu 
  expert’s damage +10 against the target’s Offensive Grapple (as a Grab attack, 
  which this is likened to, is Offense vs. Offense).
  • 
  Disarming the gunman is pretty severe—however, the GM decides that it’s an 
  unexpected move and the spirit of this game is geared towards flashy action and 
  requires only a Standard Success.
  The character has a 15- Level 3 Kung Fu skill and hits, even with the -2 for 6pts of Damage. 
  The gunman has an 11 STR and an Offensive Grapple of 13. Comparing the attack’s 
  damage (10+6 = 16) to the gunman’s Offensive Grapple (13) the attack has a Grapple roll of 
  13-. The Kung Fu expert rolls an 11, which makes a Standard success: the gun goes flying.
  Example
  Verisimilitude 
  In our experience there are often questions about how things related to the physical universe 
  might work (how far can a super-strong human throw a soda machine?). These rules take a 
  stab at answering some of these questions. They are not meant as a rigorous simulation of an 
  imaginary universe as a computer might provide, but rather as guidelines and a framework from 
  which to approach these questions.
  Physics: Throwing, Jumping, Falling, etc.
  A lot of things involve the concept of Force: how far a strong character can jump, the distance a 
  superhero can toss an automobile, and how far back you’ll fly when hit by a cannon (if it matters) 
  are all questions of Force. Ultimately damage from falls and collisions are covered by the Force 
  rules as well.
  Mass
  The first thing you do when using these rules is determine the object in question’s Mass. This is 
  it’s weight/75lbs or its BLD/5 (which is the same thing). Normal people have a Mass of 2.
  Force
  The second thing you do is determine how much Force is acting on the object. This is done 
  by taking the (STR-10) of the acting character or the amount of damage an attack does and 
  converting it to Force using the below rules. Usually this means multiplying that number by 
  something.
  Damage  or (STR - 10)
  Force Multiplier
  1 – 29
  1x 
  30 – 40
  2x 
  41 – 60
  4x 
  61+
  8x 
  The Damage number may also be modified: a hit from a rifle won’t throw you back as far as a 
  being rammed by a car will!
  Damage Type
  Damage Multiplier
  Piercing (PEN) like a realistic bullet or arrow
  .1x 
  Slicing (PEN) like a sword or axe
  .25x
  A blunt blow (IMP)
  .5x (bullets in “cinematic” games)
  A collision, tackle, jump, or throw
  1x (super powered punches as well)
  If you find yourself flipping through the 
  JAGS Revised book (or scrolling through 
  the PDF) looking for how far someone 
  can jump then be sure you have already 
  followed this guideline:
  Unless someone at the table considers 
  the ruling important don’t waste time 
  calculating it or referencing it.
  That’s key: one of the most powerful ways 
  a GM can keep a game moving is to make 
  decisions that promote enjoyable play (or, 
  in the case that something doesn’t turn out 
  the way someone wanted, are considered 
  fair). These tools shouldn’t get in the way 
  of that.
  There are large and complex issues 
  around setting-expectations, GM-Player 
  trust, and pre-existing agreements. These 
  printed rules will help with some of that—
  however, we do not believe that our rules 
  for, say, Jumping, will always produce 
  realistic results nor even “acceptable” 
  results and we haven’t tried to present a 
  consistent model of physical activity (or 
  anything else here). We’re presenting tools 
  we’ve used to figure things out when we 
  did find it useful.
  Designer’s Notes
  In JAGS all damage was completely 
  linear: a character with a 200 STR 
  could throw an object 10x further than a 
  character with a 20 STR. This was, we felt, 
  pretty realistic but it had some problems 
  with super characters: we decided that 
  we wanted relatively low-powered super 
  characters to be able to toss heavy things 
  around … at least a little. So while we 
  haven’t gone to exponents we do have 
  “force multipliers” on things like how much 
  a STR of X can lift or throw.
  Change
  
  209
  JAGS Tools
  How Far Does It Go?
  In JAGS the basic question of how far something goes when it is pushed or hit is as follows:
  Yards Traveled = Force / Target’s Mass
  Force is rated in points, like damage, and is roughly equivalent to IMP damage. However, there 
  are a lot of cases where the number used for Force is actually quite a bit different than the 
  damage done. These are:
  • 
  Super Strength
  • 
  Things with very low Mass.
  A normal man with a Mass of 2 (150 lbs) is rammed by a car for 10pts of Impact Damage. In 
  this case, because of the specifics, Force is equal to Impact Damage and the man is thrown 
  10/2 = 5 yards back.
  Example
  High Numbers (Super Strength)
  The first case where Force is different from IMP Damage is when we are dealing with relatively 
  high amounts of damage. A guy who can lift a car pretty easily (their STR damage is equal to its 
  Mass) can, under the above equation, throw it about a yard. That’s not satisfying and it probably 
  isn’t “right.” Rather than try to do some kind of unified equation, we have broken most of these 
  rules up into categories of power from the ordinary human scales to the super-human.
  Very Low Masses
  Let’s say that instead of hitting a normal man with a car, I ram a puppy. It’s despicable, but let’s 
  stick to the equation. The normal man weighs about 100-150 lbs. The puppy? About, let’s say, 
  three pounds. In terms of Mass that’s .04. So if we do the equation, the puppy is thrown not 5 
  yards (10/2 for the normal human) but 250 yards. We expect the puppy to fly further—oh, okay, 
  he’s a super indestructible puppy, he won’t be hurt—but not that much further.
  So you will also see some rules, below, for handling smaller, every-day style objects.
  Calculating Force
  So how do you get Force? Well, here are the rules.
  • 
  Tractor Beams, Streaming Attacks, and Collisions all use their Damage (or, for a 
  specific superpower some fraction of the damage) as their Force. 
  • 
  Punches and Kicks usually use half their damage as Force.
  • 
  Penetrating Attacks either apply no Force (since if they penetrate they’ll punch through 
  and maybe, at most, move the target back a yard or two) or use about 1/5th their 
  damage as Force (so a 31pt PEN damage rifle has a Force of 6 and knocks a normal 
  man back about 3 yards—that’s like something out of the movies if you want to play 
  that way).
  Knockback
  Knockback is the term for someone or something being sent flying when it is hit. This is most 
  commonly the case in superhero games where mighty blows send opponents soaring all over 
  the battlefield. Here is how knockback works in JAGS Revised.
  Rules for Knockback
  • 
  If a character declares multiple strikes before rolling for any of them, knockback for all 
  the strikes is added and applied after the last one hits. That means: if you declare up 
  front you are hitting a target twice, they won’t fly back after your first hit, depriving you 
  of the second.
  • 
  A character must be hit by 4+ to generate any knockback whatsoever from a normal 
  attack (not so from a Streaming Attack).
  • 
  Attacks designed to cause knockback (a tackle) or push will use the Push rules. If a 
  character is on the edge of a cliff, any hit could cause a small amount of knockback 
  and the GM may allow a (STR-10) + [ (BLD-5) -2] against the damage done to 
  Knockback doesn’t Damage the 
  Character Who was Knocked Back
  After some playtest and deliberation we 
  have decided that the default rule for 
  JAGS Revised is that getting thrown back 
  by a blow does no additional damage to 
  the person or thing that is flying—only 
  what is hit. 
  The reasons for this are as follows:
  • 
  Handling Time. Doing second-
  stage damage calculations for 
  flying characters was deemed to 
  take too long.
  • 
  Fun Factor: Knockback is kind 
  of cool. Being slammed through 
  a wall is cinematic, dramatic, 
  and fun to imagine. Taking extra 
  damage from it usually is not.
  Change
  
  JAGS Tools
  210
  determine if the character moves “a little.” It is also legitimate for the GM to ask for AGI 
  or Acrobatics rolls if the character tries to stay standing in one place.
  Knockback Distance
  The distance a person knocked back will fly is based on the Force calculation. NOTE: although 
  it violates expectations (‘realism’) to preserve the integrity of the combat system (‘balance’) the 
  damage that a target who is knocked back deals to an object struck is handled differently.
  Damage  or (STR - 10)
  Force for purposes of Distance Flown
  1 – 29
  1x Damage
  30 – 40
  2x Damage
  41 – 60
  4x Damage
  61+
  8x Damage
  Directional Knockback
  Usually people cannot direct exactly how they will hit their target (getting the perfect parabolic 
  arc to knock someone into the next zipcode is tough). We advise that so long as a character is 
  getting an AGI bonus against an attack (i.e. aware of an attack coming from a facing direction) 
  they will be hit in a fairly flat arc directly backwards. 
  This usually means they will impact a wall somewhere along the way rather than flying for a mile 
  or two (in super-battles). 
  Damage to Targets Hit
  Damage to the target that is hit is equal to the force of the original hit and no more. 
  Vita-Man (a tragically named superhero) strikes The Face Melter for 70pts of IMP damage. 
  He hits by 5 (enough to generate knockback). The Face Melter has a Mass of 3 (15 BLD) 
  and the Force is (70 x 8 ) / 3 = 187 yards flown! 
  The battle is taking place in a city and The Face Melter is blasted backwards, across the 
  street, and hits a wall for 70 damage (to the wall only, not to him), smashing through it and 
  through two more interior walls besides.
  Example
  Resisting Knockback
  If you have grabbed the person striking you, you won’t suffer knockback. If you have hover flight 
  you can take a 3 REA Short Action to reduce the effective damage by your Flight’s Power before 
  checking it for Force.
  Li�ing
  How much you can pick up, when it is in question is determined by your STR. There are a lot of 
  different ways to measure “lift.” If you use your legs and back to heft something about midway 
  up your body that’s “Dead lift.” Really strong guys can do around 400-500 lbs. If you lie on your 
  back and push with your arms that’s bench-pressing. The most we’ve ever seen is 600lbs. Lifting 
  weights over your head is usually called a Snatch or Jerk Lift. Doing this with 300-500lbs puts 
  you in world record range. When weight is distributed all over your body and you are carrying 
  it, that’s called Encumbrance. The army would like to keep soldiers under 100lbs of gear but 
  that turns out to be hard. You can, however, move and fight in around 100-150lbs of distributed 
  weight.
  Here are some rules you can use if these values are questioned.
  
  211
  JAGS Tools
  Normal STR Ranges for Lifting
  STR
  Force
  Bench Press
  Lift over head
  Dead Lift
  Encumbrance
  0-9
  .5
  10lbs per point
  10lbs per point
  20lbs per point
  5 lbs per point of STR
  10
  0
  135 lbs
  135 lbs
  150 lbs
  50 lbs
  11 - 29
  1 - 19
  135 + (Force x 75)
  135 + (Force x 50)
  150 + (Force x 100)
  50 + (Force x 50)
  30 – 50
  40 - 80
  135 + (Force x 75)
  135 + (Force x 50)
  150 + (Force x 100)
  50 + (Force x 50)
  51 – 70
  164 - 240
  135 + (Force x 75)
  135 + (Force x 50)
  150 + (Force x 100)
  50 + (Force x 50)
  71+
  480+
  135 + (Force x 75)
  135 + (Force x 50)
  150 + (Force x 100)
  50 + (Force x 50)
  Making a STR Roll
  Each point you make a STR roll by will increase your STR by an effective +1 up to STR +2 (or 
  +20%, whichever is more). The GM can call for a STR roll if you are lifting near your maximum or 
  otherwise performing a feat of STR that is in question.
  If the character’s STR is 10 or below a STR roll will be necessary to do most ordinary tasks that 
  “require Strength” (such as moving boxes efficiently or opening stuck jars). We think it should 
  go without saying that in a condition where a person with, say, an 8 STR is moving out of their 
  house, rather than making a zillion rolls the adjudication would be “it takes twice as long as 
  normal and is really miserable,” but we’re going to say it anyway. Save the rolling for situations of 
  high drama.
  A solider with an 11 STR has the following characteristics.
  1. 
  He can bench press up to 210 lbs (exact press may fall anywhere from 136 to 210 
  lbs).
  2. 
  He can perform an overhead lift of 185 lbs.
  3. 
  He can dead lift 250 lbs.
  4. His Encumbrance number is 100lbs. 
  Example
  Vita-Man’s 80 STR gives him 70 damage x 8 (Force Multiplier) = 560 Force. This has the 
  following Lift numbers:
  1. 
  Bench press: 560 x 75lbs = 21 tons
  2. 
  Lift over head: 560 x 50 lbs = 14 tons
  3. Dead Lift: 560 x 100 = 28 tons
  Example
  How Encumbrance Works
  Encumbrance, the condition of being weighted down, effects how well and for how long you 
  can do strenuous things. The rules for getting tired from physical exertion are covered in the 
  Endurance rules further on in.
   
  Assuming you are under your Encumbrance weight you treat activities normally for Endurance 
  purposes. 
  
  JAGS Tools
  212
  Encumbrance Level
  Effect on Endurance Activities
  Under Encumbrance 
  Level 
  No effect.
  At Encumbrance Level or 
  above it
  Every activity that cost END costs 2x as many points (1 Round 
  of fighting gives 2 END points). STR rolls to perform feats of 
  strength are at -1.
  At 2x Encumbrance or 
  above
  Weighted Down
  • 
  AGI bonus drops to zero and they are at +2 to be hit 
  as they are (mostly) non-moving.
  • 
  They make Skill or AGI rolls for physical activity at -2.
  • 
  They lose 5 REA per turn.
  At 3x Encumbrance or 
  above
  Character is immobile.
  Jumping Distance
  Jumps, in modern athletics, are measured in feet and inches—JAGS Revised tries to measure 
  everything in yards. Keep that in mind when the rules say your little-old-lady character jumps 
  about as well as your sprinter. We did try measuring in feet: people hated it. 
  Jumps are 8 REA Long Move actions. You can substitute a suitable Sport Skill for your STR. 
  An AGI of 12+ adds +1 to Effective STR. Each full 2pts of BLD above STR deducts one from 
  effective STR for Jump purposes. The Out of Shape Trait will reduce STR by an effective 2pts.
  Standing Broad Jump
  The Internet tells us that athletic people jump from a standing position about 1-2 yards and the 
  records go to about 3 yards. Here’s the rule for human-like characters:
  STR Roll
  Distance
  Missed
  1⁄2 yard
  Made by 0 - 4
  1 yard (or 1.5 yards if you want to get picky).
  Made by 5 – 9
  2 yards
  Made by 10+
  3 yards
  Super Strength Standing Broad Jump
  For super-strong characters, Force is a matter of how strong they are:
  STR 
  Force
  1 – 29
  1x (STR - 10)
  30 – 50
  2x (STR - 10)
  51 – 70
  4x (STR - 10)
  71+
  8x (STR - 10)
  Running Broad Jump
  A running broad jump has Olympic records in the 8-9 meter (converted to yards for JAGS, yeah, 
  we know …) range. How many steps you get to take is important and there are actually a few 
  different methods to doing the jump (who knew). This is how we’re doing it. A running broad jump 
  is a Full Move and an additional 5 REA action. If you were already moving that’s 10 REA (Long). 
  If you just started moving and want to do it in 1 second, it’s 13 REA. If you can’t pay that much 
  REA, pay what you have and take a -4 to the roll.
  STR Roll
  Distance
  Missed
  Move + 3 yards of jump
  Made by 0 - 4
  Move + 5 yards of jump
  Made by 5 – 9
  Move + 7 yards of jump
  Made by 10+
  Move + 9 yards of jump
  
  213
  JAGS Tools
  Advanced: Falling Down
  After a broad jump, you fall down if you went for maximum distance. We suggest no roll to 
  stay standing if you go with one level lower than you rolled (so if you made your STR roll 
  by 10 and then only jumped 7 yards you don’t need to roll). Otherwise we suggest AGI or 
  Acrobatics -4 to effectively remain standing (roll and come up on your feet?).
  Super Strength Running Broad Jump
  For super-strong characters, Force is a matter of how strong they are:
  STR 
  Force
  1 – 29 
  1x (STR - 10)
  30 – 50
  2x (STR - 10)
  51 – 70
  4x (STR - 10)
  71+
  8x (STR - 10)
  High Jump
  Wikipedia (which is never wrong about anything) tells us that world records reach about 2.5 
  yards. It seems you get a running start.For characters in the normal range, jumping anything 
  over 5 feet requires special training and special technique. Here are the rules for clearing an 
  obstacle.
  Acrobatics Roll or STR-2
  Distance
  Missed by 5
  Characters who are not heroic will need to roll to clear even 
  small obstacles and, if they miss the roll by 5, they’ll fall and 
  be tangled. Heroic characters can clear anything under a yard 
  (even if it’s just an inch) with no roll—and the Player should be 
  informed if a roll is required.
  Missed
  1⁄2 yard with no problem.
  Made by 0 -4
  Clear 1 yard.
  Made by 
  Clear 2 yards.
  Made by 10+
  Clear 3 yards.
  Super Strength High Jump
  For super-strong characters, Force is a matter of how strong they are:
  STR 
  Force
  30 – 50
  2x (STR - 10)
  51 – 70
  4x (STR - 10)
  71+
  8x (STR - 10)
  Throwing Objects
  The maximum distance most people think a grenade will go with any accuracy is 27-30 yards. A 
  shotput record heaves a 25lb ball about 15 yards. A long football pass (American football) seems 
  to be about 40-50 yards. If you’re really good, you can throw a javelin about 90 yards.
  Usually, with thrown objects, there is a COR roll to hit and there really isn’t a factor for maximum 
  distance (clearly you can’t engage someone at 100 yards range with a thrown rock). However, 
  if you must know, judge how good the thing is for throwing (bricks are poor, grenades are good, 
  and javelins are excellent).
  Object Weight
  Light +2 (grenade, baseball)
  Heavy: -2 (frying pan, brick)
  Really heavy: -4 (shotput)
  
  JAGS Tools
  214
  STR Roll
  Poor
  Good
  Excellent
  Missed
  3 yards
  6 yards
  25 yards
  Made by 0 - 4
  5 yards
  20 yards 
  50 yards
  Made by 5 – 9
  10 yards
  30 yards
  75 yards
  Made by 10+
  20 yards
  50 yards
  100 yards
  Super Strength Throwing
  For super-strong characters, use this table for Force.
  STR
  Force
  30 – 50
  2x (STR - 10)
  51 – 70
  4x (STR - 10)
  71+
  8x (STR - 10)
  A 60 STR superhero throws a 50 BLD pickup truck. His damage is 50 IMP so his Force is 50 
  x 8  = 500. The car goes 400/50 = 8 yards and hits targets for 50 IMP damage.
  Example
  Advanced: Hang Time
  We presently assume that all travel is pretty much less than one Round long. This makes 
  sense except for incredibly long jumps. If you do not want to do the physics, assume that 
  anything thrown, anyone jumping, or otherwise propelled, will take 1 second to reach their 
  target per X-yards flown where X starts at 20 yards and then doubles with each second after 
  that (so something going 140 yards would be airborne for 20 + 40 + 80 = 3 seconds).
   
  Collisions
  There are two kinds of collisions in JAGS Revised: the kind where you stop moving and the kind 
  where you keep moving. The first kind, a “heavy” collision, is when you hit someone’s car head-
  on with yours or fall out of a window. The second, a “light” collision, is when you run a serial killer 
  over in your giant SUV: it doesn’t stop because it hit the body.
  The GM determines which type it is and the damage is as follows:
  Light Collision: Damage = (Velocity (y/s) x Mass) / 50
  Heavy Collision: Damage = (Velocity (y/s) x Mass) / 2
  • 
  NOTE: In the case of one human running into another there will be an Overrun attack 
  which adds STR Damage.
  • 
  NOTE: There will be a minimum damage for collisions of even a modestly serious 
  nature. 
  A 50 Mass car moving 30mph (15 yard/sec) hits a guy. The guy, being a human, will not stop 
  the car. The damage is 15 IMP.
  Example
  Falling Objects
  Falling Objects do damage as though from a collision (where Velocity is increased by 10 yards/
  second each second up to the thing’s maximum falling speed in atmosphere—which we don’t 
  presume to be able to tell you).
  
  215
  JAGS Tools
  Falling Object
  Minimum Damage
  Light object (a book)
  1pt
  Medium object (a box from the attic)
  3pts
  Heavy object (medium sized rock)
  5-10pts
  Very Heavy Objects
  As per STR necessary to lift them.
  Falling
  Statistics tell us that falls from a height of 5 stories or more are about 90% lethal (don’t ask 
  where we got those statistics). We boil this down to the idea that it is likely to do a Critical Wound 
  to just about anyone. Now, we know Critical Wounds are not really 90% lethal but we’re sticking 
  with that assessment.
  However, we do think that people falling out of airplanes almost always die. That means they 
  suffer 5x their Damage Points or more (average of 10 DP) and there’s no roll or anything—
  they’re dead. A person traveling at terminal velocity (the fastest speed a falling body will reach in 
  atmosphere, which, for a human who is not in a diving position is about 120mph or 60y/s) takes 
  about 60pts of IMP damage. 
  If you do the math, and assume falling is a Heavy Collision, you will see the following:
  ( 60 x 2 ) / 2 = 60pts. That’s how much a terminal velocity fall does in JAGS Revised. Here’re 
  some more quick reference points.
  Distance
  Damage
  Falling Down
  Usually no damage. However, extremely non-heroic characters in some situations could hurt themselves. We 
  suggest determining damage for slips and falls by working with the Player. Damage from a bad slip and fall 
  would be up to about Mass + 2 IMP. Again, this would be invoked in unusual situations. An AGI-2, Acrobatics, 
  or Martial Art roll that gives the ability Breakfall would negate this damage with a roll.
  Falling off a Chair
  As above but the conditions where one might take the damage would be more common. We wouldn’t apply 
  this to heroic characters but might to “competent” ones.
  Falling off a roof (1-story fall)
  We assume the roof is 1 story high. We also assume that “1-story” is 12 feet (4 yards). This will have a Force 
  of 4: so the damage is (4xMass)/2.
  Falling off a high roof (2-story 
  fall)
  Now we are up an assumed 8-10 yards. The Force is 10. Damage is (10xMass)/2.
  Falling off a 3 story building
  Force is 12. Damage is (12xMass)/2.
  Falling off a 4 story building
  Force is 16. Damage is (16xMass)/2.
  Falling off a 5 story building
  Force is now 20. Damage is (20xMass)/2.
  Falling off a 6 story building
  Force is now 24. Damage is (24xMass)/2.
  Falling Damage Modifier (DM)
  What does “the ground” hit by? It hits by +4. When rolling damage for a fall, roll and add 4.
  Falling into Soft Earth or Spikes
  The assumptions above lean towards the character hitting something solid. If you fall through a 
  bush and into a spongy lawn then the Damage Modifier would probably be +0 instead of +4. If 
  you fell on a spike the damage might be Penetrating and get a +6 value or something (the GM 
  may adjudicate).
  Endurance
  If you need to know how long someone can fight, run, cast spells, etc. without getting tired, you 
  can reference these rules. It’ll also get into how much you can carry. As with the rest of these 
  rules, they are there for people that are looking for a reasonable stab at an answer: anyone who 
  has fought knows you cannot fight all day—we do not presume that these rules model every 
  case one might run into or that their answers will be acceptable for all fiction (characters in the 
  movies regularly exceed normal limits).
  
  JAGS Tools
  216
  Strenuous Activity
  Endurance activities are separated into four categories:
  • 
  Rest (thinking, writing, etc.)
  • 
  Walking Difficulty – something you can do for hours without getting exhausted.
  • 
  Running – something you can do for minutes without getting exhausted.
  • 
  Sprinting – something you can do for seconds without getting exhausted.
  Endurance is tracked using Endurance Points. Each time you do an activity you get an 
  Endurance Point and when they are equal to you CON you are tired, double your CON, 
  exhausted.
  Any Combat or Sport Skill at Level 2 adds +2 to Endurance. At Level 3 it adds +4, and at Level 
  4, +6.
  Activity Level
  Endurance Points
  Rest
  -1 per 10 min
  Walking
  1 per 15 min.
  Running
  1 per min.
  Sprinting 
  1 per Round.
  Sample Activities
  Activity Level
  Fast Ditch Digging 
  Running
  Fighting
  Sprinting
  Climbing
  Running
  Sports
  Running, usually.
  Total Endurance
  Effect
  CON
  Tired. Take -1 to all rolls until you’ve rested.
  2x CON
  Exhausted. Make WIL rolls each time you gain a point of END or stop. 
  All rolls for skills or stats (save CON) are at -2.
  3x CON
  Spent. Make CON rolls at -2 each time you gain a point of END or fall 
  down. All rolls (save CON) are at -4.
  Suffocation
  How long can you hold your breath? About CON seconds if you are doing some exertion. You 
  can go CON x 5 seconds if you have good lung capacity and are conserving motion. At that point 
  you will no longer have air and will begin to die from lack of oxygen. 
  Drowning or Asphyxiating 
  If you are completely deprived oxygen (under water or in space) you will last CON/6 (usually 2) 
  Rounds and then, at the end of the third suffer a Dying result, falling unconscious.
  Chokes
  Standard chokes (someone throttling you) will give you CON Rounds to fight. A good jujitsu-style 
  blood choke gives you CON/2 Rounds to fight. After that you are Unconscious. If they keep going 
  another Round then you are Dying.
  Healing
  How fast one heals is up to a bunch of things. Firstly and most obviously, the rate of healing is 
  based on the technology level of the game—but also the dramatic nature of it. Here are some 
  general rules.
  Natural Recovery
  These “standard rates” for recovery are basic and not too detailed.
  Tracking Endurance
  We’re including these rules for 
  completeness sake. Some people really 
  like ‘em. However, before you start 
  spending time tracking endurance make 
  sure that people around the table really 
  get something out of this activity. In 
  some cases (a group of people stuck in a 
  dungeon, being assaulted by wave after 
  wave of foes) it might create cool drama.
  If someone wants to know how long they 
  can keep doing strenuous activity, this can 
  be pulled out. But mostly? We don’t track 
  this and you shouldn’t do it out of habit, 
  either. We have made no real effort to 
  “balance” the game based on Endurance 
  so that shouldn’t be a problem.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  217
  JAGS Tools
  Injury Type
  Recovery Rate
  Impact, Normal Condition
  Recover in 10 min.
  Impact, Hurt Condition
  Recover in one day.
  Impact, Injured Condition 
  Recover CON/10 pts per day (track fractions) with a 
  successful CON roll.
  Impact, Serious Condition
  Recover as above but -3 to the CON roll.
  PEN damage (any)
  Recover CON/10 as per IMP Injured or Serious.
  Burn Damage
  Recover CON/10 as per IMP Injured or Serious.
  Hospital and Doctor Care
  Characters under a doctor’s care can recover a Minor Wound’s worth of damage immediately 
  and get the doctor’s Medical roll instead of their CON roll.
  Cinematic Pain Killer Rule
  A character who takes a bunch of pain-killer tablets or does some other action to “keep on going” 
  recovers a Major Wound’s worth of Damage Points immediately (but usually not in combat 
  unless you are playing the game with a video-game aesthetic). However, if the character who 
  has done this reaches Injured condition again before receiving serious medical treatment they 
  will be badly hurt. If they reach Serious Condition, they will be treated as though they suffered a 
  Death result.
  Patching Someone Up Rule
  In most even moderately heroic genres seeing an EMT gets you back on your feet. A rule may be 
  that a trip to the emergency room gets you back to normal from any point below Injured condition 
  by the next day. The character is still bandaged up and will make further CON rolls at -2 for 
  about a week. If the damage was PEN then the character may have to make CON rolls or open 
  wounds back up.
  Bleeding Dramas (See Drama Rolls Section)
  The medical life-saving drama is one that’s part of a lot of fiction. Someone is badly hurt and a 
  medic or doctor is trying to save them. In this case we are using the Drama Roll rules and this is 
  an example of how a game with a character whose play centered on life-saving attempts could 
  use those.
  Stakes: A person is at Internal Damage, Dying, or Dead condition, usually from PEN damage 
  and you have a chance to bring them back.
  Primary Roll: Medical Skill
  Assistant Roll: Medical Skill, Will To Live: the patient can make WIL rolls. Each success gives 
  +1 SP.
  Number of Rolls: 3
  Success Requirement: 
  Condition
  SP’s necessary
  Internal Damage
  6
  Dying
  15
  Dead
  20
  Modifiers:
  Damage came from a single wound
  -3
  Character is at Serious Condition
  -2
  Doctor is under fire
  -3
  Gritty vs. Cinematic Games
  In Gritty games people tend to get hurt 
  and stay hurt. In Cinematic games you 
  bounce back right away. Somewhere in 
  the middle the participants may adjudicate 
  various solutions to various conditions. We 
  suggest looking at the following “rules” and 
  determining if they apply to your game:
  • 
  Wounded Characters Miss 
  The Next Scene. Whatever is 
  happening, when you get badly 
  hurt, you miss out on this scene 
  and the next one—but you’re 
  back after that. This has the 
  effect of being simple and having 
  consequences to being wounded 
  but it shouldn’t be devastating.
  • 
  Being Wounded Causes a Delay. 
  If you are wounded then people 
  have to “stop a while” and wait 
  for you to get better. Under this 
  approach you don’t track how 
  long—but it’s assumed that 
  whatever was going on is just 
  delayed a bit and that’s the price 
  for being wounded.
  • 
  Count Down To Death. You get 
  your DP back pretty fast (maybe 
  with stimulants, alcohol, or 
  grit)—but if you get back into the 
  fray too quickly you are risking 
  death if you are hurt again. The 
  GM might declare a character fit 
  for action after taking a handful 
  of painkillers but the next Major 
  Wound (or being put at Injured 
  Condition) will put him in the 
  hospital for a long time. A Critical 
  Wound (or Serious Condition) 
  will likely have permanent effects 
  or even kill him.
  Designer’s Notes
  
  JAGS Tools
  218
  Moves
  Take Additional Risk
  A doctor in a hospital could risk his professional reputation 
  and maybe even his medical license by taking risks 
  (Medium).
  Use limited supplies
  +2 to the roll
  Pushing It is allowed
  Up to -4 to the roll (making a dramatic speech).
  In a hospital
  2 SP automatically per made roll.
  Improve Position
  Prepping the Wound for the first roll may give pluses 
  thereafter.
  Advancement
  Having characters get better is part of most RPGs. In JAGS Revised characters can gain 
  additional Base Pts and Archetype points over the course of various adventures to represent 
  progression, training, etc.
  We don’t have a lot of advice on this count since we usually assign a set 1-3pts of Base Points 
  per night or two of play and Archetype Points when something major happens in the game. 
  These points are generally called Xp (eXperience points) after long traditions of other pencil-and-
  paper RPGs.
  Here are some things to consider, however:
  1. 
  We recommend no more than 1 AP for each 8 Base Points.
  2. 
  Characters who are “making a name for themselves in the world” might need more Xp 
  in the beginning of a game than towards the end.
  3. 
  If the group likes the idea of specific rewards for things like “great roleplaying” or some 
  such then using a group vote or GM assignment might work well. 
  4. 
  Some JAGS supplements have explicit rules for this (JAGS Have-Not, for example) 
  and if there is some specific experience you are going for, look into that.
  Skill Level Advancement
  The number of points you have in a skill is not intended as any objective measure of how many 
  hours of training you have—it’s the “cost” to be that good with a skill. As such, we do not govern 
  how fast you can, for example, go from Level 1 to Level 3. 
  Most people would say it doesn’t “make sense” to go from being a beginner to a world-class 
  expert in something over a few days. We agree that’s not our experience either, however, in most 
  cases, if it’s fun, we wouldn’t say no. 
  One of the discussions at the start of the game should probably be about experience points and 
  how fast people can enhance their characters. We do not advise sticking to “realistic progression 
  rates” simply because they are “more realistic”—make sure that the people at the table 
  appreciate that sense of realism or it isn’t buying you anything.
  Narrative Conventions of the Game
  The JAGS roll is heavily weighted towards success for skilled characters. This is intentional since 
  having a low failure rate empowers characters (in our opinion) in a way that is satisfying: It’s no 
  fun to have your super-spy always failing to hotwire a car. 
  However, this brings up a more complex issue that we want to address a little here, at the end of 
  things: depending on the tone of the game you are playing maybe your super-spy shouldn’t even 
  be rolling to hotwire a car. If the guy is supposed to be that good, why roll?
  There are a lot of reasons to have die rolls and we’re not going to go into all of them (and if we 
  did, you’d probably find some you really disagreed with our take on). Here are a few conventions 
  we have tried that we think can work out well in play.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Success Points For Normal Rolls
  When PCs engage with their Trajectories they can be given Success Points at a rate of 1-2 a 
  session. These points can be added, at will, to any roll to make it succeed or succeed better. 
  They may be added after a roll. These points can also be given for dramatically playing a Trait in 
  a way someone (player or GM) finds interesting. In the case of a Player, the Player may offer one 
  of their SP’s and the GM can either: accept it—in which case it is transferred, match it, in which 
  case it is doubled and given to the player, or refuse it (in which case the offering player gets it 
  back).
  Jeff’s character Sigmund the Rogue has the Trait of Greedy. This is pretty standard fare but 
  Jeff plays it up in unexpected ways and is always entertaining with it. At some point a player, 
  who likes Jeff’s play offers a Success Point as a reward.
  The GM accepts it, and Jeff gets it. If the GM was really pleased as well, the GM could 
  double it. If the player is doing this when Sigmund is involved in a fight for his life and the GM 
  feels that the award is not specifically for the play involved, he can refuse it.
  Example
  Risks and Side Effects (Unintended Results)
  The mechanics are not intended to provide absolute, concrete guidace for every possible 
  situation. Often the effects of making, or even attempting a roll may go beyond a simple, boolean 
  pass/fail. Risks and Side Effects are ways to attach additional in-game effects beyond the exact 
  scope of the attempted action to rolls. This section should be considered optional and advanced 
  as the guidelines here will always be subject to GM moderation.
  Risks
  Risks are consequences that may happen as a result of the way 
  the character attempted to do something. Once the action is 
  taken, there is a roll to see if the risk occurs.
  There are three kinds of risk rolls: 
  • 
  Those that are rolled for on failure, 
  • 
  Those rolled for on success, 
  • 
  Those that are checked for on success or failure of the 
  roll
  NOTE: It will be explained further down, but Risks can be for good 
  things as well as for bad things.
  Side- Effects
  Side-Effects, unlike Risks, always happen when the action is 
  attempted. There is no roll. Usually something about the way the 
  action is attempted guarantees the Side-Effect.
  Player-requested risk: A player decides his super hero character has ‘lost it’ and is attacking 
  the bad guy without his usual regard for the safety of civilians. He tells the GM he wishes 
  to ‘take a risk’ to hit for extra damage. The risk is ‘hitting an innocent bystander if his attack 
  misses’ (this is a risk rolled for on failure). He and the GM will work out the odds of hitting an 
  innocent and the extra damage received using the rules in this section.
  Example
  GM-assigned risk: A player has his programmer character stay up several nights in a row 
  to finish a project. The rules don’t describe this kind of fatigue, but the GM determines the 
  effects he thinks several sleepless nights would cause (reductions to Stat Check rolls, forced 
  Stat Checks to concentrate during meetings, etc.) and discusses them with the player before 
  the game continues.
  Example
  Risks/Side Effects
  Risks and Side Effects are new to JAGS 
  Revised. When the circumstances around 
  an attempt call for in-game effects beyond 
  the scope of that attempt (i.e. what you 
  are doing has impact on things beyond 
  exactly what you are trying to do) then it’s 
  appropriate to invoke Risks/Side Effects.
  Change
  
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  Where Risks and Side-Effects Come From
  Risks and Side-Effects can be assigned by the GM or requested by a player (subject, of course, 
  to GM approval). The table below provides a summary and the subsequent rules, the detail
  GM-Assigned
  Used to reflect reality as the GM sees it. May not necessarily 
  be ‘balanced’ in any way, and may even be ‘hidden’ (i.e. not 
  explained to the player before the roll is made)
  Player-Requested
  Reflects the character trying something unusual. Player-
  Requested Risks & Side Effects are usually “balanced” 
  meaning the possible good outcome is offset by an 
  equivalent bad outcome
  Impact of Risks and Side-Effects
  The impact on the game from risks and side effects can be quite variable. Very often risks and 
  side effects will modify Target Numbers (making rolls harder or easier to make), have some effect 
  on the outcome of the roll (increasing or decreasing the level of success). Risks often require a 
  subsequent roll with its own set of negotiated rules.
  Risk and Side-Effect Impact
  Both Risks and Side-Effects are rated in “Impact” or how “severe” they are. These should be 
  used as guidelines for balancing player-requested risks and side-effects. Note that these cover 
  both good and bad outcomes.
  Impact
  Good Outcome Example
  Bad Outcome Example
  Low
  Looking good: +1 to future Charisma rolls as 
  appropriate.
  Advantage, not specified in game terms, which might 
  add up eventually.
  Looking foolish: -1 to future Charisma rolls as appropriate. 
  Disadvantage, not specified in game terms, which might add up 
  eventually.
  Medium-Low
  +1 or +10% Base Damage, +1 to a roll.
  An upper hand that helps in a meaningful ongoing 
  situation.
  The character gets a +1 on another roll as a result of 
  good positioning (in some sense).
  -1 or -10% Base Damage, -1 to a roll.
  A bad “position” that will hurt their chances in a meaningful ongoing 
  situation.
  The character suffers a -1 on another roll related to the “cost.”
  Medium
  Serious accolades. 
  Character scores points with important people in 
  their life!
  Serious humiliation.
  Character faces complications like getting important people in their 
  life mad at them.
  Medium-High
  +2 or +20% Base Damage. +2 to a roll.
  Character winds up with a substantial advantage in 
  a tight situation. This can result in getting +1 to rolls 
  made for the next 3 rolls.
  Character gets a reward like a cash bonus or decent 
  piece of equipment.
  -2 or -20% Base Damage. -2 to a roll.
  Character winds up vulnerable in a tight situation. This could result 
  in getting -1 to future rolls made for some time.
  Character faces bad consequences like fines, a night in jail, etc.
  High
  Task accomplishes secondary substantial gain (like 
  making good money off something that usually 
  doesn’t pay).
  Character is hurt or seriously impaired for a while.
  Something will happen the Player will be very unhappy with (hurting 
  innocents?)
  Extreme
  Task accomplishes a major but very important result 
  (like getting rich).
  Character maimed or dead.
  
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  GM-assigned Side-Effect: The GM decides that the programmer character who’s staying 
  up for four days straight to finish his assignment will suffer a “Medium Impact” Side-Effect. 
  The chart shows that -1 to certain Stat Checks, and the outcome of “Humiliation” on failure is 
  Medium Impact.
  He decides that for the next two days (Monday and Tuesday) the character will be at -1 to 
  INT rolls (MEM, RES, and WIL) and will have to make rolls to concentrate during the long 
  staff meetings or fall asleep and start snoring in front of the boss!
  Example
  GM-assigned Side-Effect: The super hero who’s “cutting loose” wants to gain a Medium 
  Impact advantage (+10% to Base Damage, according to the Impact table) at the expense 
  of a Medium Impact Risk of nearly hitting an innocent if he misses (or just grazing someone 
  for minimal damage):  an outcome of serious humiliation (Headlines the next day “So-Called 
  Hero Risks Lives of Innocent Victims!”).
  Looking at the Risk Assessment Table (below) he sees that his chance of making the Daily 
  News is 13- if he misses the bad guy.
  To make things interesting, let’s say the GM re-negoitiates this risk: the news papers love the 
  hero, and his public understands that the bad guy must be stopped. Worse, the GM decides 
  that just shooting into a sparse crowd isn’t all that likely to hit anyone. He chooses a 7- risk 
  (instead of a 13- one), but that moves the Impact 2 levels up – from “Medium” to “High” – if 
  the character misses the shot, the GM will roll, and on a 7 or less, he’ll have actually hit an 
  innocent, probably badly hurting him (a “High Impact” bad effect from the table).
  The Player can choose to accept or reject the re-negoiated risk before rolling.
  Example
  Risk Assessment Table
  Risk assessment gets tricky. Here is the thinking: depending on how likely the Risk is to happen 
  (not to just be checked for—but to actually happen) will determine how it is treated with respect 
  to cost. It is often the case that these things will need to balance to be ruled legitimate by the 
  GM.
  Chance of Risk Happening
  Change in Impact
  Very unlikely to happen (about a 4-)
  Treated as 3-levels higher or lower
  Unlikely to happen (about a 7-)
  Treated as 2-level higher or lower
  About 50% likely to happen (about 12-)
  Treated as 1-level higher or lower
  Likely to happen (13- or better)
  Treated as the same level
  GM-Assigned Risks and Side-Effects (Deeper look and Guidance)
  GM-Assigned Risks and Side-Effects are usually used to reflect a situation realistically. The GM, 
  as the person running the world, may always assign Risks and Side-Effects even if they are 
  not part of a formal balancing act. Just because the game mechanics do not include rules for 
  determining what happens when a shot is missed does not mean that some other person could 
  not be hit. Just because someone makes a successful Skill check doesn’t definitively mean there 
  will be no other impact in the game (whether good or bad).
  However, it is our suggestion that the following rules be observed:
  
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  222
  • 
  If the GM feels there will be some obvious downside to an action, the Player 
  should be told before it is rolled (i.e. “The fleeing crook is running into the crowd of 
  school children. If you miss I’m giving you a 12- roll to hit a kid!”). The Player will 
  be allowed to abort the action at that point.
  • 
  Hidden Side-Effects are allowable but we strongly suggest that in cases where 
  the Side-Effects of doing something will, in the GM’s opinion, have a substantial 
  negative impact on the game for the Player that the Player be told even if the 
  character could not know. 
  • 
  In games where there will be mysteries that the characters will bump into that 
  would not be revealed, we suggest the general nature of the game be discussed 
  before play begins.
  Player Requested Risks and Side-Effects (Deeper look and Guidance)
  When a Player requests a Risk or Side-Effect, they are making their roll harder (by adding some 
  additional positive outcome) or easier (by adding or risking) some additional negative outcome.
  It works as follows:
  1. 
  Player proposes a set of Risks and Side-Effects.
  2. 
  The GM may accept them as stated, offer modifications as a negotiation, or accept 
  them with additional modifications. In the case of the last two, the Player may choose 
  to abort the action if the negotiations are unsuitable or the modification is unwanted.
  Negotiating Side-Effects and Risks
  Any time a roll is called for the participants can negotiate the Side-Effects and Risks (if this is 
  slowing the game down, the GM can call for a moratorium on this, however). If an agreement is 
  not reached, the Player may choose to abort the action and take no roll.
  Some Standard Conventions
  In high-fantasy games where characters will deal with dangerous trapped environments, doing 
  things like picking locks or even walking down a corridor can result in the dangerous (potentially 
  deadly) Side-Effect (or Risk) of springing a trap.
  In intrigue games where characters are involved in political manipulations, actions could anger 
  people with clandestine agendas or place someone in danger of being found out (i.e. if the PCs 
  rescue a person who appears to be getting mugged on the side of the road it could turn out that 
  the unconscious person they saved can finger the town Mayor, a former ally, who now suddenly 
  wants the PCs dead). In games of this nature, Players should expect subtle Side-Effects to many 
  actions.
  In ‘Things Are Not As They Seem’ games, the Players will know, going in, that there are aspects 
  to the world they are not aware of. The GM is encouraged to provide the Players with enough 
  information to make their choices meaningful but, for dramatic purposes, running into the 
  mysterious nature of the world may be expected.
  In ‘Challenging Mission’ games where the PCs are given a task and rely heavily on real-person 
  Player problem solving ability to get through it, then more caution than normal is expected (if 
  the PCs decide to knock out a guard to sneak into an installation, they are advised to know the 
  guard-rotation schedule or, even if they successfully silently neutralize the person, they may be 
  discovered soon after). Games where the challenge is of this nature should be advertised before 
  hand (the alternative is that, if the GM says something like “Your experienced super-spy knows 
  that before doing they assault they have to spend a day monitoring the installation to know when 
  best to do it … that turns out to be … 2:30 AM!”).
  Balancing Good and Bad
  When a Player requests Risks or Side-Effects, it is customary to balance anything good with 
  something bad however it is not necessary. A Player could simply request a negative risk with no 
  “positive” value … and a GM could allow a positive Side-Effect with no negative aspect. 
  Player-Requested Side-Effect: The super 
  hero who’s “cutting loose” wants to gain a 
  Medium A PC superhero is firing a Power Blast 
  at a villain who is standing in the lobby of an 
  office building that was already hit and damaged 
  by an area-of-effect “shockwave.” The player 
  requests that as a side-effect, the blast could 
  collapse the roof in the lobby (whether it hits 
  the villain or not). The villain is surrounded by 
  henchmen and the Player suggests that some of 
  them could be hit and maybe taken out.
  The reasoning is that while the building is more 
  or less okay, it is damaged and bringing down 
  some of the masonry could happen even though 
  the Power Blast is not explicitly an area-of-effect 
  attack … and if it hits the target, the damage will 
  not be applied directly to the building.
  The GM considers this: it’s certainly outside 
  the direct rules (damage is only mechanically 
  applied to targets that are struck—and normally, 
  bringing down a roof requires the building fail 
  some kind of Structure roll). However: in context 
  of the fiction (the GM and Player’s mind’s-eye-
  view of the situation), falling masonry from a 
  concussive shock of a Power Beam seems to fit.
  The GM rules that taking out henchmen with a 
  shot directed at the villain is a High-Impact gain. 
  The GM discusses balancing with the Player 
  and they decide that the use of the attack into 
  the damaged building will be seen as reckless 
  on the part of the hero: there may/will be public 
  backlash. Furthermore, while the blast will 
  make the lobby more unstable, the chances of 
  the henchmen being taken out is 10- for each 
  henchman. This is more like a risk (usually Side 
  Effects have no roll) but the negative impact 
  (reckless use of powers) is a given for taking 
  the shot.
  The GM rules that the character’s attack will 
  be caught on film and (probably played on 
  the nightly news—furthermore, he rules that a 
  fireman in the area implores the character not to 
  take the shot).
  When the shot is taken, the detonation causes 
  parts of the roof to cave in and traps two of the 
  three henchmen under rubble. Due to the power-
  level of the game, no mechanics are employed 
  to trap the henchmen (it’s not relevant). Due to 
  the grittiness of the game, no roll is made to see 
  if they live (they do)—but the move is still seen 
  as reckless on the hero’s part.
  Example
  
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  There are many ways to evaluate whether two elements balance, but we advise one or more of 
  the following:
  • 
  It must make sense. If a Player suggests a Side-Effect of being really beat the 
  next day to stay up all night in a frenzy of computer programming, that (to us, 
  anyway) makes sense. If a Player suggests a Side-Effect of a Vehicle driving roll 
  be “solving the problem of world hunger” they better be driving a huge truck full of 
  food or something (this does not, to us, make sense).
  • 
  It makes the story more intense. If the Player in the super hero example didn’t 
  care if innocents were injured in the game, the GM could reject the proposal 
  since, if the Risk happens, the Player would go “Eh? Dead innocents? Who 
  cares?” Even if the character cared, if there’s no energy around the risk between 
  real humans at the table, the GM may reject it.
  • 
  It keeps the game fair. If the Players always take additional Risks in ways that 
  don’t seem all that interesting just for the extra bonuses that’s something a GM 
  can reject if it isn’t contributing to people’s enjoyment of the game (and the GM 
  is a participant as well). The intent behind having there be a concept of Good 
  balancing Bad is that taking Risks or negative Side-Effects will be decisions that 
  are hard to make whether from a tactical or moral perspective. 
  Charging Success Points
  It is legitimate for the GM to “charge Success Points” for un-balanced good Risks or Side Effects. 
  In this case, the GM can use the following table:
  Impact
  SP Cost
  Low
  1
  Medium-Low
  2
  Medium
  3
  Medium-High
  4
  High
  6
  Extreme
  8
  Drama Rolls
  In this final chapter we get to one of the most interesting parts of JAGS—the Drama Rolls rules. 
  As we’ve touched on before, Drama Rolls are made when the participants want to “focus in” on 
  some activity (often a contest of some sort between two or more parties).
  The Drama rules present a sort of unified, abstract mechanic for resolving questions of success, 
  failure, triumph, and defeat. In this, they are very similar to the other kinds of roles presented in 
  the front of the book. Standard Skill or Stat Checks give you a rating of success or failure for a 
  given attempt.
  The Resisted Roll rules let you pit one thing against another and see who wins.
  If you use the Combat System, you get a whole lot of rolls and rules that determine who is 
  physically victorious over the other party.
  So what’s the point of Dramas? Well, the combat system doesn’t work so well for, say, a debate 
  or a baking contest. The Skill Check system would let you make, say, a Hacking roll to break 
  into a computer system—but if you expect hacking to be an exciting element of your game then 
  you might want to have the showdown between hacker and defensive system take more than 
  one roll. The Resisted Roll system can let you determine, for example, how two arm-wrestlers 
  do against each other: but that’s over in one roll. If you want to have a contest that involves the 
  players making decisions during their conflict, a basic Resisted roll won’t help you: it’s all over in 
  one roll! So here we introduce Drama Rolls. They bring two new tools to the JAGS experience: 
  • 
  Player decisions (Strategy or Player-control) “during” the rolling process.
  • 
  Pacing: the attempt isn’t determined with one roll so it is “on going” during the game.
  We’ll expand on these further down.
  Drama Rolls: The Short Form
  In the simplest terms, a Drama Roll is 
  a series of (usually) three Skill or Stat 
  rolls where the character must get a total 
  number of success points over the period 
  of rolls. So, for example, a Drama for 
  hacking a computer system might use the 
  Hacker skill and require 12 Success Points 
  to break in. The character has a 14- Level 
  2 skill, and rolls a 10, a 9, and an 11. This 
  gives him 4 success points, 5 success 
  points, and 3 success points—barely 
  enough to crack the security!
  Why you’d do this and how it gets more 
  meaningful is explained in detail in this 
  section
  Designer’s Notes
  
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  When Do You Use Drama Rolls?
  You use Drama Rolls when some skill (or Stat) based activity in the game is deemed exciting (or 
  otherwise worthy of focus). Let’s see two examples, one where you’d use the Drama Rolls rules 
  and one where you wouldn’t.
  Case 1: The characters are superheroes who, in their secret identity are rock stars and travel 
  around the country performing shows and going on missions. The game does not usually focus 
  on their performances (they have high skills and are generally assumed to put on a fantastic 
  show). Most of the focus of the game is on the character’s secret lives.
  Case 2: The characters are members of a struggling garage band who has started dabbling in 
  magic to try to find inspiration and maybe improve their chances of getting a big break. In this 
  case, every show they play is important and the kind of equipment they have, how well they play 
  against other bands, etc. is a big part of the game.
  In the first case you don’t need a Drama for the character’s Musical Instrument/Showmanship 
  (performance) skills. In the second, though, it might be a good idea. If the characters have to 
  playing a gig and things are going badly (the crowd isn’t getting energized) then the characters 
  could try some riskier stunts … which might pay off … or be a disaster.
  To Make Something A Drama
  • 
  It should be exciting or interesting to the Players (in fact, a Player can request some 
  general roll be a Drama)
  • 
  If the amount of time or resources it takes to complete a task is important or key then 
  it can be handled as a Drama where a more skilled character may complete a task 
  a good deal faster than a less skilled character (or a character may succeed due to 
  spending more money).
  Example1: In a game where the characters are playing lawyers, the court-battles can be 
  handled as Drama contests instead of just being a Lawyer roll.
  Example2: The characters are playing illegal street racers with highly modified cars. The GM 
  creates a “racing drama” for the game where the nature of the race, the guts of the driver, 
  and the type of car will all factor into who wins the high stakes races.
  Example3: In a dystopian, cyberpunk future the characters who are “cyber hackers” go after 
  corporate databases risking their own biological minds! The GM creates a hacker-drama 
  which involves various kinds of intrusion software (which can be acquired for the right price) 
  and has stakes as literal mind-wipe dangers to the characters who risk it!
  Example4: A character is playing an Xtream-Sports skateboarding champion who also 
  … um … fights crime. The Player informs the GM that he wants focus on his character’s 
  skateboard prowess in the game (a Motif—see the Trajectories section) and the GM 
  creates a Skateboard Drama which allows for chases, escapes, and showdowns with other 
  skateboarding champions.
  During the game, some element of the situation is likely to involve a problem that can be 
  solved by … a skateboard!
  Example5: In a pulp game, some characters are “mad scientist” types who may whip up an 
  invention to solve a problem. The GM creates an “inventor” Drama which will help pace these 
  attempts during the game and will make having a well stocked lab more directly valuable.
  Example
  Gambling, Strategy, and Character
  Dramas can affect the game in ways that 
  it’s valuable to understand.
  1) They increase the value of skills.
  Higher skills will do significantly better than 
  lower skills when a contest includes many 
  rolls. In a single roll, anything can happen: 
  a 10- skill can beat an 18- skill x% of the 
  time.
  Over three rolls, that’s a lot less likely.
  L3 and L4 skills can affect things 
  dramatically also: many dramas let players 
  accept negatives to their rolls (extra risk) 
  for a higher payout in SPs if they make 
  their rolls anyway. Ignoring 3 points of 
  negatives (or 6 at L4) gives a significant 
  statistical advantage in these cases (an L3 
  character will almost always beat an  L2 
  character of the same skill roll)
  2) Player skill can trump character skill.
  With dramas where there are tactical 
  choices player skill can make a huge 
  difference. Sometimes this is good, 
  sometimes not-so-good.
  If the tactical choices in a given drama 
  are varied enough (or have a significant-
  enough impact on the number of SP’s 
  earned), then the drama is less about the 
  characters and more about the players.
  Having your supposedly brilliant NPC 
  general get clobbered because one of your 
  players can do trigonometry in her head 
  may not be the best thing for the game.
  3) Certain kinds of choices add tension to 
  the game in much the same way gambling 
  does: in some dramas characters can “bet” 
  negatives to their rolls for an increased 
  payout in SPs if they make their roll. 
  You’ll get the best player experience if 
  everyone’s familiar with the bell-curve 
  distribution of the JAGS Roll and the level 
  or risk their decision puts them
  at. If things like gear modify the roll keep in 
  mind that if the roll is above a 14- the odds 
  of failure are well below 10%.
  Designer’s Notes
  
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  Creating the Drama
  So you’ve decided you want a Drama—what do you do?
  Well, the first step is this: The GM and Players take the Drama framework and decide how 
  they want this particular Drama to work. It’s going to be a race? Okay, that means jockeying for 
  position will probably factor in. It means that having a good mechanic (or maybe a good pit-crew) 
  could be at least somewhat important. What’s really key is how skilled a driver you are, though.
  The steps to creating the Drama involve going down a check-list of options and answering 
  questions … and then getting a bit creative (there are examples later in the chapter to help guide 
  you). Ideally creating the Drama is done before the game starts (i.e. when the Player brings in a 
  race-car driving character or the GM says that the game will involve racing). It can be done “on 
  the fly”—but creating Dramas is a little time consuming.
  Not All Dramas Are Created Equal
  Just because you decide to make 
  something a Drama doesn’t mean it has 
  to be a highly complex one. A Lawyer’s 
  game that was completely centered 
  on the character’s legal practice could 
  (and probably would) use a much more 
  complex Drama than one where that’s just 
  a part of the game.
  Making a Drama is a little bit like making 
  a little micro-game (and by “game” we 
  mean there will be different “rules” and 
  “moves” characters can try). There’s no 
  need to make extremely complex/rich 
  Dramas unless it improves your gaming 
  experience—but make sure if you do 
  create a complex drama that works for you 
  that you post it to our website!
  Designer’s Notes
  Do Dramas Always Involve Conflict?
  The easiest examples of Drama Rolls 
  involve one party striving against the 
  other but you can have a Drama just be 
  a character’s attempt to invent something 
  … or paint a painting. Why would you do 
  that?
  The reasons to use a Drama for some 
  activity that is usually governed by a 
  simple Skill Check (in a case where it isn’t 
  resisted by another party) are two fold (but 
  you’ll see they follow a common theme): 
  player-control and pacing.
  If you have a character performing a task, 
  say, building a chair, and for some reason 
  the time it takes or the quality or what 
  transpires before it is built is important 
  then you can use a Drama.
  In this case:
  1. 
  If the building of the chair is going 
  badly after the first roll, the character 
  could, for example, seek out a more 
  experienced craftsman to help him.
  2. 
  Build the chair faster or more slowly 
  based on their level of dominance.
  3. 
  Improve the quality of the final 
  product by deciding to spend more 
  money.
  Designer’s Notes
  
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  226
  Running The Drama
  The next step is to actually run the Drama. The Drama will consist of some number of Rounds 
  (often, but not always, fixed at three) and a structure for each Round. Usually it goes like this:
  1. 
  If there is a “risk” or “cost” (in resources or time) associated with each Round, the 
  Player will decide whether or not to continue the Drama or not.
  a. 
  This is usually the case for Open-Ended dramas where each roll takes some 
  amount of time and/or resources.
  b. 
  In some cases, such as a character trying to break into a computer network, 
  there may be some GM-run check for “consequences” for continuing to strive 
  for success.
  2. 
  Each participant in the Drama makes an Initiative roll if necessary.
  a. 
  Initiative rolls are necessary for Dramas with Bidding steps (Choose) and 
  Dramas where participants “target” each other in some way (as well as 
  others).
  b. 
  In many Dramas there will be no Initiative step (such as if the characters are 
  building or constructing something).
  c. 
  Note that the Initiative roll might be the standard REA based roll—if the 
  Drama involves a physical contest. If the Drama is, say, a math competition 
  the Drama might use the Primary Skill (Mathematics) or, say, RES as the 
  Initiative roll.
  3. 
  If the Drama has a Choose step, every participant makes a decision.
  a. 
  This is often secret (as in a Paper-Rock-Scissors Choice).
  b. 
  Sometimes this is public and protracted as in a Bid Choice.
  4. 
  Reveal of the Choice (if any).
  a. 
  This may result in an Advantage (i.e. if I choose a Paper-like strategy and 
  you choose a Rock-like strategy then I may get a Bonus of +2 to Success 
  Points if I make my roll).
  b. 
  This may result in a “risk” for the winner of the Bid (I.e. In the Racing 
  example, if I bid the highest negative, I have to make my roll at that 
  negative).
  5. 
  Everyone declares Special Moves, if any.
  a. 
  Some moves are “free” and may be done in addition to making the Primary 
  roll (the next step).
  b. 
  Some moves are “standard” and are done instead of making the Primary roll.
  c. 
  All moves have some rules and these are handled before the Primary Roll.
  6. 
  Everyone makes their Primary Roll (the Skill roll the Drama is based on, such as 
  Vehicle Ops Race Car in a Driving drama).
  Each point the Primary Roll was made by yields 1 Success Point (SP). 
  a. 
  If the character had any Bonuses to Success (for strategy, gear, etc.) and the 
  Player made their roll (even by zero) they get the bonus.
  b. 
  If the character had any Bonuses to Victory and the character made their roll 
  by more than anyone else in the Drama then they get the bonus.
  c. 
  Other advantages may modify this number as well, such as the Choose 
  modifier.
  7. 
  Check and see if the Drama ended and who won.
  a. 
  Some Dramas will end at a certain number of SPs for some party (for 
  example, if it takes 15 SPs to “hack the system” for an Open-Ended Drama, 
  then, if the last roll gave the Player 15 or more SPs, the Drama has ended 
  and the system is hacked.
  b. 
  Some Dramas have a set number of rolls (again, often three) and whoever is 
  ahead at that point will “win.”
  c. 
  Some Dramas may allow a tie. Some will have a tie-breaker step which may 
  be as simple as having the parties make a series of rolls and the first one to 
  beat the other, winning by a hair.
  The panopticon, Douglas Hollester, Ph.d., 
  and CEO of GlobalDyne.Com, had read, was 
  a prison with a glass ceiling so the guards 
  could look down on the prisoners and they’d 
  never know if they were being watched. 
  He’d heard it was a social experiment—in 
  something called “totalizing systems”—a 
  term he loved: GlobalDyne, under his 
  command, he thought, was a perfectly 
  totalizing system. Here, in his building, the 
  Panopticon, was a glorious reality. 
  He looked down on the cubical farm where 
  employees scurried like frightened mice. They 
  had good reason to be scared: GlobalDyne 
  ran two versions of every project (at double 
  the cost to their clients, of course) and at the 
  end of the cycle the losing team would be 
  uniformly demoted with random firings (or, 
  well, almost random—there had to be some 
  way to game every system Hollester had set 
  up or he wouldn’t be happy with it).
  The project codenamed Tasmanian Saint 
  was so high profile the team that came 
  in second would be decimated (a word of 
  Roman origin that Douglas used as literally 
  as he could: he would fire one man of every 
  ten from the team that failed). He could see 
  the twin nucleuses of the computer-modeling 
  work from his high, mirror-faced window: 
  two teams each trying to solve the problem 
  be�er—each locked in deadly Darwinian 
  struggle with the other. Douglas breathed 
  deeply and smiled. The air, he thought, 
  smelled sweetly of terror.
  ◊◊◊
  
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  JAGS Tools
  In this case we are using a basic Racing Drama. This is a Three Round Challenge Drama, so 
  there will be only three rolls. In this example, there are two cars racing: a PC and an NPC.
  1. 
  There is no “cost” or “risk” inherent for each turn of the Drama.
  2. 
  There is an Initiative check if both racers are the same Skill Level (they are Level 3 
  15-). So each driver rolls Initiative. This is important for the order of bidding.
  3. 
  There is a Choose step: a Bid. Each character (starting with the character who won 
  Initiative) will offer to “make their Vehicle Ops roll” at a negative. Whoever “bids” 
  the highest negative will be “fighting for the lead position.”
  If the bid winner makes their roll, then they get 10 SPs + 3 if they are Level 3 (or 
  +6 if they are Level 4, but no one in the race is) or whatever they’d have made it by 
  without the negative, whichever is better! This is a pretty substantial bonus.
  In this case the NPC wins Initiative and opens with an offer of -4 (because the 
  drivers are Level 3, they will only roll at -1). The PC increases that bid to -6 (taking 
  a roll at a -3) and the NPC stands down. The NPC will roll at no negative.
  4. 
  There is no “reveal” stage for this since the Choose Step, the Bid is open 
  (everyone at the table knows what the winning bid is and who won it).
  5. 
  The NPC declares a free special move of Pushing It (a common move for Level 3 
  characters) that gives him a -4 to his roll (but he’ll only make it at -1 because he’s 
  Level 3) but +6 SPs if he does make it! The PC declares no special move.
  6. 
  Both parties make their roll. The PC is rolling on a 12- (he has a 15- skill and is 
  rolling at -6, for the bid—but his Expert Level skill ignores 3pts of the modifier!). The 
  NPC is rolling on a 14- (15- skill with a -4 Nitrous modifier—but he is also Level 3).
  The NPC rolls a 10, the PC rolls a 12.
  The NPC made his roll by 4 for 4 SPs—but gets +2 for the fast car, and +6 for 
  Pushing It for a total of 12 SPs!
  The PC made his roll by 0, but gets +13 SPs for winning the bid, +2 SPs for the 
  fast car. That’s 15 SP’s, by the end of Round 1, he’s ahead.
  7. 
  See if the Drama ended. This is a 3 Roll Drama and only the first round has 
  happened—it’s not over!
  Example
  What Dramas Do I Need to Make?
  Dramas are created any time there is a request by any participant for focus on a specific element 
  of play. The best time to do this is during Character Creation and Scenario Creation. We’ll look at 
  those first.
  Character Specific Dramas
  Some characters will have very obvious dramas associated with them by their nature. Characters 
  with Level 4 skills, important goals, or obvious motifs should be given Dramas. In fact, the GM 
  may assign the Player the task of creating the Drama (subject to review). 
  Scenario Creation: Implicit Dramas
  When making the Scenario there will be guidance to the Players about what kinds of characters 
  are viable for the game. If there is any implied Drama in that, this should be presented to the 
  characters (ideally prior to character creation) so that they’ll know what to expect.
  “That’s not good enough,” Grant said, 
  looking over her shoulder at the intersection 
  between two data-matrices on the screen that 
  gave the appearance of galaxies colliding. 
  “They’re going to do be�er than that.”
  “I don’t see how,” Claire said. But she knew 
  in her gut it might be true. Alpha Team was 
  on a 4-hour-a-night-sleep suicide schedule. 
  The deadline was rushing towards them like 
  a tsunami. 
  Brad and Casey were pulling as much 
  weight as they could: Casey was managing 
  the documents and Brad was doing the 
  so�ware builds at any hour of the night or 
  day—apparently mainlineing caffeine to 
  stay awake and aware (Claire even suspected 
  Grant might’ve given him something 
  stronger). Still, it wasn’t enough: she was 
  the goddess to which they prayed—their 
  honest-to-God so�ware genius and she 
  looked at the screen and was afraid. What if 
  it wasn’t enough?
  Bravo Team had its own brain-trust and 
  its own dirty tactics. Hardware had gone 
  missing. Someone had broken into the 
  source-control system before Brad locked it 
  down and had subtly altered a bunch of files 
  so they’d fail randomly. 
  She couldn’t worry about that though—she 
  had to keep going.
  ◊◊◊
  
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  228
  The characters are sports “heroes” in a futuristic violent blood-sport (Zone Ball). In addition to 
  letting the characters make bio-mutants and cyborgs, the GM provides the Zone Ball drama 
  that’ll be used for running the games. This lets them know what skills or enhancements will 
  be useful in making their characters and what to expect during the game.
  There might be other Dramas involved—but this is one they can reasonably expect to 
  show up (although, of course, if a PC is, say, the group medic that particular PC might not 
  participate in the Drama).
  Example
  On The Fly Dramas
  The final way that Dramas can come up is when, during the game, someone asks for one. 
  Anyone can ask for one—but the GM is within their rights to deny it since stopping the game to 
  create a Drama may not be feasible at all times (although if this is always happening then that 
  may be a sign something is wrong with the group dynamic). 
  Any time that some skill attempt seems to have one of the following qualities a Drama can be 
  created:
  • 
  The character is involved in a generally exciting struggle with another person—
  especially if some form of tactics may be employed.
  • 
  There is a desire to pace the activity and have the attempt interleave with other 
  actions (so having a 3-roll resolution can have scenes “play out” while the attempt is 
  underway).
  • 
  The attempt will deal with rising stakes and the character might wish to back out or 
  increase the stakes involved during the commission of the activity.
  A character is trying to pick a lock to break into a house to get necessary evidence. There are 
  police prowling the neighborhood and the character has limited time in which to accomplish 
  the activity. The GM decides to create a basic 10-success point Drama with a chance of the 
  police driving by between each roll. 
  The character, if he is “not getting the lock” may decide to cut and run—or they may decide 
  to stick it out and hope for success. The character will eventually get the 10 success points 
  necessary if they keep on trying—but each time they roll they risk being caught.
  This takes the event from a single “pass/fail” attempt to a series of Player-controlled 
  decisions that, we think, will raise the excitement.
  Example
  The Basic Elements of a Drama
  Before any Drama starts, there are a couple of things you have to determine:
  1. 
  What are the stakes (winning a race, hacking a system, getting a shot at your 
  opponent, etc.)?
  2. 
  What roll will be, primarily, made (a Locksmith roll to pick locks, a Computer skill roll to 
  program a computer, etc.)?
  3. 
  What special moves are allowed between rolls (Pushing it? Taking additional risk? 
  Blocking?)? There are a bunch of generic moves that are described later in the chapter 
  and the GM can choose to include or disallow them as makes sense for the specific 
  Drama (Direct Opposition—hindering or even attacking your opponent may make 
  sense in a race where you can bump another car … but in a bake-off it would mean 
  actually sabotaging someone else’s cooking project which might be outside the scope 
  of the specific situation).
  4. 
  Are there any special Choice steps to the Drama. A Choice step (explained in more 
  detail later) is a special kind of move that every participant in a Drama will make every 
  Round. It’s specific to customized Dramas and will be detailed later.
  Clair was brilliant, Keith thought, there was 
  no doubt about that. A cubicle away she 
  was deeply immersed in the programming 
  trance that most coders he knew called 
  being “in the zone.” He could hear the 
  muffled sound of her fingers flying over the 
  keyboard as she worked and re-worked the 
  data-communication model reducing the 
  number of execution steps, amping up the 
  performance bit by painful bit.
  It wasn’t enough. Keith knew it wasn’t 
  enough—and Grant—the team manager who 
  had hired him even though he didn’t have the 
  rest of the group’s prestigious degrees (or, 
  really, any degree) and though his resume 
  had been an carefully forged document (one 
  Grant had seen-through—which was how 
  Keith got the interview) had hired him. Of 
  course Keith had decided to “go legit” in the 
  first place a�er they narrowly missed him 
  on the Nat-Con bust and the international 
  crackdown on computer intrusion.
  Now, as a legitimate employee for one of the 
  largest, most elite workshops in the world, 
  Keith was back to his old tricks: he was going 
  to total Bravo Team. If Claire didn’t beat 
  them with brain power Keith was going to 
  wreck them with guile.
  And if that didn’t work? Grant had given 
  him permission to try something else. 
  Something neither Bravo, nor anyone else, 
  would ever see coming.
  ◊◊◊
  Nick, who always looked perfect in his sports 
  jacket and pressed shirt watched Grant 
  carefully from the water cooler. Nick, who 
  was the leader of Bravo Team, kept his finger 
  on the pulse of everyone and everything in 
  his domain. Nick, who held his cup but never 
  drank water he hadn’t go�en out of his own 
  bo�le, thought he knew a loser when he saw 
  one. Alpha-Team’s manager, drove a beat up 
  Volkswagen (Nick had added a scratch or two 
  in the parking lot when he went home early). 
  Grant, himself, looked a li�le shabby—
  unshaven—short on sleep. Nick smiled. They 
  were each doing their own thing, in their 
  own way. The difference was that Nick was 
  going to win. Grant was smart—and he was 
  doing the best he could with his team—but 
  Nick was vicious and Nick had an ace up his 
  sleeve Grant was going to be blind-sided by.
  ◊◊◊
  “You got time on the super-domes?” Keith 
  asked as Claire shi�ed from window to 
  window with her mouse. “That’s great.”
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Types of Dramas
  Dramas are individualized systems that ideally have some relationship (even if very abstractly) 
  to whatever they are simulating. However, there are a few basic kinds of Dramas that can be 
  chosen as a template to build more customized systems around.
  These are the basic kinds of Dramas that may be used as a foundation for more customized 
  ones:
  • 
  Basic Open-Ended Target Number Drama. The character continues rolling and 
  accumulating SPs until some success-driven target number is reached. The outcome 
  is not in doubt so long as the character has enough time/resources.
  • 
  The Three Roll Challenge. When characters are in competition, this Drama can be 
  invoked. The characters all make three rolls and, at the end, whoever has the most 
  SPs “wins.” Between rolls, characters can take additional moves to improve their 
  chances.
  • 
  The Combat Drama. Characters make Drama rolls and then compare scores. Each 
  turn, depending on the score, a character may be able to damage or fire weapons at 
  another. This is used for dog fights, races, etc.
  • 
  Three Roll Target Number. When the outcome is in doubt, the GM can give the 
  character three rolls (over some time period) and a target number of SPs they have 
  to reach. If they reach that number, they succeed. If they fall short, they fail. This 
  essentially takes a single skill roll and expands it over three rolls (and, again, the 
  character can usually do things between rolls to improve their chances).
  • 
  Consolidated Dramas. In this case several characters are rolling against counterparts 
  and the combined success points for one team determines who wins that round 
  (usually there are a limited number of rounds). This is good for, say, sports dramas 
  where the characters are pitted against opposite numbers but the whole team has to 
  do well to win that contest.
  Basic Open-Ended Target Number Drama
  The Basic Open-Ended Target Number Drama represents an attempt that, given enough time, 
  the character is almost certain to complete. It is used when either the amount of time is in 
  question or other important activities are taking place.
  Stakes
  Completing the task within a given time period or with certain resources.
  Skill
  Determined by the GM. Sometimes, even if there is a preferred skill, 
  another skill (or Stat) can be substituted at a -1 to -4.
  Special Moves
  Usually Pushing It is the most applicable Special Move. Often these 
  Dramas are not done against an opposing party.
  Choice
  There are no Choice steps in this Drama (in its basic form)
  To create a Basic Target Number Drama, the GM will determine the following:
  1. 
  The required ability level necessary for the character to attempt the drama.
  2. 
  The total number of success points that must be reached for success.
  3. 
  What the approximate time interval is between each roll.
  Level 3 and Level 4 skills can improve the character’s success using the Pushing It maneuver. 
  Whether any other maneuvers are allowed is up to the GM.
  The Required Ability Level
  Let’s say that a computer programmer character is trying to write a basic software module. The 
  person is Level 2 (Professional) 13-. That’s decent and the GM decides the number of SPs is 6. 
  The GM gives one roll per week for a normal amount of work. The character can pull this off in 
  about one to three weeks. No problems, right?
  But let’s say the programmer decides he wants to write the world’s first software Artificial 
  Intelligence module—what’s the number of SPs for that? Well, even if the GM sets it at 300 
  “I need more processing speed,” Claire 
  said, referring to the powerful mainframes 
  GlobalDyne’s Resources department 
  jealously guarded. “I’m surprised Bravo 
  isn’t vying for the same position—once I 
  met their requirements I was unopposed. I’d 
  have thought they’d have at least tried to 
  administratively block us.”
  Keith knew why she thought so—with cut-
  throat competition, it seemed pre�y clear 
  that an edge like the super-domes wouldn’t 
  be lightly ceded. But Claire thought like an 
  engineer, Keith knew. Even a brilliant one 
  was too linear to figure this game out.
  Keith watched her simulation window 
  begin again, the data-points now swirling 
  with hurricane-fast motion. This game, 
  he thought, wasn’t going to be won with 
  processing power alone.
  ◊◊◊
  That the programming floor of GlobalDyne 
  was laid out like some kind of maze was not 
  accidental. Like medieval castles, the different 
  groups protected their most important 
  resources from prying eyes with twists and 
  turns and layers of security. When they 
  weren’t at their terminals, team members 
  actually took turns standing guard—or 
  spying.
  It was 3:30 AM and both Alpha and Bravo 
  of the Tasmanian Saint project were full-
  bore, all-engines firing. The light from the 
  monitors created a faint ambient glow in the 
  otherwise obscure sea of darkness.
  It all comes down to this, Douglas thought, 
  looking down, wondering which of the 
  team’s projects would come out ahead by 
  dawn. He’d seen the projections and read the 
  reports but it wasn’t se�led. It was still too 
  close to call. Which team would buckle first?
  ◊◊◊
  
  JAGS Tools
  230
  (perhaps 100wks of work) eventually the character would still get there. There’s reason to 
  question this: an average software programmer probably can’t write the world’s first software AI 
  with any amount of time.
  So before this drama is invoked, the GM should determine if the character is sufficiently able to 
  even be in the game.
  One way to do this is simply to decide (writing the world’s first software AI is, we think, a Level 
  4 task). Another way is to assign an appropriate modifier and have the character make one roll 
  against the negative and, if they make it, then begin the drama. At that point, the character will 
  succeed—what’s in question is how long it’ll take.
  A character attempts to design a better race car for his racing team. The car they have 
  is already pretty good and the GM rules that making a better one might be tough. If the 
  character can, there is still the issue of time and money—can the engineer get it together 
  before the big race?
  So the GM calls for an Engineering roll at -5 (a tough roll, the car they’ve got is pretty good 
  already!).
  The character is a L3 14- engineer and therefore ignores -3pts of the modifier (he only rolls 
  at -2). The Player rolls a 13 which misses the -2 roll! The engineer will not be able to create a 
  better design without doing some more study (or increasing their skill roll).
  This failure simply means that the engineer will need to come up with another plan to help 
  the team.
  This takes the event from a single “pass/fail” attempt to a series of Player-controlled 
  decisions that, we think, will raise the excitement.
  Example
  Required SPs for Success
  Remember that once the Drama has begun, the only things that’ll usually stop it are running out 
  of time or resources (depending on the specific Drama, other factors might be involved too, such 
  as arbitrarily ruling that three failures in a row will end the Drama—but that’s not part of the basic 
  Drama. Determining how many SPs will be needed is based on the relative difficulty of the task. 
  Use the Difficulty Chart listed below to give a range for tasks.
  Spending SPs in Dramas
  Characters who come into a Drama with SPs may wish to spend them. Specific dramas may 
  greatly and carefully limit how this is done (the standard rule is that no more than 2 SPs may be 
  spent per roll—and that if that limit is relaxed, the each additional 2 SPs counts as one).
  Further expansions on the Drama rules will go into this in depth—but if there are play-sessions 
  that get characters SPs for their dramas, it is likely that rules preventing them from all being 
  spent at once, up front, will be employed.
  Attributes for Dramas:
  Difficulty is the generic description of the difficulty as the GM perceives it.
  Level/Roll is the expected Level and roll that a character might have who would reasonably 
  attempt such a thing.
  Mod (approx.) is a rating of what modifier a GM would assign if you were NOT using the 
  Drama System. Again, this modifier is not applied to the character’s roll. Instead it is a rating for 
  comparison purposes. If a Lock would be at -3 to be picked using a single Locksmith roll, the GM 
  might assign it 18 SPs to pick with a Drama Roll.
  Total SPs are the number of total SPs necessary to give success.
  “Stop them,” Nick said, looking over 
  Vincent’s shoulder at the monitor.
  “I’m trying.” Vince’s voice was terse, 
  sharp—as he wasted no extraneous oxygen 
  or brain power communicating with his 
  superior.
  The process priority for Alpha Team’s 
  simulation started to fall. Vince was choking 
  their processing power off bit by bit.
  “Will they finish before sunrise?” Nick 
  asked. His voice, as always, sounded 
  perfectly calm.
  “I don’t think so,” Vince said. He frowned. “I 
  can’t be sure.” 
  ◊◊◊
  Nick knew be�er than to rely on GlobalDyne 
  for resources. GlobalDyne had some of the 
  best, to be certain—but they were also “in 
  the box.” While other teams fought for 
  scraps of computing power Nick did what 
  he did best: he went around the problem. 
  Where Alpha had carefully recruited—and 
  worked hard to keep—talent Nick had done 
  the opposite. He spent as li�le as he could 
  on actual employees and then changed the 
  playing field.
  GlobalDyne’s mainframe, central to Alpha 
  Team’s effort was slagging now. Vince’s ploy 
  had worked. The tech teams would take hours 
  to figure out what was wrong. Meanwhile, 
  his team—good, yes—but hardly top-flight 
  talent—slaved away at their terminals. They 
  were using a big GRID mainframe that 
  belonged to the National Weather Service 
  that was clandestinely for rent outside 
  GlobalDyne’s control. That was where the 
  extra money went.
  ◊◊◊
  It was 35 minutes to sunrise.
  Grant looked down at the monitor. “How’d 
  we do?” he asked. Claire looked up at him, 
  her face was pale—she looked ill: he’d pushed 
  her too hard, he knew. Oh well, it was almost 
  over.
  “Whatever they did,” she said, her voice 
  uneven with exhaustion and emotion, 
  “they hit us hard.” She looked down. Her 
  hand shook. “I don’t think we’re going to 
  make it. We were relying on that,” she said. 
  Then, so�ly: “I was relying on that last 
  simulation.”
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Required SPs for Success Table
  Difficulty
  Level/Roll
  Mod (approx.)
  Total SPs
  Very easy
  L1 or L2 10-
  +1 or +2
  1 or 2 SPs (1)
  “Medium Easy”
  L2 12-
  +0 or +1
  3 to 6 SPs (6)
  “Medium Difficulty”
  L2 13-
  +0
  7 to 9 SPs (9)
  “Medium-Hard”
  L2 14-
  -1 or -2
  10 to 15 SPs (15)
  “Hard—Expert level”
  L3 14-
  -2 to -4
  16 to 22 SPs (21)
  “Hard for experts”
  L3 15-
  -3 to -5
  23 to 28 SPs (27)
  “Very, very hard”
  L3 16-
  -4 to -6
  29 to 35 SPs (33)
  “Almost Impossible”
  L3 17-
  -5 to -8
  36 to 45 SPs (40)
  A character picking an exterior lock. The GM determines this is the sort of thing a 
  professional locksmith can do pretty reliably—but, the GM has had circumstances where 
  professional locksmiths have failed to do it (at his house) and had to drill the lock. When the 
  GM had flown back from Europe and was on 8 hrs of jet-lag, this has sort of stayed in his 
  mind … so he sets the difficulty at 10 SPs for a house with two locks on the front door.
  The player has a character with L2 12- Locksmith. It’ll take him roughly 5 rounds to get the 
  door open. Since we are doing a Drama, there is some sort of pressure, say, a roll each 
  Round to be noticed by neighbors!
  NOTE: We generally think that a standard front door is around 7-9 to be picked. The example 
  (which you can, you know, decide for yourself whether you think is real or not), illustrates that 
  there is always some personal experience that might change things a bit. 
  Example
  Time(and resources) For Each Roll
  In this Drama, every roll takes time and/or cost resources. These numbers are very flexible and 
  are left up to the GM to determine. What is important is that:
  • 
  There is some element of tension in taking time or spending resources.
  • 
  There is some value to pacing out the attempt rather than doing it all with one roll.
  A character is working to rebuild a damaged vehicle. The GM has determined that any 
  competent mechanic can do it, it’s just a matter of how long it’ll take and how much it’ll cost. 
  The SP number is set at 10 SPs and the ruling is that each roll costs $600.00 and takes two 
  days. The character can make a roll take one day by “working a lot of overtime.”
  Presumably even time or money is important or dramatic to the game at hand or there is no 
  reason to get into this level of detail.
  Example
  The Three Roll Challenge
  The Three Roll Challenge is the basic “showdown” between one or more characters. All involved 
  parties will make three rolls and the character with the most wins—there can be ties or roll-off tie 
  breakers depending on what the exact circumstances are.
  Grant nodded. He hadn’t shaved in days. He 
  hadn’t showered in 48 hours. He felt like a 
  wreck.
  “We’ll go with what we’ve got,” he said, 
  pu�ing a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll …” he 
  looked down at her. “It’ll be fine.”
  She didn’t say anything. She had a daughter 
  at home, he knew. He, himself, had a wife and 
  two kids. The job-hunting economy wasn’t 
  good these days and everyone knew: if you 
  got fired from GlobalDyne it was because 
  you’d lost.
  He exited the cube and stood, looking up, at 
  the great mirrored expanse of the executive 
  office. He wondered if Douglas was up there.
  “We lost,” Keith said. “I’m pre�y sure. 
  My virus did them some damage—but not 
  enough. They’re doing most of their work 
  outside the system somewhere.”
  “I know,” Grant said. “What about plan B?”
  “Plan B? Yeh,” Keith said. “That did work.”
  Grant nodded. “I guess Tas-Saint gave 
  us enough of a smokescreen and enough 
  access?”
  Keith’s smile was a pencil thin line: “Every 
  system in this company comes built in 
  with ways to play it,” he said. “Including 
  the ACT system. He’s nothing if not 
  meticulous.”
  Grant nodded. “So what do you think,” he 
  said, turning away from the big one-way 
  window that looked down—but couldn’t 
  listen down to the work floor, “Mr. Douglas 
  is going to do when he realizes we’ve cleaned 
  out his bank-accounts?”
  Keith shrugged. “I dunno,” he said, “but 
  it would’ve been nice if you’d told the team 
  why you were riding them so hard.”
  Grant did smile now, broadly. “I think they’ll 
  understand,” he said, “when we split the 
  pay-out.”
  ◊◊◊
  
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  Stakes
  Victory over another person or other actively resisting agency.
  Skill
  Determined by the GM. Sometimes, even if there is a preferred skill, another 
  skill (or Stat) can be substituted at a -1 to -4.
  Special 
  Moves
  Many of the special moves listed below may apply.
  • 
  Taking Additional Risk is a good one—if a contestant can do 
  something that jeopardizes their standing in the contest but, if it pays 
  off, will get them ahead, that’s “Taking Additional Risk.”
  • 
  Direct Opposition is legal if the characters can choose to interfere with 
  each other.
  • 
  Blocking is usually legal if one character can get ahead and “stay 
  ahead” by holding others back.
  Choice
  There are no Choice steps in this Drama (in its basic form).
  The race-car race is a perfect example of a Three Roll Challenge where the character who 
  makes their Vehicle Operations skill (Race car) by the most over three rolls wins the race. Of 
  course the sample drama (see below) is a lot deeper than that with an element of strategy, 
  car-desing, and brinksmanship.
  Example
  The Combat Drama
  In the Combat Drama, some roll is made in order to determine who can shoot at whom. The 
  most classic example of this is the aerial dogfight in which pilot’s Vehicle Operations rolls 
  determine who can fire at whom. 
  In the Combat Drama, instead of declaring individual moves or actions (as in normal combat) 
  there is simply a skill roll (possibly with special moves from the list) and the outcome determines 
  who is allowed to target whom and what the modifiers might be.
  This is useful in cases where the situation of combat deals with things JAGS doesn’t usually 
  track (such as a three-dimensional battlefield where things like the turning-radius of an airplane 
  are of vital importance). 
  Stakes
  Who gets to fire at whom and at what modifier.
  Skill
  Often a Vehicle Operations skill (but might be, for example, a sports skill)
  Special 
  Moves
  Often a Evasive Maneuvers and Pushing It are allowed.
  Choice
  There may be a choice round of bidding but in the basic form there isn’t one.
  Rules For The Combat Drama
  1. 
  There is an Initiative roll for each round as normal.
  2. 
  In reverse Initiative order each character chooses a target (that is, the character who 
  made their Initiative roll by the most chooses last). Note: in this basic Drama you can 
  only choose one target. If you choose multiple targets (due to specifics of the situation) 
  then the roll is made at a cumulative -2 per target and applies to all targets, including 
  the first.
  3. 
  Every character makes their Drama Roll (such as a Vehicle Ops roll)
  4. 
  The attacker’s score is compared to the target’s score in Initiative order (the character 
  who made their roll by the most fires first). If the comparison allows the character to 
  fire, they get a shot using the normal combat system. Range is not explicitly specified 
  however, there are usually some negatives to the to-hit roll applied and those can be 
  assumed to be range modifiers if the GM agrees.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Example Comparison Chart
  Winner won by
  Result
  10+
  Attack at no negative modifier to hit, defenders cannot attack you
  +5 to +9
  Attack at no negative to hit, defenders are at -4 to hit and -8 Damage 
  Modifier.
  +4
  Attack at no negative to hit. Defenders are at -2 to hit and -4 Damage 
  Modifier.
  +3
  Attack at no negative to hit. Defender is at -1 to hit (no negative DM)
  +0 to +2
  Attacker and defender fire on each other normally at no negative to hit.
  Both failed
  Neither party can fire on each other this round.
  Other Types of Dramas with Combat Effects
  It is also possible for Dramas to have specific combat-like effects (damage, death, etc.). In this 
  case the person creating the Drama decides how effective it is at hurting people and then the 
  winner of a Basic Three Roll Contest, for example, might suffer effects on the Drama Combat 
  Effects table.
  Loser of a Three Roll Challege Drama Lost by
  Effect Level
  1 to 6 SPs
  Minor
  7 to 12 SPs
  Standard
  13 to 20 SPs
  Major
  21 to 30 SPs
  Critical
  31+ SPs
  Catastrophic
  Deadliness Effects Chart (Sample)
  Drama’s 
  Deadliness
  Sample Effects
  Result
  Not Deadly
  Minor
  Loser is stunned
  Standard
  Loser is dazed
  Major
  Loser is dazed at -1 to recover 
  Critical
  Loser is unconscious
  Catastrophic
  Loser is unconscious for a long time
  Dangerous
  Minor
  Loser takes 1pt of damage or half of a Sub-Minor Wound
  Standard
  Loser suffers a Minor Wound and must make a CON roll
  Major
  Loser suffers a Minor Wound and must make a CON roll but is Dazed or worse (if the CON roll is 
  worse)
  Critical
  Loser suffers a Major Wound and must make a CON roll
  Catastrophic
  Loser suffers a Critical Wound and must make a CON roll
  Deadly
  Minor
  Loser suffers a Minor Wound and must make a CON roll
  Standard
  Loser suffers a Minor Wound and must make a CON roll but is Dazed or worse (if the CON roll is 
  worse)
  Major
  Loser suffers a Major Wound and must make a CON roll
  Critical
  Loser suffers a Critical Wound and must make a CON roll
  Catastrophic
  Loser is dead.
  
  JAGS Tools
  234
  There is a mystical “higher plane” battle going on between two wizard-type characters. In 
  this game it is resolved with a Basic Three Roll Contest Drama that is determined to be 
  Dangerous. 
  One Wizard, Anderath has his skill at L3 16- and the other Belfanor is L3, 13-. At the end of 
  the combat, Anderath has 38 SP and Belfanor has 24. Anderath is a winner by (38 – 24 = 
  14pts). This is a Major Victory and this means that Belfanor suffers a Minor Wound’s worth of 
  damage and must make a CON roll—but even if he makes a good roll, he’s Dazed.
  Under the rules for “higher-plane” combat, after the Three Roll contest the wizards may then 
  enter normal combat! Belfanor is in trouble.
  Example
  Giving and Taking Damage
  Using the above basic template, the winner of a Drama will never suffer any damage. If you want 
  to simulation a situation that is more even-handed then you can do something like this:
  Any Round where an attacker beats their defender by a certain amount, use the following 
  rule:
  Drama Deadliness
  Amount Person Won that Turn By
  Result
  Dangerous
  1 – 4
  2pts
  5 – 9
  1pt
  10+
  No Damage
  Deadly
  1 – 4
  3pt
  5 – 9
  2pts
  10+
  1pts
  This will deal a little extra damage but will allow each side to suffer some. CON rolls are not 
  made for this damage.
  Three Roll Target Number Drama
  This Drama represents an attempt which does not have an active defender. Projects that are 
  difficult and may be impossible for the character to succeed with are good candidates for the 
  Three Roll Target Number Drama.
  In this Drama, the character has three rolls to make a specific target number or they fail. Whether 
  they can try again is up to the circumstances and the GM (treat failure with this as a failure on a 
  single roll). Three Roll Target Number Dramas are good where:
  • 
  Time and resources are not as much the issue as success or degree of success.
  • 
  A task is to be paced-out over some time period and the GM wants to create a sense 
  of continuing action and activity.
  • 
  A task is very critical and giving the PC chances to take additional risks or otherwise try 
  fancy maneuvering to pull off a success is valuable to the game.
  Stakes
  Whether the character will succeed and how successful they will be.
  Skill
  Commonly: technical skills, artistic skills, business type skills. Maybe social 
  skills.
  Special 
  Moves
  Usually Take Additional Risk is part of it. Getting Help is common too.
  Choice
  There is often no Choice step for a Three Roll Target Number Drama.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  The target number is taken from the relative difficulty chart:
  Difficulty
  Level/Roll
  Mod (approx.)
  Total SPs
  Very easy
  L1 or L2 10-
  +1 or +2
  1 or 2 SPs (1)
  “Medium Easy”
  L2 12-
  +0 or +1
  3 to 6 SPs (6)
  “Medium Difficulty”
  L2 13-
  +0
  7 to 9 SPs (9)
  “Medium-Hard”
  L2 14-
  -1 or -2
  10 to 15 SPs (15)
  “Hard—Expert level”
  L3 14-
  -2 to -4
  16 to 22 SPs (21)
  “Hard for experts”
  L3 15-
  -3 to -5
  23 to 28 SPs (27)
  “Very, very hard”
  L3 16-
  -4 to -6
  29 to 35 SPs (33)
  “Almost Impossible”
  L3 17-
  -5 to -8
  36 to 45 SPs (40)
  A score of five (5) above the target number is treated as a roll “made by 5” and a score of ten 
  (10) above the target number is treated as a roll “made by 10.”
  Consolidated Dramas
  In Consolidated Dramas, there is more than one character involved and each character will 
  make a roll against their counter-part. This is a good methodology to use when two teams are in 
  conflict and you want to give each participant a chance to add to the group’s success.
  Stakes
  Victory of one side/team over another.
  Skill
  This can vary greatly by each participant depending on their role.
  Special 
  Moves
  Nothing special.
  Choice
  A Choice move can determine how the various rolls are used to determine 
  success.
  Example Consolidated Roll Drama
  For a sports team for a future sport, there is a position called a Forward who is the team captain 
  and calls the plays and three positions called Receivers. The Forward makes most of the 
  difference, but a really good Receiver can help if s/he is “open.”
  A game is a 3-Round Contest, but each Round will have an Offensive and Defensive phase. A 
  team only gets SPs on the Offensive phase.
  Success Points for the Offensive Phase are determined by:
  Forward
  Each point the Forward makes their roll by gets 1 SP.
  Receiver
  Each Receiver will roll against their counterpart.  Depending on 
  what the Receiver wins/loses by will determine how much the 
  receiver helps.
  All Receivers lose: Team gets NO SPs for that round, regardless 
  of what the Forward rolled.
  A Receiver wins by 0 to 4: The team gets +1 SP.
  A Receiver wins by 5 to 9: The team gets +3 SPs.
  A Receiver wins by 10+: the team gets +5 SPs.
  Thus we can see that while the Forward is most important, having a good set of Receivers will 
  help a lot too.
  
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  236
  Elements of Dramas
  So you’re ready to start making your Drama and you now want to get specific. Let’s see what 
  your tools are.
  Basic Type
  Will the Drama be open-ended (guaranteeing success 
  eventually if the character stays at it enough) or a Three-Roll 
  or something else? Choose one of the basic types to build 
  from.
  For Dramas with Target Numbers, you will need to decide 
  them. For Combat Dramas or Consolidated Dramas, you will 
  need to determine the results of the match-up.
  Primary Skill
  You then determine what the roll will be. Other rolls may be 
  substituted at a negative if there’s a good reason for it.
  Tie Breaker
  If a contest can end with more than one person having the 
  same (winning) number of SPs, how will ties be handled?
  Time Scale and Round 
  Sequence
  Each Round of the Drama could take 6 seconds—it could take 
  six weeks (or whatever). If other stuff is going on during the 
  Drama then you may need to determine what kinds of things 
  can happen around the rolls.
  NOTE: if the Drama is happening during combat then a Round 
  might involve Initiative rolls. It might even involve normal 
  combat as well as Drama rolls (a character defusing a bomb 
  might be making Demolitions skill rolls each Round while his 
  compatriots are firing around him).
  Choose Step
  If there is a basic strategic element that participants will 
  employ each round, this is called a Choose step. Things like 
  bidding for taking the lead or “choosing a type of maneuver.”
  Usually the Choose step grants a bonus to the character who 
  makes the advantageous choice.
  Bonuses for Advantages
  In a race, having a faster car gives you some advantage. If 
  you are trying to hack a system, having the right tools can give 
  you an advantage. What gives you an advantage and how 
  much it gives you must be determined.
  Maneuvers that are Legit
  There’s a list of maneuvers. You will determine which of them 
  are legitimate.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Choosing the Basic Type
  We described these above but we’ll take a quick stab at doing them again here.
  Open-Ended Target 
  Number Drama
  Usually used for tasks the character will eventually complete. The 
  player will continue to make rolls until the number of SPs add up. 
  This could take any number of rolls. Each roll usually costs Time/
  Resources in some way that is important.
  Three Roll 
  Challenge
  A contest between two or more parties. Each participant makes 
  three rolls and the character with the highest SPs at the end wins. 
  Combat Drama
  Any Drama where the outcome results in actual damage or other 
  combat-damage type effects. May be based on one of the other 
  forms.
  Three Roll Target 
  Number
  Used when determining success or failure of an endeavor. You get 
  three rolls and your number of SPs has to equal or exceed a set 
  number to be successful.
  Consolidated Drama
  In this case multiple people on the same team are rolling—often 
  directly against people on an opposite team. Usually each person 
  compares their roll to their opposite number and there is some 
  formula used to determine how the successes match up for total 
  SPs.
  Primary Skill
  This is a no-brainer often (for Hacking, use Hacker skill). Often some other skills or stats can be 
  substituted at a negative. We recommend a -2 or a -4 if the skill/stat is allowed at all.
  Tie Breaker
  In some cases ties may be legitimate. In other cases the Drama may call for a tie-breaker. This 
  can be as simple as having the winners simply continue the drama until one pulls ahead.
  Time/Resource Scale and Round Sequence
  If the Drama takes place during a combat, we advise that Initiative be rolled every turn and 
  conducting the Drama be an 8 REA Long action or simply take “the entire turn.” If the Drama 
  takes place out of combat, here are some guidelines:
  1. 
  If the Drama is being used to pace things then the GM should determine how often 
  the roll will be made and let the Players know what kinds of activities can be taken 
  between them. 
  2. 
  If the Drama is a contest then it may be expedient to simply play it all out at once even 
  if it takes several minutes (like a NASCAR race).
  3. 
  If the Drama is a long term project then there should be ample chance for the character 
  to, if they choose, get help, look for better equipment, etc. between rolls. If the Drama 
  is work related, then the time may be over several days.
  Using Resources
  In some Dramas the issue will be a resource cost for each roll. It is expected that characters with 
  a Level 3 or Level 4 skill will take negatives to their rolls using the “Pushing It” Maneuver.
  Usually the amount of SPs (assuming no other advantage is in play) that are gained each turn 
  will be something like this:
  
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  238
  Skill/Level
  Pushing It?
  SPs per Roll
  L1 or L2 9- or lower
  No
  1 SP every 3 rolls (or less)
  L2 10-
  No
  1 SP every 2 rolls
  L2 11- to L2 14-
  No
  1 to 4 SP every roll
  L3 13-
  Yes
  7 SP every roll
  L3 14- to 16-
  Yes
  8 to 10 SP every roll
  L4 15-
  Yes
  12 SP every roll
  A Drama on a starship involves repairing the life support before people start dying. The GM 
  determines that it is a difficult repair job (requiring an L3 skill) and sets the difficulty at 28 
  SPs. The characters (other than the engineer, who has the one working suit) will need to 
  make CON rolls every round to stay conscious. If they miss three CON rolls, they’ll die.
  The engineer has a 14- L3 Engineering roll and, with Pushing It, can generate 8 SP per turn. 
  If he makes all his rolls (rolling on a 13-, but getting +5 if he makes it) he will likely fix the 
  problem over 4 Rounds (necessitating 4 CON rolls on the part of the crew).
  The GM allows the character to expend precious materials in order to get +4 SPs once 
  during the Drama. This decision (Resources) will mean something substantial to the 
  characters—the GM and the Players will need to discuss what that is. It is decided it’ll mean 
  they’ll have to take a very unsavory mission to get off the next planet they’ll land on.
  Example
  Choose Step
  One of the more interesting elements of Dramas is the Choose Step. While the various moves 
  (listed below) make for interesting strategy on the part of the Players, the Choose step, if there is 
  one, is a level beyond that.
  What’s a Choose?
  A Choose step is where each participant (the GM running NPCs) makes a decision about 
  strategic approach for the Round. If this is done correctly, it gives the “winner” either a bonus or a 
  chance to get a bonus for their roll. Here are some examples of common Choose types.
  Roshambo
  Paper, Rock, Scissors style decisions have an element of strategy. Usually the winner gets a Moderate Bonus (see below). 
  This is usually appropriate when there is a contest between characters and you want there to be more than just straight Skill rolls (for example you could 
  choose three types of “approaches” to a court case and have each lawyer secretly choose one).
  The act of the simultaneous reveal is usually fairly exciting.
  NOTE: there is no pressing need to be “realistic” in the breakdown of what-beats-what. The idea is to abstract the conflict in a way that brings the actual 
  player’s decisions into play.
  Standard 
  Negative Bid
  When there is a real showdown of guts, a Standard Negative Bid is a good way to build tension. Each player offers to make the roll at a given negative. The 
  player who gets the highest offer gets to roll at that negative and, if they make it, get a Substantial Bonus (see below). Other participants roll at no negative.
  This is usually appropriate when characters are jockeying for position or otherwise competing for a “top spot.” Since in order to “win” you must exceed the 
  last bid, who goes first is important and should likely be decided by an Initiative roll or other method.
  Sealed 
  Second 
  Price 
  Auction
  This is an interesting take on a “bid” where each party submits a private negative-to-roll offer and the person who submits the highest makes their roll at the 
  second highest negative! 
  So if I am taking a Choose action against two other contestants and we secretly submit a -4, -3, and I submit -5, I will win—but I’ll only need to roll at -4.
  In order for this to work, you will need to find a way to break ties in case multiple parties make the same bid. This could be a good methodology for some 
  Drama where people employ “hidden tactics.”
  Logic 
  Puzzles
  A kind of Choose Step that we’ve employed is a simple logic puzzle that participants can engage with. 
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Do I Need A Choose Step?
  No, you don’t ever need one. The point of having one is to have a simple strategy step that all 
  the participants will engage with. It tends to help draw people into the action more strongly and 
  can help simulate the “feel” of certain kinds of activities.
  The Choose Bonus
  What do you get for “Winning the Choose?” Usually you’ll get either a Moderate or Substantial 
  bonus.
  The Level Bonus and Bids
  Because of the way Pushing It works, it’s necessary to give the winner of a bid a bonus if they 
  are Level 3 or Level 4. Usually it works like this:
  • 
  If the winner of a Bid type Choose is Level 3, they get the bonus +3 SPs.
  • 
  If the winner of a Bid type Choose is Level 4, they get the bonus of +6 SPs.
  Minimal Bonus
  +1 SP + [ Level Bonus if the Choose is a bid ] if roll is made
  Moderate Bonus
  +2  to +4 SP + [ Level Bonus if the Choose is a bid ] if roll is made
  Substantial Bonus
  +10 SP + [ Level Bonus if the Choose is a bid ] (or what you’d have gotten without the negative, whichever is higher)
  In the case of a Substantial Bonus, winning the bid, at least once, becomes very important to 
  play.
  Bonuses for Advantages
  In many Dramas there will be advantages characters have due to having special gear or 
  otherwise changing the “nature” of the competition. An example of this is a race wherein one 
  character might be a worse driver than the other … but has a faster car.
  Here are some “generic” advantage types the Drama creator can choose from.
  Bonus to Roll
  The advantage simply gives you a higher roll. This usually simulates some very broad advantage.
  Bonus to Success
  In this case, if the character makes their roll—at all—this gives extra SPs. So a character with a 13- roll, and a +2 
  Bonus to Success, gets 2 SPs instead of zero if they roll exactly a 13. This is a good way to represent, for example, 
  a “weapon” in a conflict or something that amplifies a success—but not the chance of success. Note that Bonuses to 
  Success are more valuable to characters with high rolls than to characters with lower rolls.
  Bonus to Victory
  If the character makes their roll by more than anyone else in the Drama, then they get the bonus. 
  Defensive Bonus
  A character may have a score that acts as “armor.” Other parties successes are diminished by this amount each turn.
  Difficulty
  Difficulty reduces other’s chances of making a roll. Each point of Difficulty imposes a -1 to other character’s Roll with 
  regards to the character with the Difficulty stat.
  This can represent things like “agility” or “a defensive position.” Note that Difficulty, unlike Defense will reduce the actual 
  roll making the Bonus on Success and Bonus on Victory less likely to work.
  Bonus Ranges
  Usually ranges go from +1 to +5 with an average score being +1 or +2.  Usually bonuses to Skill 
  roll will be 1 to 2pts lower than bonuses to success. Bonuses on Victory will tend to be 1 or 2pts 
  higher than Bonuses on success. 
  Bonuses of +3 to +5 or higher are usually extremely rare.
  Defense is rare as well: 1 or 2 points is usually all you’ll see. Three points or higher is very rare. 
  Difficulty is usually at 1 or 2pts at a maximum as well.
  Legal Moves
  The Choose step isn’t the only “option” that characters can take during a Drama. Just as a driver 
  in a race might jockey for position, he might also try to ram another car! What we have listed 
  
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  240
  here is a section of Special Moves and their rules. Not all of them will be applicable to every 
  Drama so the Drama creator will need to determine which ones are viable.
  Name
  The name of the move.
  Type
  Moves are either free or standard. A single free move may be 
  taken each turn in addition to the roll you make to get points (and 
  in addition to the Choose step). A standard move may be taken 
  instead of the roll you make to get points.
  Description
  The specifics of the of the move.
  Example
  Because moves are abstract, an example of what they might 
  represent usually helps.
  Special Moves List
  Here are a list of generalized “special Moves” a character can take in Dramas. Not all of them will 
  be appropriate for every Drama and the Drama creator should decide ahead of time if something 
  is reasonable. Note that in some cases it may be possible to use a Special Move that generally 
  isn’t used--but require some special circumstances (such as roleplaying out an unusual activity) 
  to qualify for the attempt.
  Take Additional Risk (or Pushing It)
  Type: Free
  Description: Taking an additional risk means that you are doing something to risk additional 
  gain for a risk of extra pain. This has three factors:
  Mechanic: For this round of rolls you make an additional skill roll which may get you extra 
  success points. If you miss that skill roll, however, something bad happens to you.
  1. 
  The difficulty level: the negative to the additional skill roll you are risking.
  2. 
  The risk level (Very High, High, Medium, Low). How bad whatever happens to you 
  will be if you miss the roll.
  3. 
  The type of skill used. Depending on the situation you may be making the same kind 
  of skill roll being used for the drama or a different skill entirely. 
  Difficulty Level
  All Additional Risk rolls have at least a -1 difficulty modifier. The character can set this negative 
  (the GM may impose a negative based on circumstances—a common limit is -6 up to -10).
  The amount of success points the Additional Risk move nets the character is based on 
  negative taken, not the amount the roll was made by. See Risk Level, below, for how many 
  points the character gets for a made roll.
  Risk Level
  If an Additional Risk roll is missed, something bad happens. The Player may suggest a “risk 
  level” result (such as: I will fly through the asteroid field, if I miss my roll, my ship will be 
  damaged/disabled/destroyed. I say that is a medium/high/very-high risk”). The GM is the 
  final adjudicator of what risks may be taken and how they rate (i.e. if the GM rules there is no 
  asteroid field for the character to short-cut through, the GM may decline any high/very-high 
  risks).
  A character is involved in an artistic 
  competiton with a group of other artists. In 
  most cases, the Drama will simply center 
  around art skill checks and whoever does 
  the best will present the finest piece. 
  However, when one artist tries to sabotage 
  another, this becomes an (unusual) case of 
  Direct Opposition.
  The GM requires the Player “play out” 
  their attempt and runs a scene where the 
  character has to overcome some in-game 
  obstacles to get to the work in progress 
  and damage it! The GM could then either 
  assign a success based on the roleplaying 
  segment, or simply allow a Direct 
  Opposition roll as per the rules.
  Example
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Blocking Action
  Type: Standard
  Description: A character’s action is designed to limit the opposition’s effectiveness less so 
  than forward their own goals. When a blocking action is declared, the standard roll is made 
  but the results are subtracted from the opposition’s roll (if there is more than one opposition, 
  the results can be divided or applied evenly at the GM’s discretion depending on the 
  circumstances).
  Reactive: A blocking action may be declared after everyone else’s actions are declared (i.e. if 
  someone declares “Direct Opposition”) you can declare a Blocking Action. Blocking success 
  points may be declared against either the general roll or other rolls (extra risk) at the Player’s 
  request (GM discretion depending on what exactly is happening).
  Leader Bonus: If the blocking character is “ahead” (has more success points) then the GM 
  may assign a bonus to a successful roll of 1-10pts (usually +2). This represents a case where 
  a leader has an edge in preventing people from catching up (a car-chase).
  Success Points: The Blocking character gets +1 success points for a successful roll 
  regardless of how much it was made by. 
  Partial Block: A character may declare negatives to their success roll as Blocking Points 
  against Direct Opposition (ex: a character with a 14- Vehicle roll in a car-chase declares a -2 to 
  their Success Roll for 2pts of Blocking defense against Direct Opposition).
  Example: In a race, the finish-line is coming up and the leader wishes to maintain his lead by 
  Blocking the following driver. He has a 14- roll and his opponent, one Success Point behind, 
  has a 15- roll! The GM assigns a Leader Bonus of +2 and both parties roll. The lead driver rolls 
  a 10 against an effective 16- (14+2 for the leader bonus). This gives the chasing driver a -6 
  to his roll (bringing it down to a 9-). The following driver rolls a 10 and misses it! The Blocking 
  driver wins the race, gaining +1 Success Point (only) but preventing his opponent from getting 
  any.
  Level
  If Roll is Missed
  Max 
  Negaxtive 
  Modifier
  Success Modifier
  Low
  Something minor bad happens. Usually a character will pay for a Low-level risk after 
  the contest. The GM may rule that no more than one or two Low-Level risks may be 
  attempted during a contest.
  • 
  The GM may assess an additional negative of up to -4 to someone’s Low Risk 
  roll. If the roll is failed, success points are still what the player risked (i.e. they 
  do not include the -4). This represents the fact that some low-risk attempts also 
  have a low chance of reward, even if they do work.
  • 
  A Low risk roll blown by 5 or more may do worse things than were originally 
  risked at the GM’s discretion. Usually this should be discussed prior to the roll. 
  -2 or -4
  1⁄2 the modifier rounded 
  down. This means the 
  character can get at most 
  +1 or +2 Success Points 
  due to a Low Risk move.
  Medium
  Something bad happens that will impact the character’s continued success during the 
  rest of the contest. Usually a failure on a Medium Risk attempt gives all subsequent 
  rolls a cumulative -2
  -1 to -10
  Up to 1x what is risked
  High
  Something happens that will cost the character to lose the contest. Putting a witness 
  the character knows is a liar on the stand to try to win a case. If it fails, and the liar is 
  exposed, the character will lose the case.
  -1 to -10
  Up to 2x Success Points.
  Very 
  High
  Character is seriously injured, removed from play, something dire happens. Note: High 
  is usually the greatest Risk Level allowed even if the risk is quite mortal.
  -1 to -10 or 
  more
  Up to 3x Success Points
  
  JAGS Tools
  242
  Improve Position
  Type: Usually Standard
  Description: A character may attempt to do something that fundamentally improves their 
  future chances of success rather than their immediate success. An Improve Position attempt 
  adds to their roll depending on how much the attempt was made by.
  Note: continued attempts simply use the highest result. They are not cumulative.
  Repair: If a character’s attempts have suffered Damage (imposed negatives due to Direct 
  Opposition) then the amount of bonus is doubled up to the normal roll’s level.
  Bonus
  Improve Pos roll Made By
  Result
  Missed
  None
  0 to 3
  None
  4 to 5
  +1 to future rolls
  6 to 9
  +2 to future rolls
  10+
  +3 to future rolls
  Example: In a courtroom Drama, the GM rules that the “opening statements” section (the 
  first Turn) will, at most net only 0 to 3 Success Points—but that it can be used for attempts to 
  Improve Position or Direct Interference. A prosecuting attorney decides to set up his case and 
  rolls against his 13- Law skill. He gets a 10, making it by 3 and nets no Improved Position.
  Direct Opposition
  Type: Usually Standard
  Description: A character’s action is designed to damage the opposition’s ability to compete 
  directly rather than to forward the actor’s own aims. Note: A target of Direct Opposition may 
  choose a Partial Block (defensive actions) that reduce the Success Roll.
  Armor: Some conditions may qualify as “armor” against this “damage.” Armor simply reduces 
  the negative modifiers the Opposition attempt inflicts. Armor values are usually 1pt (with 2 and 
  3 being very rare).
  Multiple Hits: Direct Opposition attacks usually don’t add up—you just apply the highest 
  negative achieved so far (so if your first attack results in -2 “damage” and your second only 
  gets -1, then the net negative modifier stands at -2). However, if Armor is reducing the damage 
  then you can add it up to the total.
  Damage: Direct Opposition creates standing negatives to any rolls the target makes for the 
  rest of the competition. 
  Direct Opp roll Made By
  Result
  Missed
  None
  0 to 1
  None
  2 to 3
  -1 Damage
  4 to 5
  -2 Damage
  6 to 9
  -3 Damage
  10+
  -4 Damage
  Example: In a computer hacking battle, the hacker who is trying to gain access to a network 
  launches a worm attack against the system administrator’s computer. This won’t help the 
  hacker get into the network but will cause the admin all kinds of problems while he tries to shut 
  the hacker down. The hacker has a 16- Computer skill roll and rolls a 7, making it by 9. Unless 
  the System Admin blocks successfully, this will give the System Administrator’s Computer skill 
  roll a -3 modifier for the rest of the contest! Fortunately the Admin’s system is “hardened” and it 
  has 2pts of Armor so he only suffers a -1 to all the rest of his rolls.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Strategizing 
  Type: Free
  Description: In some contests there is a matter of leadership or strategy that is very 
  important. In these cases, each turn, someone will be making a “strategy” or “tactics” roll 
  of some sort (note: this may be the same skill that is being used for a success roll in many 
  cases). Usually if one person is making the Success Roll, someone else must make the 
  Strategizing roll—however this need not always be the case.
  A strategizing roll gives the party that made their roll by the most an additional advantage 
  in success points that turn. If everyone misses the roll—or many parties are involved but 
  someone comes in second, you get zero points. How many points you get depends on your 
  level at the strategizing skill.
  Negative to the Roll: When you are involved in strategizing, you will take a -2 per level you 
  are below the highest level strategist in the contest.
  Great Move!  If you make your strategy roll by 5+, you get an extra pt (even if Level 1).
  Level
  Strategy Points
  1
  0 – no success points—but you can stop someone else from getting them.
  2
  1pt for being the winner.
  3
  2pts for being the winner.
  4
  4pts for being the winner.
  Example: During a battle of two dark fantasy armies, the generals make their Strategy 
  rolls. One general has a 16- Strategy Skill. The other, a 15-. Both are Level 3 Expert Level 
  Strategists (see the Skill section). Each Round, the Generals make their roll and the winner 
  grants +2 to his field-commander’s tactic’s rolls!
  Advanced Techniques
  Type: Free
  Description: A higher skill level character can try things most characters can’t. These 
  “advanced techniques” carry a penalty to the roll but pay off with more SPs than normal if the 
  roll is successful.
  Level 3 and Level 4 Skills: A level 3 skill ignores -3pts of modifier. A Level 4 skill ignores a -6 
  modifier.
  Chart
  Negative
  Bonus Success Points if You 
  Make it
  -2
  +3
  -4
  +5
  -7
  +8
  Example: A driver hits his nitrous oxide switch and takes a -4 to his 15- Driving roll. He rolls on 
  an 11- and rolls a 10. He makes it by 1—but gets +5 Success Points for Pushing it and nets 6 
  Success points!
  
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  Getting Help
  Type: Free
  Description: If you are having problems getting a job done, asking for help is often wise. 
  Getting help usually means one of two things: either you are getting someone who has the 
  same or higher skill as you do to simply “assist you in your work” or you are finding someone 
  with a talent you do not have to do something to help you can’t (such as a hacker convincing 
  his beautiful girlfriend to sweet talk a lonely computer programmer who knows some 
  passwords).
  Often, Getting Help will simply take the form of roleplaying and, if the GM deems the character 
  successful in his attempt to get help, he’ll be awarded a certain number of points (usually +1 to 
  +4 SPs).
  If the help comes in the form of others who have the same skill roll that the character primarily 
  involved in the Drama is using, then it is common that the skill roll will be the highest roll (if 
  your helper is better than you, use their roll) and a mass of other people will add from +1 to +3 
  if they make their rolls (this is determined by how big the GM thinks the team needs to be and 
  how generally skilled the rest of the group are).
  Example: A character is having trouble with an art project during a Three Roll Target Number 
  Drama and decides to go and seek some help from a more experienced artist. The character 
  has a former mentor she is on the outs with and the scene involves the character trying to get 
  back into good graces with her teacher. The roleplaying session is deemed a success and the 
  GM allows a +3 SP grant for the Getting Help attempt.
  Roleplaying
  Type: Free
  Description: Between roles, a player can simply declare actions or otherwise describe how 
  the character works towards the goal. The GM is free to award points based on a subjective 
  view of the quality and effeciency of the roleplaying. This can wind up being points for extra 
  effort, dramatic speeches, a good idea or approach, etc.
  Example: In a racing game, the character who is behind and making a dramatic comeback 
  narrates an inner-monologue that impresses and amuses everyone at the table. The GM 
  awards 3 SPs for the dramatic effort!
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Example Dramas
  Example: Car Racing
  The game features a team of characters who race custom cars as part of the street-scene they belong to. Although tinkering with and modding 
  the cars (enhancing them mechanically) is a part of the game, it is not the entire focus (if it were, some of the rules from JAGS Have-Not might 
  be used). 
  NOTE: For purposes of this game, drivers are not usually getting killed. The Special Moves reflect this. If a race was specifically noted as 
  dangerous or deadly (“We’re running dead man’s curve”) then there might be some more serious consequences to roll failure and higher-risk 
  additional risk moves.
  Basic Drama Type: Three Roll Contest
  Initiative 
  Roll
  Yes. The Initiative roll will use the character’s REA.
  Stakes
  The character with the most SPs after three rolls wins the race. Tie-breakers are handled with additional rounds where the 
  best roll wins.
  Skill
  Vehicle Operations (race car)
  Special 
  Moves
  Pushing It
  Free
  Most Level 3 or Level 4 drivers will use a Pushing It move.
  Take Additional 
  Risk
  Free once
  Dangerous driving: High with a -4. This will give +8 SPs. If the roll is missed the character 
  suffers a crash and is out of the race and has damaged their car. This may be tried once in 
  a race.
  Direct 
  Opposition
  Standard
  Ramming or bumping. This will usually damage another character’s car. 
  Blocking
  Standard
  A car gets +2 on attempts to block. You can only Block cars with fewer SPs than you have.
  Improve 
  Position
  Standard
  Taking a turn on the “outside.”
  Choose
  Yes. An open Bid with a Substantial 10 SP reward. Each Round all drivers may “jockey for position,” bidding negatives to their 
  roll (this happens in Initiative order). The person bids the highest will make their Primary roll for that Round at the negative 
  and, if they make it, they get +10 SPs or what they’d have gotten without the bid, whichever is better.
  If the character is Level 3, this is +13 SPs. If the character is level 4, +16 SPs!
  Other Modifiers
  In this game, having a highly modified car is important—a lot of play may center around acquiring money (for parts) or getting hard to get parts. 
  There is also a role for a really good mechanic and some PCs may be mechanics (or different racing teams may try to recruit each other’s hot-
  shots). 
  Car Bonus
  +1 to +5 SPs for a successfully made roll. That is, if a driver has a 17- roll and a +3 car and they roll a 10, they get 
  10 SPs. However, if the driver rolls an 18, they get no SPs.
  Mechanics Bonus
  Your mechanic can make a roll before the race to tune the car. The mechanic can choose to roll at -3 or -6, taking an 
  additional bonus of +1 Or +2 if the roll is made (this gives an edge to Level 3 or Level 4 Mechanics)
  Roll made by
  Bonus to Roll
  Missed by 5 or more
  Mistake! -1 to all rolls!
  Missed -1 to -4
  +0 to Roll
  Made 1 – 4
  +1 to Roll
  Made 5 to 9
  +2 to Roll
  Made 10+
  +3 to Roll
  Nitrous Oxide
  Nitrous Oxide will give a car a +3 SP boost once but all additional rolls for the race will be made at -2 (this is 
  declared during Initiative and is known to all other participants).
  
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  Example: Car Racing Continued
  Car Design
  A car is built for one of three strengths: acceleration, top speed, and handling. The choice of a given race-course will give a car with the 
  appropriate attribute +1 SP for every made point. A mechanic, given time, money, and rolls, can reconfigure a car for a specific strength if a 
  known race is coming up. Rebuilding the cars may be a part of the game in that respect.
  Course Type
  Bonus goes to a car with
  Long straightaway
  Top speed
  Lots of turns
  Handling
  Short course
  Acceleration
   
  Sample Car: Hotrod Honda Civic
  +3 Car Bonus (dual carburetor exhaust, improved turbo)
  Strength: Handling (+1 for races with lots of sharp turns)
  Nitrous Oxide: 1x
  Research Drama: High School Monster Hunters
  The PCs are gifted (physically, mentally, and in some cases magically) who live in a modern-day world that is secretly overrun with monsters! 
  They have a “monster of the week” problem and one of the roles in the game is the support crew of kids who research the monster to find its 
  weak-spots so the more combat oriented characters can defeat it.
  The research uses Research skill and involves looking in musty books and secret Internet sites. Roleplaying that out isn’t usually very 
  interesting. However: the structure of the game makes the Research Drama a good pacing mechanism and gives less combat-oriented 
  characters a strong role to play.
  Basic Drama Type: Three Roll Target Number
  Initiative 
  Roll
  No. There is no Initiative roll for the research drama.
  Stakes
  Each monster has a certain number of SP’s necessary to determine its weaknesses. If these are reached, defeating it 
  becomes far simpler.
  Skill
  Research Skill
  Special 
  Moves
  Pulling an all-
  nighter
  Standard
  A character who wishes to “pull an all nighter” (staying up studying old books etc) will do 
  so at the expense of their grades or other activities. This is an explicit trade-off on the part 
  of the character. The consequences are run in-game—but the Player will know they are 
  making a trade. They will get +1 to +2 to their Roll based on the time spent.
  Pushing It
  Free
  Unusual Sources. Most characters won’t have Level 3 or 4 skills but if they do, they can 
  access unusual or hard-to-understand sources for their material.
  Choose
  No. There is no choose-step in this drama.
  Good Library
  +1 to +4 SPs to each roll. Over the course of the game the characters may seek books to improve their library. 
  This may be a focus of adventures.
  The Right Book
  +2 to +8 SPs per roll. Seeking the right book or other data source can greatly help. This, also, may be a driving 
  force in some scenarios.
  The Use of Traits
  In this game, however, characters will have individual scenes wherein they get to dictate the basic set-up of the scene so long as it agrees with 
  the genre (i.e. the geeky kid decides to ask a pretty new cheerleader out on a date). If the players take consequences for their Traits they can 
  gain 1 to 4 SPs per scene. These SPs can be used directly against the research drama.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Research Drama: High School Monster Hunters Continued
  This means that when the GM goes around to each character and they are doing a high-school scene, the Players will invent something that 
  plays to the consequences of their Traits and then play that through in order to get SPs to improve their research skills.
  While this is entirely a game-mechanical enhancement (being shot down humiliatingly by the cheerleader doesn’t in any simulation-like way 
  apply to better researching the monster) it’s understood by the players to be a kind of meta-game genre emulation.
  Example Monster
  The Thing In The Walls
  It came into town on a truck with logos from a closed factory and no driver. When it crashed, the TTITW escaped. It looks like a mass of arms 
  and hands crawling over each other. It lurks inside walls where it can break through and grab someone and disappear with them.
  It has a 21 SP susceptibility to flute music that can lure it out in a trance state, costing it 5 REA per turn while the character plays (playing is an 
  8 REA Long action). 
  It has a 14 SP susceptibility to fire (a lit torch will deal 18 IMP damage per second if swung as a weapon, using gasoline, lighter-fluid, or 
  Molotov cocktails will do, to it, 31 IMP damage!)
  The GM would otherwise give it statistics (not shown here) but it would be difficult to take down without either of its weaknesses being known.
  Drama: Cyber-Hacking
  The game takes place in a near-future dystopia where computer hackers are cybernetically connected to the Internet. Hacking systems is done 
  in a hallucinatory state where data-elements, defenses, and other users are represented as physical objects in a hallucinatory environment. 
  Going up against defenses can be quite dangerous and a great deal of emphasis is placed on the resources (other pieces of software) a hacker 
  may acquire and use during their “run” through a target system’s defenses.
  Basic Drama Type: Three Roll Target Number Drama
  The target number is based on the difficulty of the system being hacked.
  Initiative 
  Roll
  No. In cases where multiple hackers were competing there might be an Initiative check using RES to see who gets to try 
  first—but in general there will be no Initiative roll.
  Stakes
  Breaking into the system. Character’s lives may be at stake as well. Finally, when a system is “aware” of the intrusion each 
  roll the characters make could give them away.
  Time
  Each roll takes roughly 20 min of real time. This may be changed by “accelerator” hardware or extended by elements of the 
  system being attacked. However, if the hackers are trying to coordinate with real-world teams, 20min per roll is a reasonable 
  baseline.
  Skill
  Hacker or Computer at -3.
  Special 
  Moves
  Pushing It
  Free
  Expert Techniques. Characters with Level 3 or Level 4 skills may try exotic and difficult 
  methods to gain entry.
  Choose
  There is no choose step.
  Computer Skill
  Being a skilled programmer can help you pick your way through systems. A Computer skill roll will give +1 if made by 0 to 
  4, and +2 if made by 5+. The character can roll at -3 or -6 for an additional +1 or +2 respectively. NOTE: the character may 
  have “backup” from other characters to assist with that.
  Internal terminal Access
  If there is a live human being inside the target system’s structure with access to a computer terminal (and this need not 
  be the hacker—it can be someone with a conduit rig) then they get +2 SPs for any successful roll. If intrusion systems are 
  tripped the guy inside has one turn less than the hacker to get out and avoid detection.
  Passwords
  If the character can get their hands on “passwords” from somewhere (buying them? Social engineering?) then they 
  reduce the Firewall numbers by some significant number (say -5 to -20). Usually more than one “password” is needed to 
  completely break a system.  A Persuade or Charm roll that gets a Major success or better can usually get a -3 Password 
  (but if it fails the system will go on “alert” and its firewall numbers will be increased by +3 for several days.
  Lockpick v3.2
  Two uses. +2 to SPs on a made roll.
  Battering Ram v8.1
  One use. Gives +10 SPs on a successful roll. +5 to Detection roll.
  NinjaSoft v2.01
  Two uses. Gives -3 to Detection roll.
  
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  248
  Drama: Cyber-Hacking Continued
  Target System
  Computer systems have two Firewall Numbers: Protocol Defense and Domain Defense (taken from 21st century firewall DMZ terminology). The 
  hacker must, usually, penetrate both—but only the outer (Protocol) number is known. The hacker can take any number of rolls to do this—but 
  each roll involves a detection chance. This is a roll that is made against the character’s “stealth modifier.” The character’s Stealth Modifier is a 
  number chosen by the player when the character makes a roll for that turn: each +1 Stealth Modifier gives a -1 to the character’s roll (so if the 
  character has a 15- L2 Hacking skill and wants a -5 to be detected that turn, he rolls on a 10-).
  The system’s detection systems may or may not be known.
  If the character is detected, they may or may not know (a secret contest of skill rolls will be made) but the authorities will be alerted. How well 
  the detection roll is made by will determine how quickly they arrive.
  Detection Rolls
  Missed
  1 to 2
  3 to 4
  5 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  System is unaware
  System is aware of 
  suspicious activity. 
  Detection roll increased 
  by +1.
  System is aware of 
  intrusion attempt. 
  Character has 3 rolls 
  remaining. Detection 
  roll increased by +2.
  System is tracking the 
  character. Detection 
  roll increased by +2. 
  Character has 2 more 
  rolls before they must 
  punch out to avoid 
  authorities. Firewall 
  number is increased 
  by +4.
  Character is “kicked 
  out” and loses all points 
  against the present 
  firewall.
  System is tracking 
  the character. One 
  more roll is allowed. 
  Detection roll is at +3. 
  Firewall is increased 
  by +6.
  Character is “kicked 
  out” and loses all points 
  against the present 
  firewall.
  System has located the character! 
  Authorities arrive. Detection is at +3. 
  Firewall is increased by +9 (lock-
  down).
  Character is “kicked out” and loses all 
  points against the present firewall.
  Defensive Daemons
  Target systems employ Expert Systems (or even humans) who actively work against intrusion. These have rolls that are made against the 
  hacker each turn. Usually Daemons exist “in the DMZ” and are only encountered after the Protocol wall is defeated. When dealing with a 
  Daemon, the hacker must use some of his gained SPs to “lock it down.” Daemons have a target number and a roll. This roll is made against 
  the character’s roll and each point it rolls by reduces the character’s SPs by one while it is active. Strangely, a Daemon being in play doesn’t 
  automatically “detect” the character. If a Daemon gets +5 points over the hacker, they are “kicked out” and lose all their points against the 
  Firewall (but may still be in the DMZ if they were going against the Domain Firewall).
  Heart Stopper
  Being plugged into a system can be dangerous. Some systems employ potentially deadly countermeasures. When these countermeasures are 
  in play (usually, again, only on the Domain Firewall) then, when the character misses a roll (even if they are not detected) they are subjected to 
  a Resisted Attack of the Power of the system vs. the character’s Hacker Skill or WIL, whichever is better.
  Example Intrusion Countermeasure Module
  Effect
  Result
  Minor
  Image Shock: the character has a series of elementally disturbing images flash-loaded into their visual cortex. The next 
  roll is at -3.
  Standard
  Blinding headache. The character’s vision is blurry and they get a cumulative -1 to RES and MEM based skills for 
  several hours.
  Major
  System Shock: The character is kicked out of the firewall and loses all their points. They are at -2 to all rolls for the 
  next couple of days.
  Critical
  Brain Burn: the character is slammed into a gran mal epileptic seizure. This ends their hacking run and they need 
  medical attention. They will be out for several days.
  Catastrophic
  Trauma. The character must make a Critical Wound roll. They are unconscious and need medical care badly or they 
  may die. If they don’t get it, give them three CON rolls at -2 and if they fail all of them, they’re dead. If they fail two they 
  suffer ‘stroke effects’ of -4 to all rolls for several weeks. If they fail one, they are unconscious for several hours and 
  bleed out the ears, waking up, being at -2 to all rolls for several days.
  
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  JAGS Tools
  Cyber-Hacking Drama Continued
  Sample System: Ultracorp Global Bank
  Description: a pretty tough system (but by no means one of the toughest). This is a viable target. If the characters break it, they’ll get some 
  decent cash. If they get detected, they’ll have a vicious enemy (but one they might be able to handle)
  Protocol Firewall: 12
  Protocol Detection Roll: 13-
  User Password: reduces by 3pts (via social engineering)
  Admin Password: reduces by 8pts (requires in-game action to acquire)
  DMZ: Security Daemon 8pts, 14- roll
  Domain Firewall: 24
  Domain Detection Roll: 14-
  Heart Stopper Countermeasures: POWER 14, roll of 14-.
  Admin Password: reduces by 10pts (requires in-game action to acquire)
  Invention Drama
  Invention Dramas
  In this game some of the characters will be mad-scientists types who will create inventions that will be used to solve problems or overcome 
  challenges. In the game structure the characters do a lot of adventuring and then, when a serious problem is encountered, the scientist 
  characters may request an Invention Roll to create a device to help solve it. The GM will set the difficulty of the device and may make some 
  rulings about whether or not they are equipped to build it (also, cost may be a factor—but rather than having an actual cost-chart for each 
  possible device, if the device is extremely expensive the GM may require someone to do something to acquire the necessary cash).
  Basic Drama: Three Roll Target Number
  Initiative 
  Roll
  No. There is no Initiative roll for the Drama.
  Stakes
  How long, and how many resources building something will take. 
  Time
  The time-to-build something varies widely. Typically each roll takes between 2 hrs and 2 days. The GM will determine this 
  before the rolling starts.
  Skill
  Engineering
  Special 
  Moves
  Pushing It
  Free
  Expert Techniques. Characters with Level 3 or Level 4 skills may try exotic and difficult 
  methods to build gear.
  Choose
  There is no choose step.
  Partial Success
  A construction attempt may result in a “partially working” device. Each device will have four ratings for SP (determined by the GM, possibly 
  using the Fast Company book as a basis). In Fast Company, devices are rated in “Gadget Points” and the number of GP for any device tends 
  to be low (a 3 GP device is pretty good). The rule of thumb is that the basic SP is 6x the number of required GP and above 
  Success Level
  SP’s 
  Required
  Notes
  Reduced SP
  4 x GP
  Unreliable! The device has a “serious drawback” (see below) and may require several successful rolls 
  to get it to work when the time comes.
  Basic SP
  6 x GP
  The device works reliably but has some drawback that will likely apply to its use (such as being large, 
  heavy, needing a non-mobile power-supply, etc.) The GM can propose one of two or three possible 
  drawbacks and let the character choose one.
  Enhanced SP
  8 x GP
  The device works without serious drawbacks. Depending on the general capabilities of the device it 
  may still be large or non-mobile (or have other features that make it less than optimal) but it is quite 
  viable for its purpose.
  Superior SP
  10 x GP
  At this level the device becomes enhanced beyond its original intended capacities.
  
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  Inventor Drama Continued
  Modifiers
  Physics, Computers, 
  Chemist
  A suitable skill roll at -4 will give +1 SP if the Engineering roll is successful. At -8 it gives +4 SP.
  More Time / further 
  experimentation
  If the scientist takes more time than the GM’s determined standard then they’ll get +1 to their roll.
  Better Lab
  If the scientist gets access to good resources (and the game may involve doing things to get resources) then 
  they may get +1 to +4 SPs. This works once per invention.
  The Right Equipment
  If the character can lay hands on just the right stuff this can add +2 to +8 SPs to the project (useable once per 
  invention).
  Example Piece of Gear: Ectoplasm Rifle
  The city is beset by ectoplasmic assailants that are immune to normal weaponry. The scientist character sets up a ghost-gun that can hurt 
  them. It will do 12 IMP damage to Out of Phase targets.
  Using the Fast Company rules:
  Base Gadget: Bazooka-Sized weapon, Power-Pack Required.
  Base Damage 30 IMP Energy
  Weirdness: 2 (the world is Strange, the device is Weird)
  Hits Out of Phase Targets (only): Cost 1
  Total Cost: 3 Gadget Points
  Difficulty: GM assigns SP giving the Basic SP value a 6pts per Gadget point cost, Reduced a -1, and Enhanced/Superior a +3.
  Reduced SP
  6
  Basic SP
  18
  Enhanced SP
  21
  Superior SP
  24
  Note: Before setting this Drama up for a game the GM and Players should sit down together and decide roughly what sorts of things would be 
  built. If this device is meant to force the characters to, say, seek better labs or more research then the numbers might be tweaked a bit. This 
  discussion should happen before play begins, however, so characters are not blind-sided.
  
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  JAGS Charts
  End Note
  And on that note we end JAGS Revised. We hope you’ve found it 
  interesting and enjoyable (or, if not, that you didn’t get all the way 
  here before you came to the conclusion it wasn’t any good). At this 
  point we’re going to get into the appendices and so we’re going to say 
  goodbye, and thanks for reading!
  Gloss-Dex: A Glossary-Index for JAGS 
  Revised
  Action
  Introduced pg 109
  Attack Actions 113
    Unarmed Attacks 121-123
    HTH Weapons 124-129
    Thrown Weapons 130-131
    Ranged Weapons 131-133
  Move Actions 139-147
  Defensive Actions 148-151
  Grappling Actions 152-165
  General Actions 166-168
  An Action is something done by a character 
  during a Round. They fall into four basic 
  categories:
  • 
  Attack (shooting, punching, 
  stabbing, wrestling, etc.)
  • 
  Defense (Blocking, Dodging, 
  Hitting the Deck)
  • 
  Movement (Running, Circling, etc.)
  • 
  General (manipulating an object, 
  pushing a button, talking)
  Many Actions have an REA Cost which limits 
  how many you can do in a Round—but some 
  actions have a Zero (0) REA cost and are 
  considered Free Actions.
  AGI Bonus
  Introduced 115
  Ranged Weapons 131
  Modified by the Fat Trait 36
  Modified by the Peg Leg Trait  79
  Lucky Miss Archetype Trait 84
  Losing it: Ground Fighting, hit from 
  behind 156
  Cover (uses cover mod instead) 
  120
  Losing it if Stuck 140
  Losing it if crawling 140, 145
  An AGI Bonus is a defensive modifier many 
  characters get for being agile and mobile. If 
  you are on your feet and moving you are at -1 
  to be hit in hand to hand combat for each point 
  of AGI you have above 10. If you are being 
  targeted by a ranged weapon, your AGI Bonus 
  is halved and rounded down.
  Agility (AGI)
  Introduced 31
  Modified by
    Agile 37
    Clumsy 37
    Uncoordinated 37
    Hunchback 79
  Used to hit if unskilled 59
  Agility is a Secondary Statistic based on 
  Reflexes (REF) that measures the character’s 
  grace, gross-motor skills, and balance. Like all 
  Secondary Statistics, AGI begins at a value of 
  10 for normal humans. Agility is used for:
  • 
  Gross Motor based skills
  • 
  Rolls to stay balanced
  • 
  Determining AGI Bonus (a defense 
  against being struck in combat)
  • 
  Making Block and Dodge and to-hit 
  rolls in hand to hand combat
  Archetype Points
  Introduced 27
  Archetype Abilities 84-85
  Determine which Arch abilities are 
  legal for a game 47
  Advancement 214
  A kind of character points used to purchase 
  “unusual” or “character-class” type abilities.
  Armor
  Explained 174
  Tables (Fantasy/Modern) 174
  Partial Coverage 175
  Armor save is a Resistance Roll 21
  Step in damage detemination 93
  Iron Jaw (gives armor) 79
  For Tangle attacks 130
  Any protective covering (plate armor, leather 
  armor, bullet resistant skin, etc.). Armor has two 
  values: Damage Resistance and PEN Defense.
  Armor References
  • 
  Damage Reduction
  • 
  PEN Defense
  • 
  Armor Save
  • 
  Partial Coverage
  • 
  Armor Tables
  Armor Save
  Armor save is a Resistance Roll 21
  Step in damage detemination 170
  When a character wearing Armor is hit by a 
  Penetrating Weapon, they get an Armor Save 
  to convert the damage type from PEN (bad) 
  to IMP (generally not as bad). This is done by 
  comparing the Armor’s PEN Defense to the 
  weapon’s PEN Value and making a Resisted 
  Roll.
  Attack
  Attack Actions 121
    Unarmed Attacks 121-123
    HTH Weapons 126-129
    Thrown Weapons 130
    Ranged Weapons 131 - 138
  Any action in the game that harms a target. 
  Actions usually cost 5 REA and are usually 
  Medium Speed.
  List of Attacks
  • 
  Barehanded strikes (Punch, Kick, 
  Cross, Headbutt, Spear hand, etc.)
  • 
  Weapon Strikes (Strike, Feint, 
  Lunge)
  • 
  Ranged Weapon Attacks (Shoot, 
  Double Tap, Aim, etc.)
  • 
  Automatic Fire
  • 
  Grappling Attacks (wrestling)
  • 
  Grab Attacks (reach out and grab 
  hold)
  Base Character Points
  Introduced 27
  A kind of character points used to purchase 
  Stats, Traits, and Skills (“normal character 
  stuff”).
  Base Damage
  Computing for HTH Damage 49
  Used in figuring actual damage 
  169-170
  Damage Table 173
  Explosives 188
  Poisons 196
  Modifying with Risk 20
  In Unarmed Strikes 121
  Weapons List 125
  Example 126
  Full Strike (gets +2) 126
  Thrown Weapons 130
    Wind-up 130
  Continuing Beam 135
  Charge (gets +2) 144
  Overrun 145
  Penetrating Force Fields 175
  Weapons are rated in Base Damage, a score 
  that tells how much damage they do “on 
  average.” When a target is hit with a weapon, 
  a Damage Roll is made (with the Damage 
  Modifier added) and the final number is 
  checked on the Damage Chart to compute 
  Damage.
  Bleeding
  From Internal Damage 183
  Optional rules 186 - 187
  Bleeding Drama 217
  Determining the grittiness of the 
  game 89
  Stopping bleeding with a Doctor 
  roll 64
  An optional rule concerning after effects of 
  damage. Usually only used in grim (gritty) 
  games.
  
  JAGS Charts
  252
  Block
  Block Explained 148 - 150
  shields 151
  Guarding someone else 112
  How combat skills determine Block 
  Roll 57
  Skills
    Acrobatics 58
    Boxing 58
    Fencing 59
    Jujitsu 59
    Karate 60
    Knife Fighting 60
    Kung Fu 60
    Melee Weapons 60
    Shield 60
    Staff 61
    Streetfighting  61
    Tae Kwon Do 61
    Tai Chi 61
    Wrestling 62
  Block as a reaction move 111
  Block Action (list) 149
  Blocking on the ground 156
  Blocking when hit from behind 119
  Blocking a Large Weapon 125
  Flails (harder to block) 127
  Feint 126
  Against a Gaze/Touch attack 189
  An attempt to Parry an attack. A character’s 
  Block roll is computed using their Martial Arts 
  or AGI roll at some modifier. Attempts to Block 
  weapons when unarmed are at -2. A Block is a 
  3 REA Short Action.
  • 
  Jujitsu
  • 
  Karate
  • 
  Kung Fu
  • 
  Tai Chi
  • 
  Boxing
  • 
  Wrestling
  Build (BLD)
  Introduced 31
  Modified by
    Light 
  36
    Slight 36
    Fat or Obese 36
    Big/Tall 36
    Emaciated 36
    Hunchbacked 79
  BLD Modifier for DP 51
  BLD adds to HTH Damage 49
  BLD adds to Grapple Scores 52
  BLD adds to Overrun damage 145
  Build is a Secondary Statistic based on 
  Physique (PHY) that measures the physical 
  mass and size of the character. Like all 
  secondary statistics, BLD begins at a value of 
  10 for a normal human (approximately 150 lbs). 
  Build is used for:
  • 
  Determining hand to hand damage
  • 
  Determining collision or falling 
  damage
  • 
  Determining Grapple Scores
  Called Shots
  Called Shots 190
  Optional rules for “placing a shot directly to a 
  specific body part.”
  • 
  Head Shots
  • 
  Attacking a leg
  • 
  Attacking an Arm
  • 
  Shooting a Weapon out of 
  someone’s hand
  Charge
  Explained 144
  A Charge maneuver is running at someone with 
  a weapon in order to move and strike quickly. 
  It does +2 Base Damage, costs REA equal to 
  the Move and the Strike, and the target has a 
  choice, they can etiher hit you as you come in 
  OR they can block the strike.
  Charisma Scores
  Introduced 49
  Rules 199 - 200
  Chart 39
  Modified by
    Nasal Voice 41
    Flair 42
    Leader 43
    Likeable 43
    Presence 43
    Bad Reputation 43
    Attractive 45
    Exotic 46
    Lousy Liar 46
    Personality 47
    Statuesque 47
  Resisted Attack Chart 195
  Values used in Resisted Rolls that influence 
  subjects. Charisma rules are usually only 
  definitely effective against NPCs but in some 
  games Players may agree to have their 
  characters strongly influenced or even bound 
  by Charisma results. There are four types of 
  Charisma Attempts
  • 
  Charm – make the target like you 
  (or love you)
  • 
  Intimidate – make the target fear 
  you
  • 
  Persuade – convince the target to 
  do something for you
  • 
  Recruit – Influence the target (or 
  targets) to be loyal to you
  Collision
  Explained 209
  A crash, fall, or ram.
  CON Roll
  Introduced 31
  Modified By
    Resilient 36
    Sickly 36
    Fragile 36
  Damage Point Formula 51
  Asthma 79
  Conditioning 79
  Hearty 79
  Out of Shape 79
  Will to Fight 85
  Recover from being Dazed 181
  Roll for Wounds 180
  Wound Table 180
  When a character suffers Damage they may 
  have to make a CON Roll if they suffered a 
  Minor, Major, or Critical Wound. This is done 
  on the Wound Chart and the Result can be 
  something like Dazed, Stunned, or even Dying.
  Constitution (CON)
  Introduced 31
  Modified By
    Resilient 36
    Sickly 36
    Fragile 36
  Damage Point Formula 51
  Asthma 79
  Conditioning 79
  Hearty 79
  Out of Shape 79
  Will to Fight 85
  Recover from being Dazed 181
  Roll for Wounds 180
  Wound Table 180
  Constitution is a Secondary Statistic based on 
  Physique (PHY) that measures the physical 
  health and robustness of the character. Like all 
  Secondary Statistics, CON begins at a value of 
  10 for normal humans. Constitution is used for:
  • 
  Determining how well the character 
  suffers damage
  • 
  Determining the character’s 
  number of Damage Points
  • 
  Rolls to fight off poison or disease
  Coordination (COR)
  Introduced 31
  Modified by
    Coordinated 37
    Klutz 37
    Crippled Hands 37
  Used to hit with Ranged Attacks 
  131
  Coordination is a Secondary Statistic based 
  on Reflexes (REF) that measures eye-hand 
  coordination. Like all Secondary Statistics, 
  COR begins at a value of 10 for normal 
  humans. Coordination is used for:
  • 
  Making rolls to do fine-manual 
  labor (cutting gems, picking locks, 
  etc.)
  • 
  Feats of manual dexterity (card 
  manipulation, playing video 
  games)
  • 
  Hitting ranged targets with thrown 
  or fired weapons
  Cover
  Chart 120
  Cover gives you a negative to-be-hit that may 
  be used instead of your AGI Bonus. Cover 
  modifiers range from -1 to -4.
  
  253
  JAGS Charts
  Cross
  Chart 121
  Unarmed Strikes 123
  Boxing 59
  A power-punch which may only be thrown once 
  a Round. A Cross is a 5 REA Medium action. 
  It does [ STR-10 + 1pt per 5 BLD above 10 + 
  Martial Arts bonus +1 ] Base Damage. When 
  thrown the attacker is at +1 to be hit and -1 to 
  Block until their next Turn.
  Damage
  Explained 169 - 173
  The effect of a hit with a weapon. It is rated 
  in points. For example, a good hit with a 
  broadsword might do 12 points of Damage—
  enough to drop a normal man.
  Damage Modifier (DM)
  Explained 169
  Pen Doubling 169
  Modified By
    Lucky Miss 84
    Streetfighting 61
  Modifiers
    Prone vs. Explosion 188
    Explosives 188
    Large Weapon Bonus 125
    Controlled Burst 133
    Point Blank Range 132
    Roll with Strike 150
    Defensive Positioning 150
    Grab Weapon Arm 154
    Grappling Mods 157
  When you roll to hit, the amount you hit by 
  becomes your Damage Modifier. This is added 
  to your Damage Roll to tell how many points 
  of Damage you did. Damage Rolls use the 
  Damage Tables (there’s one for PEN damage 
  and one for IMP damage).
  Damage Resistance 
  (Armor)
  Explained 174
  A value Armor has that reduces points of 
  damage done to the target. If your armor has 
  6 DR and the attack did 9 Damage Points then 
  you suffered only 3 (9 – 6 = 3).
  Damage Roll
  Explained 170
  Attacks in JAGS have a set Base Damage (for 
  instance, a 9mm hand gun does 6 PEN). When 
  you hit someone you make a Damage Roll 
  (there is a Damage Chart for both Penetrating 
  (PEN) and Impact (IMP) damage types) and 
  add the Damage Modifier to what you roll. You 
  then look at the final number on the chart and 
  see how much damage you did (a good roll 
  on the PEN Damage Chart could yield a 2x 
  Modifier). Rolling high is better than rolling low.
  Daze
  Explained 181
  Wound Effect Table 180
  A Wound Effect where the target loses 8 REA 
  and one attack. There are other listed effects 
  as well.
  Dead
  Explained 185
  Wound Effect Table 180
  A Wound Effect where the target is “dead.” 
  Depending on the conventions of the game, 
  however, this may just represent a ‘very serious 
  injury.’
  Defensive Action
  List 148-150
  List of Defensive Actions
  • 
  Block
  • 
  Dodge
  • 
  Shields (Shield block)
  • 
  Hit the Deck
  Dodge
  Explained 150
  A defensive action to get out of the way of an 
  attack. Dodges use AGI or Acrobatics as their 
  roll. A Dodge is a 5 REA Short Action unless 
  you have Lvl 3 Acrobatics—then it is a 3 REA 
  Short Action. Attempts to Dodge ranged attacks 
  (bullets) are at -4 (since one must “dodge the 
  muzzle of the gun”).
  DP (Damage Points)
  Explained 51
  DP Chart 51
  Modified by
    Build 51
    Toughness 79
    Boxing 59
  A character’s ability to take Damage. A normal 
  man has 10 DP. A really big guy might have 20 
  DP. Weapon hits do Damage and the amount 
  of Damage is compared to the character’s 
  Damage Points to determine the Wound 
  Type and Condition the character is now at. 
  NOTE: When a character takes Damage you 
  do not simply subtract Damage done from 
  the character’s Damage Points and treat the 
  character as dead or unconscious when he 
  reaches zero. It’s a little more complex than 
  that.
  Drama (Drama Rolls)
  Explained 223 - 228
  Types of Rolls 228
  Dramas are the “technical term” for conflicts 
  that are resolved using the JAGS Revised 
  Drama Rolls system. In this system a character 
  (or group of characters) will make several Skill 
  or Stat checks and the total result is examined 
  to see if they succeed or not. 
  The Drama Roll system is used to handle 
  situations for which no specific rules-subystem 
  (such as the Combat System for physical 
  battle, the JAGS Have-Not vehicle system 
  for automative races, and JAGS Psionics for 
  psychic conflict) exists. It also “adds drama” to 
  situations by spreading success or failure out 
  over several rolls.
  Drowning 
  Explained 216
  If you are in a fight, you’ll last CON/6 Rounds 
  (about 2) and, at the end of the third, go 
  unconscious with a Dying result!
  Dying
  Explained 184
  A Wound Effect where the target is very quickly 
  dying and needs immediate medical help.
  Effect Roll
  Explained 23
  Wound Effects Table 180
  The Grapple Chart 156
  Resisted Attack Chart 195
  One of the four kinds of JAGS Dice Mechanics, 
  the Effect Roll is called for when the player is 
  rolling and using the number rolled to look up 
  an effect on a chart. Examples are the Wound 
  Effects Table (where the Player makes a CON 
  roll and looks on the Wound Chart to see what 
  the effect of the wound is) and the Damage 
  Roll (where the Damage Modifier is added to 
  a roll and the appropriate Damage Chart is 
  checked to see how much damage is done).
  Encumbrance
  Explained 207
  A measure of how weighed down a character 
  is. An Advanced rule.
  Endurance
  Explained 215
  Modified By
    Sports and Combat Skills 211
    Conditioning 79
    Tai Chi 61
    Encumbrance 211
  Rules used to determine how long a character 
  can keep up exertion (physical activity). An 
  Advanced rule. Activities are given a general 
  level of difficulty (Walking, Running, or 
  Sprinting) which, along with the character’s 
  CON, determines how long they can do them.
  Sports and Combat Skills at higher levels add 
  to effective Endurance (pg. 210).
  Explosives
  Explained 188-189
  Bigger Targets Take More damage 
  191
  Demolitions 68
  Aiming for a spot on the ground 114
  Targeting Weapon with a Blast 
  Radius 119
  Rules for bombs or blast-radius style attacks. 
  Usually the Base Damage is divided by [Target 
  Distance / RAD]2. As this is complex, there are 
  simpler ways to figure this out.
  Force
  Explained 208
  A game mechanic that measures things like 
  “lift,” throwing distance, collision and falling 
  damage, and other such evaluations. 
  
  JAGS Charts
  254
  Force Fields
  Explained 175 - 176
  Super-Tech (or magical) defensive fields. The 
  have the following rules:
  • 
  Reduce damage done by their 
  POWER rating.
  • 
  If the damage does not exceed the 
  POWER but is equal or greater 
  than half of it, reduce the field 
  POWER by Total Damage/10 (after 
  calculating damage to the target).
  • 
  If any damage did get through 
  the field, reduce POWER by 
  Total Damage/5 (after calculating 
  damage to the target).
  • 
  Weapons will not do PEN damage 
  to the field unless their Base 
  Damage exceeds 5x the Field’s 
  POWER.
  • 
  A 5 REA Medium Action will repair 
  a Field’s POWER by 20% of the 
  total.
  Free Action / Casual 
  Action
  Explained 166 - 168
  Some actions may be ruled to have a zero 
  (0) REA cost and are essentially Free. Some 
  Free Actions may only be done once per Turn 
  (a Short-Action facing change) others might 
  be done multiple times in a Turn or Round 
  (talking). Whether an Action is free or not 
  depends on the type of Action and (often) an 
  adjudication as to whether someone might 
  want to and be able to interfere with it (such as 
  slamming a door in someone’s face).
  Grab
  Explained 152 - 154
  An attack where you reach out and take hold 
  of someone. This uses the Grapple Scores and 
  Resisted Rolls.
  Grapple Score
  Explained 51
  A Figured Stat that determines how good a 
  character is in a wrestling contest. Grapple 
  Score has an Offensive and Defensive rating. 
  They are equal to:
  Offensive: STR + (1 per 5 BLD above 10) + 
  Martial Arts Bonus + 20% 
  Defensive: STR + (1 per 5 BLD above 10) + 
  Martial Arts Bonus
  Grappling (Actions)
  Explained 155 - 167
  Grab 152 - 154
  Jujitsu 59
  Streetfighting 61
  Tai Chi 61
  Wrestling 62
  Wrestling or body-to-body combat. Grappling 
  moves happen when the opponents are on top 
  of each other. Grappling uses the Offensive 
  and Defensive Grapple Scores and Resisted 
  Rolls to resolve many Grappling Actions.
  Grappling References:
  • 
  Grab Moves
  • 
  Grappling Moves
  • 
  Jujitsu Skill
  • 
  Wrestling Skill
  • 
  Street Fighting Skill
  • 
  Tai Chi skill
  • 
  Acrobatics (Ground Fighting) skill
  Grenades
  Bounce Table 120
  Damage Table 189
  Throwing Distance 213
  Grenades are explosive thrown weapons. 
  Readying a Grendade is usually a 5 REA 
  Medium Action. Throwing it requires a COR 
  roll or Thrown Weapon skill. They do 20 IMP 
  Damage with a 12 PEN Shrapnel attack that 
  hits on a 14-.
  Impact Damage
  Explained 169
  Impact Damage Chart 173
  One of the two damage types in JAGS, Impact 
  (IMP) damage refers to blunt trauma. Fists, 
  falling, and being hit with a club are all kinds 
  of Impact damage. Impact damage is usually 
  less severe than Penetration damage although 
  enough of either will kill you.
  Initiative
  Defined 52, 104 - 105
  Modified By 
    Fat 36
    Natural Fighter 79
    Coward 82
    Underwater 120
    Stuck 139
    Special Bonuses 108
  Surprise 106
  Optional Gun-Slinger Rule 107
  Falling Objects 108
  Too Fast To React 111
  At the beginning of each combat Round every 
  player rolls for Initiative (this is an roll against 
  their Initiative Score – see below ). The better 
  you roll the faster you get your Turn during the 
  Round.
  Initiative Order
  Order of Combat 104
  The order in which characters take their Turn 
  during a Round. Initiative Order is determined 
  by the Initiative rolls at the start of each Round. 
  The character who makes his Initiative Roll by 
  the most goes first, followed by the character 
  who makes his roll by the next most, and 
  so-on.
  Initiative Score
  Defined 52, 104 - 105
  Modified By 
    Fat 36
    Natural Fighter 79
    Coward 82
    Underwater 120
    Stuck 139
    Special Bonuses 108
  Initiative Score is a calculated statistic based 
  on REA plus/minus modifiers. Initiative score 
  is rolled at the beginning of each Round to 
  determine the order in which the character will 
  take their Turn (see Initiative)
  Initiative Score is usually equal to REA, but 
  may be modified if the character has traits or 
  advantages that affect reaction speed
  Internal Damage
  Explained 183
  A Wound Effect where the target is knocked out 
  and suffers internal bleeding.
  Optional Internal Damage Rules (Broken limbs, 
  etc.)
  JAGS Roll
  Explained 12
  The JAGS roll is the basic dice mechanic for 
  the entire game. When asked to make a roll 
  the person rolls 4d6 (four six-sided dice) and 
  counts sixes as zeroes. The pips are added 
  and that is the “number rolled.”
  There are four basic ways the JAGS Roll 
  is used in the game: Skill or Stat Checks, 
  Resisted Rolls, Effect Rolls, and Drama Rolls.
  Jump
  Explained 212-213
  Calculating STR for Jump 
  purposes: bottom of 212
  Standing Broad Jump 212
  Running Broad Jump 212
  High Jump 213
  A calculation of how far a character can leap. 
  The calculation uses the Force rules.There are 
  three kinds of jumps in JAGS Tools:
  • 
  Standing Broad Jump
  • 
  Running Broad Jump
  • 
  High Jump
  You can substitute a suitable Sport Skill for 
  your STR. An AGI of 12+ adds +1 to Effective 
  STR. Each full 2pts of BLD above STR deducts 
  one from effective STR for Jump purposes. 
  The Out of Shape Trait will reduce STR by an 
  effective 2pts.
  Kick
  Explained 122
  Tae Kwon Do 61
  An unarmed strike with the foot. A kick is a 6 
  REA Medium action. It does [ STR-10 + 1pt 
  per 5 BLD above 10 + Martial Arts bonus 
  +2 ] Base Damage. It hits at -1 using AGI or a 
  Martial Art skill.
  Knockback
  General Rules 204 - 205
  Streaming attacks 189
  On a Daze result 182
  When a target is struck it may be pushed back. 
  Usually you must hit by 4+ to achive significant 
  knockback. Streaming attacks (like water jets) 
  do Knockback if they hit at all. Characters who 
  are Dazed may be knocked down or back.
  
  255
  JAGS Charts
  Knocked Down
  Getting up 145
  Push 155
  A character may be knocked down by several 
  ways (a Push, a slam, a throw, a failed AGI roll 
  to trip, etc.) It is a 5 REA Medium action to get 
  up. While on the ground they will suffer Ground 
  Fighting penalties (see Ground Fighting).
  Lift
  Basic human range 31
  Explained 210-211
  Grappling lifts 
    Pick up 156, 159
    Slam 156, 160
  How much a character can lift is based on 
  their STR statistic. For normal STR ranges, a 
  10 STR can bench press 130 lbs and each +1 
  STR adds 75 lbs to that score.
  Modifier
  Explained 17 - 18
  Risk and Side Effects 218 - 222
  Combat Modifier List 115
  When conditions make doing something for 
  which there is a roll harder or easier there is 
  said to be a “modifier.” This modifier is applied 
  to the Target Number (TN). So if you have a 
  12- Firearms skill and get a “+2 modifier” for 
  aiming, your roll to hit goes to a 14-. Here are 
  some common modifiers:
  • 
  A Skill roll that is “more difficult 
  than average” -1 to -6 (but possibly 
  higher)
  • 
  Range Modifiers, Visibility 
  Modifiers, Speed Modifiers, and 
  Size Modifiers to hit targets
  Move
  Explained 139-147
  A type of action that changes your position 
  during combat
  • 
  List of Move Actions
  • 
  Ground Move distance (walking, 
  running, and sprinting speed)
  PEN Doubling
  Explained 169
  PEN Damage Chart 173
  Armor Save 174
  When you hit by 4 or better (the “Magic 
  Number” is 4) with a Penetrating attack (and 
  any Armor involved fails its Armor Save) then 
  the Damage Modifier doubles. This represents 
  a case where “vital area was hit.” Thus, if an 
  attacker with a handgun (PEN damage) hits 
  by 3, the Damage Mod is 3. However, if they 
  hit by 4, the Damage Modifier will double to 
  8! This tends to make PEN damage far more 
  dangerous than Impact if you suffer a direct hit.
  PEN Resistance
  Explained 174
  Resisted Rolls 12
  A value armor has that is used in a resisted roll 
  against Penetration (PEN) damage done to see 
  if it Penetrates. If the Armor makes its Armor 
  Save then a Penetration attack is treated as 
  Impact (that’s less severe).
  PEN Value
  Explained 169
  Penetration attacks have a PEN Value that 
  is equal to their Damage value (unless they 
  are, for example, armor piercing or otherwise 
  special). This is used in a Resisted Roll 
  called an Armor Save to see if any Armor you 
  were wearing held up to the attack or was 
  Penetrated.
  Penetration Damage
  Explained 169
  PEN Damage Chart 173
  One of the two damage types in JAGS, 
  Penetration (PEN) damage refers to sharp 
  stabbing or cutting trauma. Knives, swords, 
  bullets, and teeth are all kinds of Penetration 
  attacks. Penetration attacks tend to be more 
  severe than Impact damage attacks although 
  enough of either will kill you.
  Perception (Roll)
  Explained 53
  Resisted Rolls (Stealth vs. 
  Perception) 22
  Modified By
    Bad Eyesight 79
    Deaf 79
    One Eyed 80
    Perceptive/Keen Senses 80
  A Figured Statistic that is equal to RES unless 
  modified by some Trait. It is rolled against 
  to “notice things” or “spot clues” or other 
  checks to see if a character is aware of the 
  environment.
  Punch
  Explained 122
  List of unarmed strikes 121
  An unarmed strike. A punch is a 5 REA 
  Medium action. It does [ STR-10 + 1pt per 5 
  BLD above 10 + Martial Arts bonus ] Base 
  Damage. It hits using AGI or a Martial Art skill.
  REA Cost (Action)
  Explained 110
  Basic list of moves 109
  During a Round (and especially during 
  your Turn) you will declare Actions for your 
  character. Each Action has an REA Cost. When 
  you have “Spent all your REA” for the Round 
  you can’t do any more actions until next Round 
  when you get all your REA Points back to be 
  spent. NOTE: “Spending” these points does not 
  actually reduce your REA roll—they are just a 
  measure of how much your character can do 
  in a turn.
  Reaction Speed (REA)
  Introduced 31
  Initiative  104 - 105
  Reaction Speed is a Secondary Statistic 
  based on Reflexes (REF) that measures how 
  fast a character can react. Like all Secondary 
  Statistics, REA begins at a value of 10 for 
  normal humans. Reaction Speed is used for:
  • 
  Computing Initiative in combat
  • 
  Rolls to “act quickly”
  • 
  Determining the number of actions 
  a character can take during a 
  Round of combat
  Reason (RES)
  Introduced 31
  Reason is a Secondary Statistic based on 
  Intellect (INT) that measures a character’s 
  mental problem solving capability. Like all 
  Secondary Statistics, RES begins at a value of 
  10 for normal humans. RES is used for:
  • 
  Figuring out logic puzzles or 
  recognizing the value and meaning 
  of clues.
  • 
  RES based skills
  • 
  Understanding complex things
  Resisted Attacks
  Explanation 12
  Resisted Roll Chart 195
  Attack Types 196 - 198
  Attack types that use resisted rolls. Some of 
  these are:
  • 
  Poison
  • 
  Paralysis
  • 
  Terror
  • 
  Taser
  • 
  Blinding
  • 
  Flash Bang
  • 
  Death Ray
  • 
  Tear gas
  Resisted Roll
  Explanation 12
  One of the four basic “dice mechanics” in 
  JAGS Revised, the Resisted Roll pits one party 
  directly against another. Resisted Rolls are 
  called for when Armor makes an “Armor Save” 
  against a Penetrating attack, against things like 
  poison and mind control, and when trying to 
  intimidate (Charisma) other people.
  Round
  Explained 106
  Ending the Round 108
  Things that happen at the start of a 
  Round 106
  A six second (or so) period of time in combat 
  conditions. During a round every character who 
  can act takes their Turn.
  Shield
  Explained 151
  Shield Skill 60
  Block 149
  Shields are used to defend yourself from blows. 
  They give a Shield Bonus that may be used 
  instead of your AGI Bonus and they may use 
  the Shield Skill to give you a good Block score.
  • 
  Shield Table
  • 
  Shield Bonus
  • 
  Shield Skill
  
  JAGS Charts
  256
  Skill
  Explained 41 - 46
  Skill List 57 - 78
  Skill Roll 15 - 20
  An area of training, knowledge, experience, 
  or expertise a character has. Examples are 
  martial arts skills, science skills, street skills 
  (con-artist), etc. Skills have a Skill Level and a 
  Skill Roll.
  Skill Categories
  • 
  Combat Skills
  • 
  Hard Sciences
  • 
  Street Skills
  • 
  Military Sciences
  • 
  Areas of Knowledge
  • 
  Occupational Skills
  • 
  Social Skills
  •       General Skills
  Skill or Stat Check (Roll)
  Roll Type 15 - 20
  Buying Skill Roll 42
  A JAGS Roll made against a Skill or Statistic. 
  An example is a Computer Skill roll made to 
  see if a character can successfully understand 
  software code or a Strength roll made to see if 
  a character can open a jammed door. Skill or 
  Stat Checks are made against the value of the 
  Skill Roll or Secondary Stat and the number 
  rolled must be less-than or equal-to the number 
  listed. Modifiers may be involved.
  Statistic, Figured
  Explained 31
  List 49 - 46
    Damage Points 51
    Wound and Condition 53
    Perception 53
    Initiative 52
    Ground Speed52
    Base Damage 49
    Grapple Score 51
    Charisma 49
  Figured Statistics are values like Damage 
  Points (DP), Ground Speed (running, walking, 
  and sprinting), and Charisma Scores. These 
  are determined by Secondary Statistics and 
  Traits.
  Statistic, Primary
  Explained 30 - 33
  Cost Chart 33
  One of three primary statistics a character has: 
  Physique (PHY), Reflexes (REF), and Intellect 
  (INT). These numbers begin at 10 for “average 
  human” and attempt to measure the character’s 
  physical prowess, speed and reaction time, and 
  mental faculties for game purposes.
  Secondary Statistics and Figured Statistics are 
  derrived from the character’s Primary Stats.
  Statistic, Secondary
  Explained  33
  Modifiers 33 - 38
  Nine statistics (three for each of the three 
  Primary Stats) that measure things like the 
  character’s Strength, Will Power, and Agility. 
  Unless a Secondary Statistic is specifically 
  modified, it is equal to the character’s Primary 
  Stat.
  Strength (STR)
  Explained 31
  Modified By
    Powerful 36
    Weaker 36
    Weak 36
  Base Damage 49
  Grapple Score 52
  Strength is a Secondary Statistic based on 
  Physique (PHY) that measures how physically 
  strong a character is. Like all secondary 
  statistics, STR begins at a value of 10 for a 
  normal human. Strength is used for:
  • 
  Determining hand to hand damage
  • 
  Determining Grapple Scores
  • 
  Changing Secondary Stats
  • 
  Making STR Rolls
  • 
  Leaping, Lifting, and Jumping
  Strike
  Attack 113 - 115
  Unarmed Strikes 121 - 123
  Weapon Strikes 124 - 129
  A generic term for a punch, kick, or hand to 
  hand weapon blow.
  Lists of Strikes
  • 
  Barehanded strikes (Punch, Kick, 
  Cross, Headbutt, Spear hand, etc.)
  • 
  Weapon Strikes (Strike, Feint, 
  Lunge)
  • 
  Ranged Weapon Attacks (Shoot, 
  Double Tap, Aim, etc.)
  Structure (STC)
  Explained 193
  Inanimate Object Damage 191 
  - 195
  A roll that Inanimate Objects use like living 
  beings use CON. When an inanimate object is 
  damaged it may have to make an STC roll or 
  suffer some kind of “breakage.”
  As Inanimate Objects get damaged their STC 
  goes down. Each [Total Object DP/STC] 
  damage points will reduce the object’s STC by 
  1. An STC roll missed by 5 or more will usually 
  “break” the object.
  Success Points (SPs)
  Introduced 20
  Used in Dramas 226
  In a Drama, the amount a Primary Roll is made 
  by, generates Success Points. At the end 
  of the Drama, the party with more SPs wins 
  the conflict. In some cases Success Points 
  may come from doing things like giving into 
  Temptation (Internal Dramas) or by Players 
  “spending them” from a pool (Narrative 
  Mechanics).
  Super Step
  Explained 146
  A move super-fast characters can take. It’s a 
  5 REA Medium action that moves you more 
  than 15 yards. It means you can strike and then 
  “step back” out of range of most HTH attacks.
  Target Number (TN)
  Explained 12 - 13
  Made It/Missed It 18
  The number a JAGS Roll (Skill or Stat check or 
  Resisted Roll) must be equal-to or less-than. 
  If you have a 15- Firearms skill roll then your 
  TN is 15 and you must roll a 15 or less to hit 
  something with a handgun.
  Temptation
  Explained  40
  A GM may tempt players to do things that have 
  consequences for the character using an offer 
  of Success Points. If the action is taken, the 
  Player should expect to face the consequences 
  (with a realization that attempts to mitigate 
  them are subject to GM approval--although 
  how the character reacts to them is entirely up 
  to the Player).
  Throw
  Thrown Weapons 130 - 131
  Slam 160
  Jujitsu Throw 162
  Super Throw 165
  Throwing Objects 208 - 209
  How far a character can throw an object is 
  based on their STR statistic. How well they 
  hit with a thrown weapon is based on AGI. A 
  Jujitsu Throw is a kind of grappling maneuver 
  where the opponent is thrown to the ground as 
  an attack.
  • 
  Thrown Weapons
  • 
  Throwing Distance
  • 
  Jujitsu Throw
  To-Hit Modifiers
  List 115
  Detailed 115 - 119
  Various things such as AGI Bonus and Range 
  can modify a To-Hit roll. Many reduce it (make 
  it harder to hit) but some (like a very large 
  target or taking Aim) make it easier to hit.
  To-Hit Roll
  Explained 115
  A Skill, COR (for ranged attacks) or AGI (for 
  hand-to-hand attacks) roll made to determine if 
  an attack strikes a target (or else misses).
  Trait
  Explained 39 - 40
  List 79 - 83
  Secondary Stat Mods 35 - 38
  A Trait is an ability or otherwise noteworthy 
  characteristic of a character that is paid 
  points for. Examples of Traits are “Wealthy” (a 
  Background Trait), being attractive (a physical 
  Trait), and being Quick (a Secondary Statistic 
  Trait). Some Traits have a negative cost (Ugly) 
  which gives you points back. You may get 
  no more than 10pts from negative Traits, not 
  counting Secondary Stat Traits.
  Types of Traits
  • 
  Physical Traits
  • 
  Mental Traits
  • 
  Personality and Appearance Traits
  • 
  Background Traits
  • 
  Secondary Statistic Traits
  
  257
  JAGS Charts
  Turn
  Explained 113
  Your time to say what you do in the combat. 
  Although conceptually everyone is sort of 
  acting at the same time, to keep things orderly 
  your actions are resolved during your Turn.
  Unconscious
  Explained 183
  A Wound Effect where the target is knocked out 
  for some period of time.
  Willpower (WIL)
  Explained 31
  Modified By
    Strong Willed 38
    Wishy Washy 38
    Weak Willed 38
    Weak Minded 38
  Willpower is a Secondary Statistic based on 
  Intellect (INT) that measures a character’s 
  ment al fortitude. Willpower, like all Secondary 
  Statistics, begins at a value of 10 for normal 
  humans. Willpower is used for:
  • 
  Making rolls to resist torture
  • 
  Making rolls to see how 
  encouraged the Player is to have 
  their characters give into their 
  baser natures (Players are not 
  forced to have their characters 
  act in any specific way but will be 
  more highly encouraged to if they 
  fail a WIL check)
  • 
  Spell casting
  • 
  Using psychic abilities
  • 
  Resisting Charisma (for NPCs, 
  usually) and psychotropic drugs
  Wound
  Explained 53
  Condition Chart 55
  Effects 177 - 179
  Wound Effects Table 180
  Effects 181 - 187
  Damage done by a weapon is compared to the 
  character’s Damage Points (using a method 
  described in the section on Damage) and this 
  tells if the character has suffered a Wound. 
  Wounds come in four types: sub-minor (a light 
  wound), Minor (a solid hit but not fatal), Major 
  (likely to end the fight), and Critical (very bad). 
  Characters who have suffered a Minor, Major, 
  or Critical Wound make CON Roll on the 
  Wound Chart to see how well they took it.
  
  JAGS Charts
  258
   Charts and Tables Collected
  Risks Table
  Magnitude
  Good (Sample)
  Bad (Sample)
  Low
  Looking good: +1 to future Charisma rolls as 
  appropriate.
  Advantage, not specified in game terms, that 
  might add up eventually.
  Looking foolish: -1 to future Charisma 
  rolls as appropriate. 
  Disadvantage, not specified in game 
  terms, that might add up eventually.
  Medium-Low
  +1 or +10% Base Damage, +1 to a roll.
  An upper hand that helps in a meaningful 
  ongoing situation.
  The character gets a +1 on another roll as a 
  result of good positioning (in some sense).
  -1 or -10% Base Damage, -1 to a roll.
  A bad “position” that will hurt their 
  chances in a meaningful ongoing 
  situation.
  The character suffers a -1 on another roll 
  related to the “cost.”
  Medium
  Serious accolades. 
  Character scores points with important people 
  in their life!
  Serious humiliation.
  Character faces complications like getting 
  important people in their life mad at them.
  Medium-High
  +2 or +20% Base Damage. +2 to a roll.
  Character winds up with a substantial 
  advantage in a tight situation. This can result in 
  getting +1 to rolls made for the next 3 rolls.
  Character gets a reward like a cash bonus or 
  decent piece of equipment.
  -2 or -20% Base Damage. -2 to a roll.
  Character winds up vulnerable in a tight 
  situation. This could result in getting -1 to 
  future rolls made for some time.
  Character faces bad consequences like 
  fines, a night in jail, etc.
  High
  Task accomplishes secondary substantial gain 
  (like making good money off something that 
  usually doesn’t pay).
  Character is hurt or seriously impaired 
  for a while.
  Something will happen the Player will be 
  very unhappy with (hurting innocents?)
  Extreme
  Tasks accomplishes a major but very important 
  result (like getting rich).
  Character maimed or dead.
  Risk Adjustment
  Likelihood
  Change
  Very unlikely to happen (about a 4-)
  Treated as 3-levels lower
  Unlikely to happen (about a 7-)
  Treated as 2-level lower
  About 50% likely to happen (about 12-)
  Treated as 1-level lower
  Likely to happen (13- or better)
  Treated as the same level
  Z
  Resisted Roll Rules
  1. Take the smaller of the two numbers being compared and get a divisor from the chart.
  Smaller of Two Compared Numbers
  Divisor
  The smaller of the two is between 1 - 20
  1
  The smaller of the two is between 21 - 100
  5
  The smaller of the two is between 101 - 200
  10
  The smaller of the two is between 201 - 500
  25
  The smaller of the two is between 501 - 1000
  50
  The smaller of the two is between 1001 - 1500
  75
  2. Divide both numbers by the divisor to convert each of them into a roll.
  3. If the rules specify one party to roll (Simple), then that party does (as in a Grapple or an 
  Armor Save). If the rules do not specify, both parties roll and the party who makes their roll 
  by more wins the contest. If you are not clear on the rules, have both parties roll.
  
  259
  JAGS Charts
  Character Generation
  Primary Stat Cost
  Stat
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  Cost
  -8
  -5
  0
  5
  15
  30
  50
  75
  105
  140
  180
  255
  275
  Secondary Stat Cost
  STAT     
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  COST     
  1
  2
  2
  2
  3
  5
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  Build Modifier                                     Ground Speed
  BLD
  Damage Point Bonus
  7
  -4
  8
  -2
  9
  -1
  10
  +0
  11
  +1
  12
  +2
  13
  +4
  14
  +7
  15
  +11
  16
  +18
  17
  +23
  18
  +28
  19
  +38
  Condition Level
  Condition Level
  Wound Chart
  Condition: Normal
  You are at Normal Condi-
  tion if: 
  Total Damage taken is 
  Less than 1/3 DP.
  A Sub-Minor Wound is
   0 To Less than 1/3rd DP
  A Minor Wound is
  From 1/3rd DP to less than 1x DP
  A Major Wound is
  From 1x DP to less than 2x DP
  A Critical Wound is
  2x DP or more
  Condition: Hurt
  You are at Hurt Condition 
  if: Total Damage Taken  is 
  from 1/3rd DP to less than 
  1x DP.
  A Sub-Minor Wound is
  No wound is Sub-Minor
  A Minor Wound is
  From 1pt to less than 1x DP
  A Major Wound is
  From 1x DP to less than 2x DP
  A Critical Wound is
  2x DP or more
  Condition: Injured
  You are at Injured Condi-
  tion if: Total Damage 
  Taken is from 1x DP to 
  less than 2x DP
  A Sub-Minor Wound is
  No wound is Sub-Minor
  A Minor Wound is
  1pt to less than 1/3rd DP
  A Major Wound is
  1/3rd DP to less than 1x DP
  A Critical Wound is
  1x DP or more
  Condition: Serious
  You are at Serious Condi-
  tion if: Total Damage 
  Taken is equal or greater 
  than 2x DP.
  A Sub-Minor Wound is
  No wound is Sub-Minor
  A Minor Wound is
  No wound is Minor
  A Major Wound is
  From 1pt to less than 1/3rd DP
  A Critical Wound is
  1/3 DP or more
  REA
  Walking
  Running
  Sprinting
  7
  1 y/s
  2 y/s
  3 y/s
  8
  1 y/s
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  9
  2 y/s
  3 y/s
  5 y/s
  10
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  6 y/s
  11
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  6 y/s
  12
  3 y/s
  4 y/s
  6 y/s
  13
  4 y/s
  5 y/s
  7 y/s
  14
  4 y/s
  5 y/s
  7 y/s
  15
  4 y/s
  5 y/s
  7 y/s
  16
  4 y/s
  8 y/s
  10 y/s
  17
  4 y/s
  8 y/s
  10 y/s
  18
  4 y/s
  10 y/s
  12 y/s
  +2 REA
  4y/s
  +2 y/s 
  2 y/s
  
  JAGS Charts
  260
  Skill Cost
  Roll Cost: Expensive Skill
  Expensive Skill Not Linked to STAT
  ROLL
  8-
  9-
  10-
  11-
  12-
  13-
  14-
  15-
  16-
  17-
  18-
  19-
  20-
  COST
  .25
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  12
  21
  29
  37
  45
  Expensive Skill Linked to STAT
  ROLL
  STAT-3
  STAT-2
  STAT-1
  STAT
  STAT+1
  STAT+2
  STAT+3
  STAT+4
  STAT+5
  STAT+6
  COST
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  6
  11
  15
  19
  23
  Roll Cost: Standard Skill
  Standard Not Linked to Stat
  ROLL
  10-
  11-
  12-
  13-
  14-
  15-
  16-
  17-
  18-
  19-
  20-
  COST
  .25
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  13
  21
  27
  35
  Standard Skill Linked to Stat
  ROLL
  STAT-2
  STAT-1
  STAT
  STAT+1
  STAT+2
  STAT+3
  STAT+4
  STAT+5
  STAT+6
  STAT+7
  COST
  .25
  .5
  1
  2
  3
  4
  6
  14
  23
  31
  Level Cost (Expensive and Standard)
  Skill Level
  Expensive
  Standard
  Beginner (Lvl 1)
  -1pt (min .5)
  -1 pt (min .5)
  Professional (Lvl 2)
  0pts
  0pts
  Expert (Lvl 3)
  4pts
  2pts
  Master (Lvl 4)
  16pts
  12pts
  Skill List
  Combat Skills 
  57
  Acrobatics (Dodge) 
  58
  Bow (Long Bow) 
  58
  Boxing 
  59
  Fencing 
  59
  Firearms 
  59
  Heavy Weapons 
  59
  Jujitsu 
  59
  Karate 
  60
  Knife Fighting 
  60
  Kung Fu 
  60
  Melee Weapons 
  60
  Shield 
  60
  Streetfighting 
  61
  Staff 
  61
  Tae Kwon Do 
  61
  Tai Chi 
  61
  Tangle Weapons 
  62
  Thrown Knife 
  62
  Thrown Weapon 
  62
  Wrestling 
  62
  Hard Sciences 
  63
  Astrophysics 
  63
  Bio Sciences 
  63
  Computers 
  64
  Chemist 
  64
  Doctor 
  64
  Engineer 
  64
  Mathematics 
  64
  Physics 
  64
  Street Skills 
  65
  Con Games 
  65
  Disguise 
  65
  Escape Artist 
  66
  Forgery 
  66
  Gambling 
  66
  Hacker 
  66
  Locksmith 
  67
  Sleight of Hand 
  67
  Security Systems 
  67
  Spycraft 
  67
  Streetwise 
  67
  Military Sciences 
  68
  Climbing/Rappelling 68
  Demolitions 
  68
  Stealth 
  69
  Strategy and Tactics 69
  Survivalist 
  69
  Traps 
  69
  Areas of Knowledge 
  (Education) 
  70
  Archaeology and An-
  thropology 
  70
  Art Appreciation 
  70
  Law 
  71
  History 
  71
  Literature 
  71
  Linguist 
  71
  Occult Knowlege 
  71
  Philosophy (Theology) 
  72
  Psychology 
  72
  Occupational Skills 72
  Art (Painting, Sculpting, 
  Photography)  
  72
  Business Administration 
  72
  Craft Skills 
  73
  Musical Skill (Singing, 
  Dance) 
  73
  Navigation 
  74
  Operations Skill 
  74
  Police Procedure 
  74
  Research (Journalist) 74
  Vehicle Operation (Driv-
  ing, Pilot, Riding) 
  75
  Sports 
  75
  Social Skills 
  75
  Diplomat 
  75
  Etiquette 
  75
  Revelry 
  75
  Showmanship 
  76
  Vamp 
  76
  General Skills 
  77
  HTH Weapon Skill 
  77
  Ranged Weapon Skill 77
  General Science Skill 77
  Academic Discipline 
  77
  Occupational Disciplines 
  77
  Experience  
  78
  Trivia 
  78
  
  261
  JAGS Charts
  Archetype Traits
  Secondary Stat Traits
  Physique Modifiers 
  36
  Strength Modifiers 
  36
  Powerful [ Increase ] 
  36
  Weaker [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Puny [ -5 ] 
  36
  Build Modifiers 
  36
  Light/Short [ 0 ] 
  36
  Slight [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Fat/Obese [ -3/-5 ] 
  36
  Big/Tall [ Increase ] 
  36
  Emaciated [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Consitiution Modifications 
  36
  Resilient [ Increase ] 
  36
  Sickly [ Decrease ] 
  36
  Fragile [ -5 ] 
  36
  Ill [ -1, -3,  -5 ] 
  36
  Reflex Modifications 
  37
  Coordination Modifications 
  37
  Coordinated [ Increase ] 
  37
  Klutz [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Crippled Hands [ -6 ] 
  37
  Reaction Speed Modifications 
  37
  Quick [ Increase ] 
  37
  Slow [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Sluggish [ -7 ] 
  37
  Agility Modifications 
  37
  Agile [ Increase ] 
  37
  Clumsy [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Uncoordinated [ -8 ] 
  37
  Intellect Modifications 
  37
  Reason Modifications 
  37
  Smart [ Increase ] 
  37
  Smart [ Increase ] 
  37
  Dull/Simple [ Decrease ] 
  37
  Clueless [ -4 ] 
  37
  Retarded [ -5 ] 
  38
  Memory Modifiers 
  38
  Photographic Memory  
  38
  [  Increase ] 
  38
  Forgetful [  Decrease ] 
  38
  Empty Headed [ -7 ]  
  38
  Willpower Modifiers 
  38
  Strong Willed [ Increase ]  
  38
  Weak Willed [ Decrease ]  
  38
  Wishy Washy [ -4 ]  
  38
  Weak Minded [ -5 ]  
  38
  Character Traits
  Physical Traits 
  79
  Ambidextrous [12] 
  79
  Asthma [-4] 
  79
  Bad Eyesight  [-1, -3] 
  79
  Beautiful Voice [4] 
  79
  Blind [-15] 
  79
  Conditioning [1,2,4] 
  79
  Contact/Ally [1,2,4] 
  79
  Crippled [-2,-4] 
  79
  Deaf [-2,-4] 
  79
  Fast Runner [1,4] 
  79
  Hearty [2] 
  79
  Hunchback [-2] 
  79
  Iron Jaw [8, 16] 
  79
  Nasal Voice [-2] 
  79
  Out Of Shape [-2, -3] 
  79
  Natural Fighter [2] 
  79
  One Eyed [-1,-2] 
  79
  Peg Leg [-1,-4] 
  79
  Toughness [ varies ] 
  79
  Ugly [-2,-4] 
  79
  Visible Mark [-1] 
  80
  Young [-1] 
  80
  Mental Traits 
  80
  Addictive [-2,-4] 
  80
  Artistic Genius [2,4] 
  80
  Bad Judgment [-2] 
  80
  Disturbed [-2,-4] 
  80
  Flair [1,2,4] 
  80
  Hard to Fool [2,4,8] 
  80
  Leader [2,4,8, 12] 
  80
  Likeable [2,4,8, 12] 
  80
  Mathematical Genius [4] 
  80
  Musical Genius [4] 
  80
  Perceptive/Keen Senses [1,4,8] 80
  Phobic [-1,-2] 
  80
  Presence [2,4,8,12] 
  80
  Sense of Direction [1,2,4] 
  81
  Speed Reader [4] 
  81
  Background 
  81
  Baaad Reputation [1,2,4,8] 
  81
  Bad Reputation [-1,-2,-3,-4] 
  81
  Enemy [-1,-3,-5] 
  81
  Good Reputation [2,4,8,12] 
  81
  Relationship [1,4] 
  81
  Sense of Duty [2,-2,-4] 
  82
  Special Status [-2, 1, 2] 
  82
  Ward [-2,-4] 
  82
  Wealth [1,2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Write Up [-2] 
  82
  Personality and Appearance 82
  Attractive [2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Bad Temper [-2] 
  82
  Big Mouth [-2] 
  82
  Coward [-4] 
  82
  Curious [-2] 
  82
  Envious [-1,-2] 
  82
  Exotic [2,4,8,12] 
  82
  Greed [-2] 
  83
  Grim [-1] 
  83
  Honorable [-2] 
  83
  Lousy Liar [-3] 
  83
  Lousy Driver [-2] 
  83
  Lustful [-2] 
  83
  Naive [-2] 
  83
  Obnoxious [-1,-2,-3] 
  83
  Personality Type [1] 
  83
  Pride [-2] 
  83
  Problems With Authority [-4] 
  83
  Rugged [3] 
  83
  Slick [-2] 
  83
  Sloth [-2] 
  83
  Statuesque [2,4,8,12] 
  83
  Swashbuckler [-2] 
  83
  Dreamer [ 2 AP ]  
  84
  Extraordinarily Tough [ 16 AP ] 84
  Hard To Kill [ 2 AP] 
  84
  Lucky Miss [ 4 AP] 
  84
  Lucky [ 2,8,16 AP ] 
  84
  Instinct [ 4 AP ] 
  84
  Malice [ 4 AP ] 
  84
  Nature Friend [ 4 AP] 
  85
  Psychic Link [2 AP] 
  85
  See Inner Person [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Sensitive [ 4 AP ] 
  85
  Shadow Friend [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Storm Friend [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Synchronicity [ 8 AP ] 
  85
  Twisted Genius [ 8, 12 AP ] 
  85
  Unusual Gear [ 2,4  AP] 
  85
  Will To Fight [ 4 AP ] 
  85
  
  JAGS Charts
  262
  Basic Actions Charts
  Action
  Action Speed
  REA Cost
  Block (parry) strike with shield or weapon
  Short
  3 REA
  Dodge strike or shot
  Short
  5 REA
  Hit the deck (dive for cover)
  Short
  8 REA
  Attack 
  Medium
  5 REA
  Draw a weapon/Grab something
  Medium
  5 REA
  Grab Someone
  Medium
  5 REA
  Take a step, change facing
  Medium
  5 REA
  Start running/run away
  Long 
  8 REA
  Keep on running if running the past Round
  Long
  5 REA
  Aim Gun
  Varies
  3,5, or 8
  Feint with a HTH Attack
  Varies
  5 or 8
  Defuse a bomb, pick a lock
  Varies
  Varies
  Talking
  None
  0 REA
  Grappling (Wrestling, Ground fighting)
  Varies
  8,5  REA
  Feint
  Medium
  3,5, or 8
  More Basic Actions
  Action
  REA
  Speed
  Notes
  Autofire
  10
  Medium
  Using a weapon on fully automatic costs 10 
  REA.
  Continuing 
  Beam
  10
  Long
  A weapon that fires a continuous beam can be 
  used to “sweep” multiple targets.
  Controlled 
  Burst
  5
  Medium
  A short burst of gunfire that gives the attacker a 
  better chance to hit.
  Cross
  5
  Medium
  Once per turn you may throw a Cross—a heavy 
  punch (see Cross Action)
  Double Tap
  5
  Medium
  Two shots at the same target. The gun cannot 
  be fired again that turn.
  Full Strike
  Wpn+3
  Medium
  A full swing with a weapon costs more REA but 
  does +2 Damage.
  Grab
  5
  Medium
  A grappling move: getting a hand on someone.
  Grapple
  8
  Long
  Tackling someone or bear hugging them.
  Kick
  6
  Medium
  Kicks are slower and hit at -1.
  Martial Arts 
  Move, head 
  butt, bite, etc.
  Varies
  Varies
  There are some special martial arts moves that 
  may cost more or less REA and be of different 
  speeds. These are covered in the Special 
  Moves section.
  Overrun
  8
  Long
  This means running into someone or over them.
  Punch
  5
  Medium
  A basic unarmed blow
  Shoot Gun or 
  Bow
  5
  Medium
  Take a shot.
  
  263
  JAGS Charts
  Modifier Chart
  Modifier
  Type
  Notes
  AGI Bonus
  Rng and HTH
  Targets that are aware and agile get a -1 to be hit for each pt. of AGI above 10 in HTH 
  combat and -2 for each full 2pts of AGI above 10 vs. Ranged attacks.
  Stationary Target
  Rng and HTH
  Stationary, passive, unaware targets are at +5 to be hit.
  Range Modifier
  Rng
  Targets at range are at negatives to be hit based on weapon type.
  Reach
  HTH
  Hand to hand weapons have a Reach listed as to how far they can strike.
  Speed Modifier
  Rng and HTH
  Faster targets are harder to hit than slower ones.
  Size Modifier
  Rng and HTH
  Bigger targets are easier to hit than smaller ones.
  Visibility Modifier
  Rng and HTH
  If you can’t see well you take negatives to hit targets.
  Prone
  Rng and HTH
  Targets on the ground are both harder to hit (at range) and have a harder time hitting targets 
  in HTH combat (but not at range).
  Hit From Behind
  Rng and HTH
  if you are struck from behind or flanked you are easier to hit.
  Off hand penalty
  Rng and HTH
  If you are using your off hand, you take negatives to hit targets.
  Blast Radius
  Ranged
  Explosive weapons get a plus to hit.
  Cover
  Ranged
  Targets behind cover are harder to hit.
  Exotic Conditions
  Rng and HTH
  Fighting in space or underwater will give some modifiers.
  Speed Modifier
  Speed
  To-Hit 
  Modifier
  0 – 7 y/s
  -0
  8 – 12 y/s
  -1
  13 -20 y/s
  -2
  21 – 36 y/s
  -3
  37 – 68 y/s
  -4
  69 – 132 y/s
  -5
  133 – 260 y/s
  -6
  Prone Modifiers
  Low Profile
  You are at -2 to be hit by ranged fire unless the attacker is within 4 yards of 
  you.
  Small Surface Area
  You suffer a -4 Damage Modifier from explosives that also go off on the 
  ground (it’s no help against an airburst).
  No AGI Bonus
  GF
  You get No AGI Bonus.
  No Dodge
  GF
  You can’t Dodge. If you have Ground Fighting, Dodges are at -2 when on the 
  ground.
  Worse Blocks
  GF
  You suffer a -2 to Block rolls. If you have Ground Fighting you take no 
  negative to Blocks.
  Hard to Hit Standing 
  Targets
  GF
  You suffer a -2 to hit Standing targets with HTH strikes (note: there may be no 
  assigned negative for swinging at a leg or grabbing one). If you have Ground 
  Fighting you are at no negative to hit standing targets.
  Cover
  Level of Cover
  Cover Bonus
  Light Cover (hiding behind a lamp post)
  -1
  Moderate Cover (hiding behind a low log)
  -2
  Heavy Cover (partially concealed behind a wall)
  -3
  Full Cover (protected firing position)
  -4
  Visibility Modifier
  Condition
  Modifier
  Light Smoke or Fog
  -1 to -3 
  Heavy Smoke or Fog
  -3 to -6
  Dusk, Twilight
  -2
  Dark shadows
  -4
  Complete Blackness
  -6
  Invisible opponent (but you have 
  an idea where he is)
  -6 
  Blind
  -6
  
  JAGS Charts
  264
  Combat Moves List
  Unarmed
  Name
  REA Cost
  To-Hit
  Reach
  Damage
  Notes
  Punch
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Short
  +0
  A basic jab.
  Kick
  6 REA Medium
  -1
  Short
  +2
  Medium Reach for Level 3 Martial Artists or Level 2 Tae Kwon Do
  Cross
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Short
  +1
  You can only do it once per turn and are more vulnerable until you next turn.
  Head Butt
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Close
  +2
  Extra bonuses for Street Fighting martial arts.
  Bite
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Close
  1 PEN
  Chomp!
  Grab
  5 REA Medium
  +0
  Short
  None
  See Grappling Combat
  Spear Hand
  5 REA Medium
  -2
  Short
  +0 PEN
  Requires Level 4 Karate, at +2 to be blocked.
  Karate Chop
  7 REA Medium
  -0
  Short
  +2
  -1 to target’s CON roll, -4 to Inanimate STC Roll
  Armed
  Name
  REA Cost
  Roll To Hit
  Modifiers
  Damage
  Description
  Full Strike
  Strike +3 REA
  Normal
  +0 to hit
  +2
  A fully committed strike
  Feint
  3,5, or 8
  Normal
  None
  N/A
  -1,-2, or -3 for your next strike to be blocked
  Lunge
  Strike +2
  Normal
  Normal
  Normal
  Step Move + Strike with Fencing Weapons
  Firearms
  Action
  Move 
  Notes
  Shoot Gun
  5 REA Medium
  Firing a weapon at someone.
  Double Tap
  5 REA Medium
  The gun cannot be used again this Round.
  Automatic Fire
  10 REA Medium
  Blazing away with an automatic weapon. It may be used to hit multiple targets (or one target more than once).
  Controlled Burst
  5 REA Medium
  A 3-round burst of fire used to improve a chance of hitting a single target.
  Suppression Fire
  10 REA Medium
  Spraying automatic fire to keep people in an area down.
  Aim
  3, 5, or 8 REA Medium/Long
  Lining up a weapon on a target.
  Continuing Beam Sweep
  10 REA Long
  Hit multiple targets with a beam weapon.
  Reload
  5 REA Medium
  How fast you reload a gun depends on your Firearms Skill and the type of gun.
  Move Chart
  Action
  REA
  Notes
  Full Move
  8 REA Long or 5 REA 
  Long
  Gives you 3 seconds of movement. If you did a Full Move last Round or a Step-And-Keep-Moving action then you 
  can continue for a 5 REA Long Action.
  Step
  5 REA Medium
  1 second of movement or less.
  Drive Vehicle/Ride Animal
  5 REA Medium
  This action is required to control a vehicle.
  Turn To Face
  0 REA Medium
  You can turn to face someone who has run around behind you.
  Turn Around
  Varies
  Often free—but under some conditions it is a 5 REA Medium Action.
  Free Step
  0 REA Medium
  If you make your Initiative Roll by 5 or better you can take a free Step Action with any strike.
  Step and Keep Moving
  5 REA Medium
  If you do this on Round 1 you can make a Full Move next Round for 5 REA (continuing).
  Step Inside Reach
  5 REA Medium 
  If you are facing a weapon with longer Reach than yours, you will need to Step Inside Reach to close the distance. 
  Each Step closes one level of Reach.
  Reaction Move
  5 REA Long
  When someone moves up to you and you were already moving last turn, you can take a Reaction Move to simulate 
  the fact that both of you are “really” moving simultaneously. 
  Strike While Moving
  Strike + Move
  If both amounts of REA are paid and the strike is done at some substantial negatives you can move past someone 
  and strike. If they don’t react as you move by, you’ll finish your move some distance from them.
  Charge
  Strike + Move
  You can move towards someone with a Charge. This will do a bit of extra damage and give them a choice: react and 
  hit you on the way in or block your strike.
  Circling
  5 REA Long
  Moving in a circle around someone lets you “keep moving” while being in combat with them. With some optional rules 
  it can make it easier for you to slip inside their reach or dodge/block their attacks.
  Overrun
  Move
  If you “run right over” someone you can do/take damage.
  Get Up
  5 REA Medium
  Getting to your feet after being knocked down (or waking up).
  Crawl
  2 REA Medium
  If you have 2 REA you can move a little bit—but you get no AGI Bonus and are at +1 to be hit.
  Jump/Acrobatic Leap
  5 or 8 REA Long 
  Action
  The character makes a standing or running jump or an acrobatic leap!
  Pounce
  8 REA Long
  A move animals can do (a move and bite combination).
  Teleport
  8 REA Long
  A paranormal movement form: vanish in one place and appear in another.
  Phase Out
  8 REA Long
  A paranormal ability to become insubstantial.
  Super Step
  5 REA Medium
  If you are paranormally fast you can step far further than most humans.
  
  265
  JAGS Charts
  Grab Chart
  Action
  To-hit
  REA
  Roll
  Grab
  +0
  5 REA 
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Grab Weapon Arm
  -2
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Take Something Away
  -2
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Offensive
  Break Grab
  None
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Offensive
  Push/Pull
  +0
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Throttle (Choke)
  -2
  5 REA
  Your Offensive vs. Their Defensive
  Return Grab
  None
  0 REA
  None
  Grapple Actions
  Action
  REA
  Establishes Grapple
  Notes
  Grapple
  8 REA Long
  YES
  Two handed grab. Establishes a Grapple.
  Takedown
  8 REA Long
  YES
  A tackle or otherwise going to the ground.
  Wrestling Shoot
  8 REA Long
  YES
  A special wrestling takedown.
  Immobilize Limb
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Lock up an arm.
  Pick Up
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Lift the target off the ground.
  Slam
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Lift target and slam him down!
  Hold
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Attempt to immobilize a target.
  Lock
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A squeezing hold (like a head lock).
  Pin
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Completely immobilize the target.
  Mount
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Ground and pound the target.
  Resist Grapple
  5 REA Short
  NO
  Resist one of the moves.
  Break Grapple
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Try to break the hold on yourself.
  Jujitsu Throw
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A martial arts throw.
  Arm Bar
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A martial arts limb-break/submission.
  Choke
  5 REA Med
  NO
  A submission move to cut off air/blood
  Super Throw
  5 REA Med
  NO
  Special high level Martial arts throw.
  Break Fall
  3 REA Short
  NO
  Take less damage from a fall.
  Super Grapple
  5 REA Med
  YES
  Tentacles, Telekinesis, etc.
  
  JAGS Charts
  266
  Combat Charts
  Grapple Chart
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failure
  Minor Success
  Success
  Major Success
  Critical Success
  Impact Damage Table
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6-7
  8-9
  10-11
  12
  13-14
  15
  16-17
  18-20
  21-25
  26-29
  30+
  Damage 
  Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  1.5x
  1.75x
  2x
  Penetration Damage Table
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4–5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-
  13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39
  40+
  Damage 
  Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Exceptions and Odd Cases:
  • 
  The -3 to +3 numbers are short-hand for +/-10% to +/-30%. If playing with numbers over 10, use the percents.
  • 
  For very low Base Damage numbers, if a “lower” result is ever better (more damage) use that. So if a 2pt base damage IMPACT 
  attack gets 2x damage (4) but the +3 result would result in 5pts, use 5pts.
  • 
  The minimum damage from an attack that hits is 1 if the Base Damage was 1 or higher.
  • 
  If the Base Damage of an attack is 0 or less then positive damage modifiers are needed to do even 1pt (a normal man strikes for 0 
  Base Damage—he will need to get a +1 result to do a pt). A 0-Damage attack that gets a multiplier result (1.5x, for example) will do 
  3pts of damage.
  • 
  A Damage Mod of 0 or less means 1pt of damage. No attack with a Base Damage of 1pt or better will ever do 0 damage if it hits.
  Wound Effects Table
  Wound
  No Effect
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Unconscious
  Internal 
  Damage
  Dying
  Dead
  Minor
  +3 or more
  +2 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 to -10
  Nil
  Nil
  Major
  +8 or more
  +7 to +5
  +4 to +3
  +2 to -1
  -2 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Critical
  +10 or more
  +9 to +7
  +6 to +5
  +4 to +0
  -1 to -3
  -4 to -5
  -6 or worse
  Resisted Attack Chart
  +4 or Better
  +3 to +1
  -0 to –3 
  -4 to  –6
  -7 to –9
  -10 or worse
  No Effect
  Minor 
  Effect
  Standard
  Effect
  Major Effect
  Critical Effect
  Catastrophic
  Effect
  
  267
  JAGS Charts
  Grapple
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Your hands are shaken 
  off.
  -4 DM from punches. 
  No kicks.
  -4 DM from punches. 
  No kicks.
  -4 DM from punches. 
  No kicks.
  -4 DM from punches. 
  No kicks.
  Takedown
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Attacker thrown off
  Attacker gets a Grab or 
  Grapple (no one falls)
  Both fall, attacker has a 
  Grapple.
  Both fall, attacker has 
  a Hold.
  Both fall, attacker has 
  a Hold.
  No Damage
  No Damage
  Normal Damage. +2 DM
  Normal Damage +1. 
  +4 DM
  Normal Damage +2. 
  +6 DM
  Wrestling Shoot
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Attacker thrown off
  Attacker gets a Grab or 
  Grapple (no one falls)
  Both fall, attacker has a 
  Grapple.
  Both fall, attacker has 
  a Hold.
  Both fall, attacker has 
  a Hold.
  No Damage
  No Damage
  Normal Damage +2. 
  +2 DM
  Normal Damage +3. 
  +4 DM
  Normal Damage +4. 
  +6 DM
  Pick Up
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  No lift.
  No lift but +1 Turn of lift if 
  they are already lifted.
  1 Turn of lift.
  2 Turns of Lift
  Until released.
  Slam
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  The Slam fails.
  The Slam fails
  The Slam fails unless the 
  target was Picked Up. 
  DM is +6
  DM is +8
  DM is +10
  Hold
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  The Hold Fails
  The Hold Fails
  Hold Succeeds:   -4 DM
  Hold Succeeds:   -6 DM
  Hold Succeeds:   -8 DM
  Lock
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  The Lock Fails
  The Lock Fails
  Lock Succeeds:   +4 DM
  Lock Succeeds:   +6 DM
  Lock Succeeds:   +8 DM
  Pin
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Pin
  Pin
  Pin
  Jujitsu Throw
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Damage: +1
  Damage Mod: +2
  Damage: +2
  Damage Mod: +4
  Damage: +4
  Damage Mod: +6
  Damage: +6
  Damage Mod: +8
  Jujitsu Arm Bar
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Dmg: 1/4th Grapple (Min 
  4pts) Damage Mod: +2
  Dmg: 1/3rd Grapple (Min 
  6pts) Damage Mod: +4
  Dmg: 1⁄2 Grapple (Min 8pts) 
  Damage Mod: +6
  Grappling Choke
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Dmg: 1/4th Grapple (Min 4pts) 
  Damage Mod: +2
  Uncon pts: 2/Rnd
  Dmg: 1/3rd Grapple (Min 
  6pts) Damage Mod: +4 Uncon 
  pts: 3/Rnd
  Dmg: 1⁄2 Grapple (Min 8pts) 
  Damage Mod: +6
  Uncon pts: 4/Rnd
  Mount
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed
  Failed
  Mount: +2 to hit
  Mount: +3 to hit.
  Mount: +4 to hit.
  Break Grapple
  Missed
  +0 to +3 
  4 to 6
  7 to 9
  10+
  Failed: No reduction
  Success: 1 level of 
  reduction.
  Success: 2 levels of 
  reduction.
  Success: 3 levels of 
  reduction.
  Success: 4 levels of 
  reduction.
  Grappling Tables
  
  JAGS Charts
  268
  Round
  Character 1:
  Character 2:
  Character 3:
  Character 4:
  1
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  2
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  3
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  4
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  5
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  6
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  7
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  8
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  9
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  10
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  11
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  12
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  13
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  14
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  Damage 
  Taken
  Initiative
  Stunned
  Dazed
  Uncon
  Hurt
  Injured
  Serious
  
  269
  JAGS Charts
  Damage Charts
  Impact Chart
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6-7
  8-9
  10-11
  12
  13-14
  15
  16-17
  18-20
  21-25
  26-29
  30+
  Damage 
  Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  1.5x
  1.75x
  2x
  Base Dmg -2
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  1
  1
  1
  1
  Base Dmg -1
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  1
  2
  2
  2
  2
  Base Dmg 0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  0
  1
  2
  3
  3
  3
  3
  Base Dmg 1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  Base Dmg 2
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  5
  5
  5
  Base Dmg 3
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  6
  6
  6
  Base Dmg 4
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  7
  7
  8
  Base Dmg 5
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  3
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  8
  9
  10
  Base Dmg 6
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  9
  11
  12
  Base Dmg 7
  1
  1
  2
  2
  4
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  14
  Base Dmg 8
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  14
  16
  Base Dmg 9
  1
  1
  2
  3
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  14
  16
  18
  Base Dmg 10
  1
  1
  3
  3
  5
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  15
  18
  20
  Base Dmg 11
  1
  1
  3
  4
  6
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  17
  19
  22
  Base Dmg 12
  1
  1
  3
  4
  6
  8
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  16
  18
  21
  24
  Base Dmg 13
  1
  1
  3
  4
  7
  9
  10
  12
  13
  14
  16
  17
  20
  23
  26
  Base Dmg 14
  1
  1
  4
  5
  7
  10
  11
  13
  14
  15
  17
  18
  21
  24
  28
  Base Dmg 15
  1
  2
  4
  5
  8
  11
  12
  14
  15
  17
  18
  20
  23
  26
  30
  Base Dmg 16
  1
  2
  4
  5
  8
  11
  13
  14
  16
  18
  19
  21
  24
  28
  32
  Base Dmg 17
  1
  2
  4
  6
  9
  12
  14
  15
  17
  19
  20
  22
  26
  30
  34
  Base Dmg 18
  1
  2
  5
  6
  9
  13
  14
  16
  18
  20
  22
  23
  27
  32
  36
  Base Dmg 19
  1
  2
  5
  6
  10
  13
  15
  17
  19
  21
  23
  25
  29
  33
  38
  Base Dmg 20
  1
  2
  4
  7
  10
  14
  16
  18
  20
  22
  24
  26
  30
  35
  40
  Penetration Chart
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4–5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39
  40+
  Damage 
  Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Base Dmg -2
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  2
  2
  2
  2
  Base Dmg -1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  2
  2
  2
  2
  2
  2
  Base Dmg 0
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  Base Dmg 1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  4
  4
  4
  4
  8
  Base Dmg 2
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  5
  5
  6
  8
  16
  Base Dmg 3
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  6
  8
  9
  12
  24
  Base Dmg 4
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  10
  12
  16
  32
  Base Dmg 5
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  3
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  10
  13
  15
  20
  40
  Base Dmg  6
  1
  1
  1
  2
  3
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  12
  15
  18
  24
  48
  Base Dmg  7
  1
  1
  2
  2
  4
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  14
  18
  21
  28
  56
  Base Dmg  8
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  16
  20
  24
  32
  64
  Base Dmg  9
  1
  1
  2
  3
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  18
  23`
  27
  36
  72
  Base Dmg 10
  1
  1
  3
  3
  5
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  20
  25
  30
  40
  80
  Base Dmg 11
  1
  1
  3
  4
  6
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  22
  28
  33
  44
  88
  Base Dmg 12
  1
  1
  3
  4
  6
  8
  10
  11
  12
  13
  13
  14
  24
  30
  36
  48
  96
  Base Dmg 13
  1
  1
  3
  4
  7
  9
  10
  12
  13
  14
  16
  17
  26
  33
  39
  52
  104
  Base Dmg 14
  1
  1
  4
  5
  7
  10
  11
  13
  14
  15
  17
  18
  28
  35
  42
  56
  112
  Base Dmg 15
  1
  2
  4
  5
  8
  11
  12
  14
  15
  17
  18
  20
  30
  38
  45
  60
  120
  
  Character Name:________________________________ Player Name: _______________
  Base Pts
  Archetype Pts
  Experience Pts
  PHY
  STR
  BLD
  CON
  REF
  COR
  REA
  AGI
  INT
  RES
  MEM
  WIL
  total
  Condition 
  Wound Chart
  Normal:     0 
  Sub-Minor
  Minor
  Major
  Critical
  Hurt:     DP/3
  Sub-Minor
  Minor
  Major
  Critical
  Injured:    DP
  Sub-Minor
  Minor
  Major
  Critical
  Serious:  DP x 2
  Sub-Minor
  Minor
  Major
  Critical
  Damage Points
  CON + BLD Bonus (Chart) + Traits/Skills (if any)
  Perception Roll
  RES + Traits/Skills
  Initiative Roll
  REA + Traits/Skills
  Ground Speed
  Use the Chart
  Base Damage
  (STR - 10) + [(BLD/5) - 2]
  Grapple
  (Offensive: STR + (BLD/5) + Martial Arts Bonuses + 20%)
  (Defensive: STR + (BLD/5) + Martial Arts Bonuses )
  Charisma
  Based on Traits, use Charisma Chart pg 39
  Charm
  Intimidate
  Persuade
  Recruit
  Cost
  Trait
  Lvl 
  Cost
  Roll 
  Cost
  Skill
  Linked
  Type
  Stat
  Level
  Roll
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4-5
  6-7
  8-9
  10-11
  12
  13-14
  15
  16-17
  18-20
  21-25
  26-29
  30+
  Dmg Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  1.5x
  1.75x
  2x
  Roll plus to-
  hit Modifier
  0-
  1
  2-3
  4–5
  6
  7-8
  9-10
  11
  12-
  13
  14
  15-16
  17-18
  19-25
  26-30
  31-35
  36-39
  40+
  Dmg Multiplier
  1pt
  .1x
  .25x
  .33x
  .5x
  -3
  -2
  -1
  1x
  +1
  +2
  +3
  2x
  2.5x
  3x
  4x
  8x
  Block
  Armor
  DR
  PEN 
  Shield
  1
  DP/3
  DP
  DP x 2
  1
  DP
  DP x 2
  n/a
  DP/3
  DP
  1
  DP/3
  n/a
  n/a
  n/a
  n/a
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Jags/JAGS Corebook Revised.pdf