TEXT: Kayfabe
  The Inside Wrestling RPG
  A Roleplaying Game
  By Matthew Gwinn
  
  157 Canfield #11
  Milan, MI 48160
  USA
  http://www.angelfire.com/games3/errantknight
  email: mattgwinn@hotmail.com
  © 2001 Errant Knight Games.  All Rights reserved.
  Reproduction without the written concent of the pub-
  lisher is expressly forbidden.
  Printed in the USA
  Credits
  Game Design: Matthew Gwinn
  Layout and Typesetting: Matthew Gwinn
  Artwork by: Jason Paulhamus
  Kayfabe: The Inside Wrestling RPG
  In Association with Target-Audience Game Design
  http://www.target-audience.org
  Special thanks go out to all the people
  that helped me playtest the game.
  They are:
    Norbert Gerald Matausch
    Franz Keim
    Florian Frohnholzer
    Klaus Guggenberger
    Scott Knipe
    Charles Miller
    Tom
    Danielle Hall
  
  Kayfabe
  The Inside Wrestling RPG
  kayfabe n. adj. of or related to inside information about the business, especially by fans. Origin is carny
  jargon talk for "fake."
  Ever watch a wrestling show and say to yourself
  “I can come up with a better storyline than that!”
  Well, now is your chance to prove just how cre-
  ative you can be.  Kayfabe draws you into the
  wrestling industry like no other game has before.
  Set up your own wrestling shows while at the same
  time dealing with all the personal issues and drama
  that takes place behind the curtain.  The premise
  behind Kayfabe is that you and the other players
  have set up your own independent wrestling pro-
  motion in hopes of one day rising to the top of the
  wrestling industry.  Smart wrestling fans know that
  there is far more to the world of professional wres-
  tling than two guys getting in the ring and beating
  each other up.  There is a lot that goes on behind
  the scenes and in the ring that isn't apparent to the
  casual wrestling fan.  Kayfabe, takes into account
  all of the behind the scenes intrigue, negotiating
  and drama that no one sees, as well as the actual
  wrestling we all watch on television.  Players take
  on the roles of the writing staff and wrestlers
  throughout a series of televised shows and a cli-
  mactic Pay Per View event.
  What You Need
  Some 6 sided dice and a good imagination is about
  all you need to play. Having a little inside info on
  the workings of wrestling is a good help as well.
  How Many People Are Needed to Play?
  You can play with as few as 3 people (2 players
  and a Booker) but the more players you have the
  more variety you will have for matches.
  The Booker
  Most roleplaying games have a Game Master of
  some variety. Kayfabe is no different. The role of
  Gamemaster is referred to as the Booker. The
  Booker controls all the characters that were not
  created by a player as well as introduces additional
  plot twists to the game.
  
  Establishing
  A Talent Pool
  
  Step 1.  Getting Started
  Take a few minutes to get an idea of the kind of
  wrestler you want to make.  Don’t worry so much
  about statistics just yet.  Write a brief description
  of your wrestler. Be sure to mention his home-
  town, background, general personality and his re-
  lationship with other wrestlers.  This description
  should not read like a laundry list. Use complete
  sentences and try to be specific.   Also, try not to
  make your wrestler appear larger than life; remem-
  ber that your wrestler has not hit the big time yet.
  In addition, don’t confuse this description with
  your wrestler’s Gimmick.  This description should
  describe what your wrestler is “really” like, not
  how he portrays himself in front of the camera.
  Be sure to mention things like how he got into the
  business and why.  Is he married?  Does he have
  kids?  How does his professional life reflect on
  his personal life?  Where was he trained?  What
  other promotions has he worked for?  Try to in-
  clude as much detail as possible while still leav-
  ing some things open so you can expand your
  wrestler later.
  Step 2.  Gimmick
  Now give a brief description of your wrestler’s
  gimmick.  A Gimmick is a wrestler’s in-ring per-
  sona.  Some ideas for Gimmicks include: former
  airborne ranger, police officer, clown, or jungle
  savage.  It is possible to not have a gimmick at
  all, but wrestlers with a gimmick tend to have an
  easier time with Promos since they have a
  backstory to work into it.  Try to be creative, but
  don’t go overboard.  You should also determine
  whether your wrestler will be a Face (good guy)
  or a Heel (bad guy).
  Wrestler Creation
  Before you can play Kayfabe you need wrestlers.  The Talent Pool is a collection of all the wrestlers that are
  available to work for your promotion.  You should only need to establish a Talent Pool once, but you may
  add new wrestlers to the Talent Pool over time.  After a wrestler has been created he should be made
  available to be used in any Series you play - even if you are running a different promotion.
  Starting Wrestlers
  The majority of your talent Pool should consist of
  relatively inexperienced wrestlers.  When first es-
  tablishing a Talent Pool, each player should cre-
  ate 4 to 10 starting wrestlers using Kayfabe’s Char-
  acter Creation rules.  The only restriction is that
  each person must make an equal number of Faces
  (good guys) and Heels (bad guys).
  Experienced Wrestlers
  Every company needs a few veteran wrestlers to
  help out the younger guys.  If this is your first
  time playing Kayfabe, each player should create
  2 experienced wrestlers.  When creating these
  wrestlers, players should follow the standard char-
  acter creation rules with the following exceptions:
  Experienced wrestlers begin the game with 18
  points to distribute among their Traits (instead of
  12) and begin the game with 20 to 70 Heat.
  
  Step 3. Trademarks & Finishers
  Every wrestler has a move or two that he is known
  for.  Pick one or two specific moves that your
  wrestler uses on a regular basis, these are his
  Trademarks.  Try not to pick something boring.
  A Finisher is very similar to a Trademark move,
  but is more impressive.  Finishers are used to fin-
  ish off your opponent (thus the name).  Though a
  Finisher can be any kind of move, it is more dev-
  astating when your wrestler uses it.   It is consid-
  ered unprofessional to use another wrestler’s Fin-
  isher.
  Naming Trademarks and Finishers
  Even the most innocuous maneuver can become
  devastating when simply given a flashy name.
  Start calling a headlock a “The Vice Grip” and it
  strangely becomes 10 times more effective.
  Step 4. Traits
  Wrestlers have a total of 4 primary Traits. They
  are: Wrestling, Work Rate, Mic Skills and Clout.
  You start the game with 12 points to split up be-
  tween them.  No Trait may be higher than 4 at this
  stage, but can be zero.
  Wrestling
  Wrestling represents your wrestler’s basic ability
  to execute moves in the ring and make them look
  good.  It not only represents your wrestler’s abil-
  ity to wrestle, but also any other physical abilities
  that may come into play throughout the game.
  IN PLAY: During a match a wrestler uses this trait
  to perform moves and advance the match.  When
  not in a match wrestler’s use this trait to simulate
  any sort of physical action
  Work Rate
  Work Rate represents your wrestler’s ring “psy-
  chology”.  It indicates not only how well your
  wrestler works with other wrestlers, but his abil-
  ity to read the reaction of the crowd and progress
  the match accordingly.
  IN PLAY: During a match a wrestler uses his Work
  Rate to control the narration of the match.
  Mic Work
  Mic Work represents your wrestler's ability to
  speak.  In one sense it is your wrestler’s ability to
  act, but also represents his public speaking ability
  and ability to communicate with others.
  IN PLAY: During a Promo, Skit or Interview you
  make Mic Work rolls to modify your Heat or the
  Heat of your upcoming match. Additionally, your
  Mic Work Trait is also used for any social interac-
  tion between your character and NPCs when
  simple roleplaying does not provide a definite out-
  come.
  Clout
  Clout represents your wrestlers behind the scenes
  abilities. Wrestlers with high Clout traits are well
  respected in the business either because they are a
  good worker or because they've been around a long
  time. A low Clout score indicates that you have a
  bad reputation backstage.  A high Clout score can
  help a wrestler influence the  outcome of his
  matches.
  IN PLAY: During the Locker Room session of the
  game a wrestler's Clout Trait is used to manipu-
  late match stipulations, finishes, location on the
  card and a variety of other things.
  Making Trait Rolls
  Your wrestler’s Traits will be used for different
  aspects of the game as a random determinant of
  success or failure.  If required to make a roll (Wres-
  tling roll, Mic Skills roll, etc.), simply roll a num-
  ber of six sided dice equal to the indicated Trait.
  Rolling at least one 6 indicates success.  If two or
  more players are making the same roll the winner
  is the player that rolls the most sixes.  If there is a
  tie, the player with the highest die total wins.  If
  there is still a tie, the Booker will decide.
  
  Injury
  Injury represents how hurt your wrestler is. Many
  wrestlers suffer numerous injuries throughout their
  careers.  Some continue to wrestle, while others
  are forced to retire.  Neck, back and knee injuries
  are the most common, but wrestlers have been
  known to go blind or even die.
  Injuries
  As wrestlers become injured in the ring (see Risk-
  ing Injury) they accumulate Points of Injury.
  When a wrestler has gained a total of 10 points of
  Temporary Injury those points are converted into
  one point of Serious Injury.
  Recovery:  Wrestlers lose 1 point of
  injury at the beginning of each Show.
  Serious Injuries
  For every point of Serious Injury a wrestler has
  he must reduce his Wrestling rolls by 1 die.
  Recovery:  Points of Serious Injury can
  only be recovered by having the wrestler
  miss an entire Series (8 shows and 1
  PPV)  and are removed at a rate of 1 point
  per Series missed.
  Heat
  Heat, represents how the crowd reacts to your
  wrestler. The amount of Heat your wrestler has
  determines whether the fans want to watch him
  wrestle. Faces with a lot of Heat are revered by
  the fans and cheered. Heels with a lot of Heat are
  Booed by the fans. Regardless of whether the fans
  love or hate your wrestler, the more Heat he has
  the more the fans want to see him wrestle.
  A wrestler’s starting Heat is determined when he
  is introduced to the promotion (see Introducing
  Your Roster)
  
  Step 5 Assets and Flaws
  Now it's time to flesh out your wrestler.  Each
  wrestler has good and bad aspects about him.
  These aspects are referred to as Assets and Flaws.
  Starting wrestlers can have any number of Assets
  and Flaws, but must have an equal number. Some
  samples are listed on the following pages. If there
  is some aspect of your character that should have
  an effect on the game that is not listed work with
  the Booker to determine what effects that Asset
  or Flaw will have on the game.  It is important
  that  these aspects of your character are roleplayed.
  If the Booker feels that you are not playing your
  character as he was created to be played he is
  within his bounds to penalize him through loss of
  Heat.
  Assets and Flaws can be gained or lost during the
  game through roleplaying.  Some Assets may be
  gain through contract negotiations later in the
  game.
  Sample Assets
  Technical Wrestler
  Your wrestler is skilled at mat wrestling.  Perform-
  ing wrestling maneuvers that involve your wres-
  tler being on the ground are much easier for him
  to make look good.  If the majority of a Move Set
  consists of such maneuvers you may add +2 die
  to your Wrestling roll. (This Asset may be taken
  more than once)
  Brawler
  Your wrestler is a bad ass.  He is very good at
  using strength dependent moves like punching,
  kicking, clothes lines and the like.  If the majority
  of a Move Set consists of such maneuvers you
  may add +2 die to your Wrestling roll. (This As-
  set may be taken more than once)
  Web Site
  Your wrestler has his own web site where fans
  can interact with him.  Your wrestler gains an ad-
  ditional 5 Heat during character creation.
  Submission Wrestler
  Your wrestler is experienced at performing sub-
  mission maneuvers.  If the last move in a Move
  Set is a submission move you may add +2 die to
  your Wrestling roll. (This Asset may be taken more
  than once)
  Match Specialty
  Your wrestler is skilled at performing in a spe-
  cific type of match.  Whenever a Wrestling roll
  indicates that your wrestler is injured in a match
  of the chosen type the amount of injury he suffers
  is reduced by 1.  (This Asset may be take once per
  match type)
  Good Looking
  Your wrestler is handsome, sexy, alluring or oth-
  erwise attractive to members of the opposite sex.
  Your wrestler gains an additional 5 Heat during
  character creation.
  Muscular
  Your wrestler is muscular and therefore better
  suited to using strength dependent moves like
  punches, kicks, clothes lines and the like.  If the
  majority of a Move Set consists of such maneu-
  vers you may add +2 die to your Wrestling roll.
  High Flyer
  Your wrestler is experienced at performing ma-
  neuvers that involve him jumping or otherwise
  throwing himself through the air.    If the majority
  of a Move Set consists of such maneuvers you
  may add +2 die to your Wrestling roll. (This As-
  set may be taken more than once)
  Married into the Business
  Your spouse is well known in the wrestling busi-
  ness and can use his/her Clout to help you.  When
  taking this Asset write up a small blurb about your
  spouse and how influential he/she is.  Your spouse
  is considered to have 2 points of Clout for each
  time you take this asset.  (This Asset may be taken
  more than once)
  
  Born into the Business
  Your mother or father is well known in the wres-
  tling business.  Growing up in the industry has
  allowed you to gain a better understanding of how
  things are run backstage.  Your wrestler gains an
  additional point of Clout during character creation.
  Huge
  Your wrestler is larger than the average wrestler
  and appears very intimidating in the ring.  Your
  wrestler gains an additional 5 Heat during char-
  acter creation.
  Trustworthy
  Other wrestlers respect your in-ring work and trust
  you to guide them through a good match.  Your
  wrestler gains an additional point of Workrate
  during character creation. (This Asset may be
  taken more than once)
  Canadian
  Canadian are considered to be great wrestlers
  (even when they’re not).  Your wrestler gains an
  additional 5 Heat during character creation.
  Good Reputation
  Your wrestler is well known throughout the in-
  dustry as being respectable and is well like by oth-
  ers.  Your wrestler gains an additional point of
  Clout during character creation. (This Asset may
  be taken more than once)
  Legacy
  One of your wrestler’s parents was a great wres-
  tler and he is following in his parent’s footsteps
  (at least in the eyes of the fans).  Your wrestler
  gains an additional 5 Heat during character cre-
  ation.
  Has a Valet
  Your wrestler has a valet that accompanies him to
  the ring.  Valets are typically attractive women,
  but can be men, animals or even inanimate ob-
  jects.    Your wrestler gains an additional 5 Heat
  during character creation.
  
  Match Psychology
  Your wrestler is very skilled at reading the crowd
  and knows when to perform different maneuvers.
  Your fellow wrestlers are aware of this and often
  let you guide your match with them.  Your wres-
  tler gains an additional point or Workrate during
  character creation. (This Asset may be taken more
  than once)
  Has a Manager
  Your wrestler has a manager that does most of his
  talking for him.  A Manager is considered to have
  2 points in Mic Skill for each time you take this
  asset.  (This Asset may be taken more than once)
  Friends in High Places
  Your wrestler has a friend that has a lot of pull in
  the wrestling business.  Your friendship with this
  person grants you leverage when negotiating back-
  stage. Your wrestler gains an additional point of
  Clout during character creation. (This Asset may
  be taken more than once)
  Trained by a legend
  Your wrestler was trained by a wrestling legend.
  This legend has granted you exceptional skills and
  a potion of his Heat.  Your wrestler gains an addi-
  tional point of Wrestling and 5 additional Heat
  during character creation. (counts as 2 assets)
  Versatile
  Your wrestler is versatile and is able to adjust his
  wrestling style to conform to the style of his op-
  ponent.  Your wrestler gains an additional point
  of Workrate during character creation. (This As-
  set may be taken more than once)
  Worked in Japan
  Wrestling in Japan is a great way to gain experi-
  ence in the ring.  Japanese wrestlers have an in-
  tense dedication to their craft.  Your wrestler has
  worked a year or more in Japan.  Your wrestler
  gains an additional point of Wrestling during char-
  acter creation. (This Asset may be taken more than
  once)
  Established Fan Base
  Wrestling fans know you from somewhere else.
  Perhaps you’re returning from retirement or you
  are famous for something outside of wrestling.
  Former baseball and football players fit into this
  category.  Your wrestler gains an additional 5 Heat
  during character creation.  (This Asset may be
  taken more than once)
  Acting Experience
  Before your wrestler joined the federation he was
  either a stage or film actor.  Your wrestler gains
  an additional point of Mic Skills during character
  creation. (This Asset may be taken more than once)
  Creative Control
  Wrestler's with Creative Control get final approval
  of any on-air happenings they participate in.  Cre-
  ative Control is rarely given.  Creative Control
  can only be gained through contract negotiation.
  (counts as 2 Assets).
  Insurance
  Your wrestler has great medical coverage and can
  remove one point of injury after each PPV.   (This
  Asset may be taken more than once)
  Perks
  Your wrestler has special privileges that other
  wrestlers do not receive such as: his own dressing
  room, first class plane tickets, extra vacation time,
  etc.
  A Favor
  The Booker owes you a favor for some reason.
  By giving up this Asset you may choose to auto-
  matically succeed at one Clout roll.   (This Asset
  may be taken more than once)
  
  Sample Flaws
  Works Stiff
  Your wrestler has a tendency of legitimately hurt-
  ing his opponents.  During each match your wres-
  tler must Stretch or Shoot on his opponent at least
  once.
  Bad Reputation
  Other wrestlers don’t like your wrestler for one
  reason or another.  They don’t like being in
  matches with him and they definitely don’t like
  losing to him.
  Primadonna
  Your wrestler has a very high opinion of himself.
  He doesn’t like losing or looking foolish and is
  likely to complain when booked to do so.
  Unattractive
  Your Character is rather unattractive.  Your
  wrestler’s starting Heat is reduced by 5 during
  character creation.  If taking this flaw would re-
  duce your wrestler’s Heat to less than zero he can
  not take it.  (This Asset may be taken more than
  once)
  Friends with the Wrong People
  Your wrestler has friends that are disliked by those
  in power.  Your relationship with these friends of-
  ten hinders your Clout.  Your wrestler’s starting
  Clout is reduced by 1 during character creation.
  If taking this flaw would reduce your wrestler’s
  Clout to less than zero he can not take it.  (This
  Asset may be taken more than once)
  Has Been
  You were once a well known wrestler, but now
  you are all washed up.  You’re either too old or
  too out of shape to keep up with the younger guys
  and the fans know it.  Your wrestler’s starting Heat
  is reduced by 5 during character creation.  If tak-
  ing this flaw would reduce your wrestler’s Heat
  to less than zero he can not take it.
  Nagging Injury
  Your wrestler has an old injury that continues to
  bother him.  Your wrestler starts with an injury of
  2 and his injury rating can never go below that.
  Injury Prone
  Your wrestler has a tendency of getting injured
  badly.  Whenever your character gets injured in a
  match add an additional point of injury.  (This
  Asset may be taken more than once)
  Enemy
  There is another wrestler that tries to steal your
  wrestler’s Heat at every turn.  Enemies are usu-
  ally willing to risk losing their own Clout just to
  make sure your wrestler doesn’t succeed.  (This
  Asset may be taken more than once)
  Not Good in Short Matches
  Your wrestler needs time to get into a match.  Dur-
  ing the first 10 minutes of a match your wrestler
  must reduce his Wrestling rolls by 1 die.
  
  Untapped Resource
  For some reason the Booker just doesn’t seem to
  recognize your wrestler’s talent.  Although he
  doesn’t necessarily get booked to lose every
  match, he is never scheduled to wrestle anyone
  with more Heat than himself.
  Drug/Alcohol Problem
  Your wrestler is either an alcoholic or is addicted
  to drugs (usually painkillers).  Whenever your
  wrestler is under the influence of his substance of
  choice reduce all of his Wrestling rolls by 2.  (This
  Asset may be taken more than once)
  Limited Availability
  Outside responsibilities often limit when and
  where your wrestler can perform.  During charac-
  ter creation determine what is limiting your wres-
  tler.  Some examples are: can’t fly due to injury or
  fear, another job, outstanding warrants in a state.
  Flawed Psychology
  Your wrestler doesn’t understand the psychology
  of how a match should progress, but thinks he
  does.  At least once in each match your wrestler
  must try to steal control of the match from his
  opponent.
  Blown-Up
  Your wrestler has a tendency to get tired quickly.
  After a match has gone on for 10 minutes your
  wrestler must reduce his Wrestling rolls by 2.
  (This Asset may be taken up to 3 times.  If taken
  twice the die modifier is applied after 5 minutes
  instead of 10.  If taken 3 times the modifier is ap-
  plied after 2 minutes.)
  Overweight
  Your wrestler is overweight and his wrestling abil-
  ity is hindered because of it.  Your wrestler’s start-
  ing Wrestling trait is reduce by 1.  If taking this
  flaw would reduce your wrestler’s Wrestling Trait
  to less than zero he can not take it.  (This Asset
  may be taken more than once)
  In It for the Money
  For one reason or another your wrestler has be-
  come disenchanted with the wrestling industry.
  Though he may have started wrestling because he
  liked it, now he’s just in it for the money.  Getting
  Heat isn’t all that important to him as long as he
  keeps getting a steady paycheck.
  Refuses to Job
  Your wrestler refuses to lose to wrestlers with less
  heat than himself.  He must Wager Clout when-
  ever scheduled to lose to someone with less Heat.
  Vendetta
  Your wrestler is determined to prevent another
  wrestler from succeeding.  After everyone has cre-
  ated their wrestlers choose a wrestler created by
  another player that has enemy as a flaw.  Your
  wrestler is now considered to be that wrestler’s
  enemy.
  Selfish
  Your wrestler is selfish and never takes into ac-
  count other’s feeling or careers.
  
  Create Your Promotion
  As players of Kayfabe you are in essence running
  your own independent wrestling promotion. Cre-
  ating your promotion should be a cooperative ef-
  fort between all the players.  Your promotion won’t
  be a multi-million dollar company (at least at first),
  but will be big enough to allow you to have a syn-
  dicated TV show once or twice a week and enough
  funds to have a Pay Per View.  A few things you
  should keep in mind when creating your promo-
  tion are: where are you located?  do you have
  shows across the country or just locally?  do you
  have a rival promotion that you compete with for
  territory or wrestlers?  and most importantly, what
  is your promotion call?  You can go into as much
  detail as you like but you should leave some in-
  formation a little vague to facilitate creative li-
  cense later in the game.
  Establish a Roster
  What’s a wrestling promotion without wrestlers?
  As a starting promotion you will need to aquire
  talented wrestlers.  A starting promotion will con-
  sist of 15 starting wrestlers plus 1 experienced
  wrestler per player.  First, each player should pick
  1 experienced wrestler.  Then, going in a Circle,
  each player should pick 1 starting wrestler from
  the Talent Pool to be a part of the federation.  Con-
  tinue in this fasion until a total of 15 starting wres-
  tlers have been chosen.
  Introduce the Roster
  After your promotion’s roster has been selected
  each player should take a few minutes to intro-
  duce the wrestlers he created that were chosen by
  cutting a Promo.  This Promo will determine the
  wrestlers starting popularity or Heat.
  When introducing the wrestler consider the intro-
  duction to be the first time he has ever appeared
  in public.  When you're done, roll a number of
  dice equal to the wrestler’s Mic Skills Trait (+/-
  any modifiers).  The Booker will then award up
  to 10 points of Heat (based on how intriguing your
  Promo was and how well it was received by the
  other players) plus 1 point of Heat for each 6 you
  rolled.  It is not necessary to establish a starting
  wrestler’s Heat unless he has been selected for
  your promotions roster.
  Rate Your Promotion
  Your promotion’s Rating determines how popu-
  lar your federation is and what kind of TV expo-
  sure you have.  Starting promotions begin with a
  Rating of Zero (1).
  Rating 1-19 (Unknown)
  Only your friends and family know about
  your federation and your shows can only
  be watched on the interenet.
  Rating 20-49 (Local)
  Your promotion is very popular in the
  local area and has it’s own publis access
  show.
  Rating 50-99 (Syndicated)
  Your promotion is very popular through
  out the state and its shows can be viewed
  on a local cable station
  Rating 100-149 (National)
  You have fans across the nation and your
  show can be viewed on a national cable
  station.
  Rating 150+ (Worldwide)
  You have fans across the world and your
  show is aired on TV in several countries.
  
  Each Series consists of nine game sessions of
  about 3 to 5 hours.  The first eight session repre-
  sent individual television shows put on by your
  promotion , while the last session is a Pay Per View
  event.
  Choosing a Booker
  Before you begin a Series you need to deside
  which player will be the Booker.  The role of the
  Booker is very important because the Booker is
  responsible for challenging the players.  It is the
  Booker’s job to not only guide the game along,
  but to also put a road block or two in front of the
  players.  Unlike may roleplaying games, Kayfabe
  puts much of control into the hands of the play-
  ers, but the game would be nothing more than a
  storytelling session if there wasn’t someone to
  throw an obstacle or two in front of the players.
  Planning A PPV
  When playing any roleplaying game it’s always
  good to set up a starting point and an ending point.
  So far you should have arrived at your starting
  point by designing a promotion and choosing a
  Roster.  Now it’s time to determine how you plan
  to end your Series.  In most games only the Game
  Master knows how the Series will end, but
  Kayfabe is not like most games.  Since wrestling,
  as we all know, is planned out ahead of time, it
  makes sense that you should know ahead of time
  where each of your wrestlers will be at the end of
  the Series. Or at least where you’d like them to
  be.
  Each player is responsible for setting up (or Book-
  ing) one match for the Pay Per View.  The player
  should establish:
  • Who is in the match?
  • What titles (if any) will be on the line?
  • What stipulations will be involved?
  • Who will win the match?
  As the Series progresses players will be respon-
  sible for making sure these matches happen as
  planned.  the more of these matches that occur at
  the PPV the better your promotion will look to
  others in the business.
  Starting A Series
  
  The Booking
  Committee
  
  During the Booking Committee the players take
  on the roles of the show’s writing staff.  As the
  writing staff it is the job of the players to come up
  with ideas for the upcoming show.  This includes
  every aspect of the show (except commercials).
  Each player is responsible for coming up with one
  each of the following events: one Interview, one
  Promo, one Skit and one Match.  Players are free
  to come up with more than one of each, but you
  should always save a few ideas for the next show.
  Players can help each other come up with ideas if
  someone is having trouble.  When coming up with
  ideas players should try to be creative while at the
  same time, ensuring their PPV match occurs as
  scheduled.  Players can go into as much detail as
  they like, but the Booking Committee shouldn’t
  take more than a half hour or so.  Players should
  set a time limit for the Booking Committee based
  on their available time.  It is entirely acceptable to
  allow players many hours or even days to work
  out their ideas.  In fact, when a game session is
  short on time it is acceptable for the entire Book-
  ing Committee to take place as its own session.  If
  the Booker agrees, players can come up with ideas
  on their own time and simple give their ideas to
  the Booker before the session even starts.  Once
  the chosen time limit has expired the players
  should give all their ideas to the Booker who will
  then Book the show using those ideas as a guide.
  Players may go into as much detail as they like
  with their ideas, but there are a few questions that
  must be addressed by each player.
  •  How long with the event take?
  Remember, the show is only 2 hours long and at
  least 20 minutes of that will be for commercials.
  Most matches on a regular show last between 3
  and 10 minutes.  All other events vary in length
  from 30 seconds to 30 minutes.  Don’t be surprised
  if the Booker is forced to shorten your event to
  make room for other players’ ideas.
  •  Who will be involved?
  What wrestlers, interviewers and so on will be
  required to take part?  When coming up with ideas
  it makes no difference who created the characters
  in questions.  But be aware that all the roleplaying
  and match narration will be done by the creating
  player.  Try to be fair so everyone gets an oppor-
  tunity to participate in the session.
  •  Why is it important?
  Why is the event important to the current
  storylines.  Remember that you’re trying to tell a
  story and each event that occurs on a show is an-
  other part of that story.  When you come up with
  an idea, ask yourself if what you came up with
  would entice you to continue watching the show.
  •  What effect will this event have?
  How will the event effect future shows?  Is this
  just the beginning of a series of events?  The end?
  If the event is a match, will the loser have an op-
  portunity to redeem himself on a future show?
  Scripting
  It is acceptable for players to go as far as writing
  scripts for their Promo and Skit ideas, but don’t
  get too carried away because the Booker may
  choose not to use your ideas and you will have
  spent all that time for nothing.  The best way to
  script out Promos and Skits is to concentrate on a
  few lines of dialog that sound cool and improvise
  the rest during play.
  
  Ideas for Interviews
  Interviews are the easiest part of the show to come
  up with.  Simply pick a wrestler and a topic.  Most
  interviews will simply be a wrestler talking about
  his upcoming match or how he’s going to beat up
  so and so at the Pay Per View.  Interviews are also
  good ways to set up matches for future shows or
  the PPV by having a wrestler challenge another
  wrestler.
  •   Shoot Interviews
  Shoot Interviews involve a wrestler breaking
  kayfabe and talking as a real person.  Shoot inter-
  views are highly discouraged, but occasionally
  make sense when explaining real injuries and other
  real life experiences that effect the show.  Though
  Shoot Interviews can be scheduled during the
  Booking Committee they are most often the re-
  sult of a disgruntled or careless wrestler breaking
  character.
  •   Gimmick Interviews
  Sometimes wrestlers have a regular interview seg-
  ment where they interview other wrestlers.  These
  interviews are set up very much like a late night
  talk show.  They have their own set and their own
  style based on the wrestler that is conducting the
  interviews.  They often have clever names like:
  “The Love Show” or “The Fire Pit”.
  Ideas for Promos
  Coming up with a Promo can be a little more chal-
  lenging than an Interview.  In most cases a Promo
  starts out with one wrestler talking about himself
  or trash talking another wrestler, and usually es-
  calates into a confrontation (either a match or just
  a brawl).  Promos are great for creating conflict
  between two wrestlers without actually having to
  schedule a match for them.  Promos are also a
  good way to keep an injured wrestler in the minds
  of the audience.
  •   Match Promos
  Match Promos take place directly before a sched-
  uled match.  Match Promos usually start with one
  wrestler in the ring cutting what appears to be a
  standard promo.  At some point he will “call out”
  his opponent and they will exchange verba taunts
  until their match begins.
  •   Match Building Promos
  Match Building Promos are designed to build up
  anticipation for a future match.  They begin much
  like a Match promo, but instead of leading into a
  match the wrestlers usually fight for a few min-
  utes before being split up by referees or security.
  The brawling that occurs during the Promo is
  treated just like a match, but should be limited to
  2 or 3 Move Sets after which the wrestlers will be
  broken up.
  Ideas for Skits
  Of all the aspects of the Booking Committee, Skits
  can be the most difficult to come up with.  De-
  spite the name, a Skit doesn’t always have to be
  funny.  In fact, a Skit can be any encounter that
  occurs on the Show that is not  a Match, Inter-
  view or Promo.  Skits can be as simple as 2 wres-
  tlers bumping into each other in the hall or as com-
  plex as two wrestlers competing on an obstacle
  course.  The possibilities are endless.  There are 2
  kinds of Skits: Conscious and Unconscious.
  •   Conscious
  A Conscious Skit is one that involves a wrestler
  being aware that he is on camera.  Wrestlers com-
  ing to the ring dressed like other wrestlers as a
  way of poking fun at them is a prime example of
  this.
  •   Unconscious
  An Unconscious Skit involves wrestlers who don’t
  seem to know they are on camera.  Unconscious
  Skits often take place in the locker room, back-
  stage or even miles away from the arena.
  
  Booking a Match
  When Booking a match there are a few questions
  that must be addressed.  Though the answers to
  these questions can be changed later through
  roleplaying and the Wagering of Clout they must
  each be initially set up during the Booking Ses-
  sion.  When booking a match you need to keep in
  mind the PPV match you envisioned during char-
  acter creation.  It’s important that you try and build
  up to that match while at the same time keeping it
  a secret from the other players as long as possible.
  •  Who is in the Match?
  When deciding who will be in a match it is im-
  portant to remember the PPV match you set up.
  Try not to book the same wrestlers every time -
  that’s boring.
  •  Who is in the Match?
  When deciding who will be in a match it is im-
  portant to remember the PPV match you set up.
  Try not to book the same wrestlers every time -
  that’s boring.
  •  What Titles Are on The Line?
  When booking a match in which someone will
  win a title, you must keep in mind that most belts
  require a wrestler to have a specific amount of
  Heat before the wrestler can posses the title.  Fail-
  ure to meet this Heat requirement causes your pro-
  motion to lose integrity and thus it’s Rating will
  decrease by 1 every show until the title is given to
  a suitable wrestler.  Use the following chart to
  determine if a wrestler’s Heat warrants a title.
       •  World Title
  (Heat = Rating x 2)
       •  Tag Team Title
  (Heat = Rating x 2)
       •  Intercontinental Title
  (Heat = Rating)
       •  Cruiserweight Title
  (Heat = Rating)
       •  U.S. Title
  (Heat = Rating/2)
       •  TV Title
  (Heat = Any)
       •  Hardcore Title
  (Heat = Any)
  •  Who will win?
  There is no need to define who the winner of a
  match will be at this time.  As the writer you can
  suggest who you feel should win the match espe-
  cially if it’s vital to the storyline.  After all the
  players have given their ideas to the Booker he
  will make the final decision about who wins.
  •  What is the Match’s Time Limit?
  Each show is 2 hours long.  Make sure you don’t
  go over that.  A standard match will have a Time
  Limit of anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes.
  Booking The Show
  Once each player has finished he should give all
  of his ideas to the Booker.  The Booker will then
  look them over and Book the show based on those
  ideas.  When Booking the show, it is the Booker’s
  responsibility to take into account any Flaws or
  Assets wrestlers may have that will have an effect
  on the Show.  For example: one of the players has
  booked the Vindicator to lose against Little Joe
  Dynamite.  Well, the Vindicator has the “Friends
  in High Places” Asset, so the Booker changes the
  match’s outcome.  The Booker can even switch
  wrestlers if he likes.  Once the Booker has fin-
  ished he will write up a Booking Sheet and the
  Booking Committee will end.
  
  Feuds (optional)
  Feuds are an important part of professional wres-
  tling.  Feuds are the fuel that heats up the crowd.
  Two wrestlers that despise one another can draw
  the crowd into their conflict and thereby entertain
  them.  When trying to come up with ideas during
  the Booking Committee you should consider dif-
  ferent ways of starting a Feud.  Feuds keep fans
  interested in the show because they want to fol-
  low along to see who comes out on top.
  Stable Feuds
  Most Feuds involve only two wrestlers, one Heel
  and one Face, but there are times when entire
  groups of wrestlers (Stables) feud with each other.
  Stable Feuds use only the statistics of the Stable’s
  leader (usually the wrestler with the Most Heat or
  Highest Mic Skill) when calculating starting Lon-
  gevity, and  Feud Progression and extension.
  Effects of a Feud
  As long as a wrestler is in a Feud his Heat can not
  go below 5. If a wrestler's Heat is lower than 5
  when a Feud begins it automatically rises to 5.
  Starting a Feud
  The decision to start a Feud is always made dur-
  ing the Booking Committee and must be approved
  by the Booker. The first thing you have to do when
  starting a Feud is, determine why the wrestlers
  are Feuding.  Simply disliking one another is not
  enough to start a legitimate Feud.  Be sure not to
  confuse a Feud with an Angle.  The difference lies
  in the fact that Angles tend to be rather short lived
  and are a result of a specific event.  Feuds on the
  other hand evolve over time and are usually the
  result many angles involving the two wrestlers.
  It should become pretty obvious to you when a
  series of Angles evolves into a Feud - use your
  judgement.
  
  Determine Feud Longevity
  Some Feuds last longer than others depending on
  the amount of Heat the two wrestlers have.  In
  fact, two wrestlers with a lot of Heat can poten-
  tially Feud on and off for years.  A Feud's initial
  Longevity is equal to the combined Heat of the
  opponents (for Feuds with more than 2 partici-
  pants only the two wrestlers with the most Heat
  count when calculating this number).
  Feud Progression
  Every time two wrestlers involved in a Feud are
  in a match the Longevity of their Feud is reduced
  by the Time Limit of that match.  Thus, if a Feud
  has a Longevity of 60 and the wrestlers have a
  match with a 10 Time Limit the Feud Longevity
  is reduced to 50.
  Extending a Feud
  Every time a feuding wrestler gains Heat from a
  Skit, Promo or Interview related to the Feud, in-
  creases the Feud’s Longevity by an equal amount.
  Ending a Feud
  As time goes by  all things must come to an end.
  Fans can only tolerate watching the same wres-
  tlers feud with each other for so long before things
  get stagnant.  There are a number of ways to end a
  Feud.
  •   Feud's Longevity Reaches Zero
  As soon as a Feud's Longevity reaches zero it is
  done.  Additionally, the feuding wrestlers can not
  have a match against each other until AFTER the
  upcoming PPV (meaning the rest of the current
  Series).
  •   Heel/Face Turn
  One of the feuding wrestlers makes a Face or Heel
  Turn.  Since Feuds require at least one Face and
  One Heel the Feud must stop.  In cases of entire
  stables of wrestlers feuding, the Feud does not end
  unless an entire stable turns.
  •   Injury
  Sometimes the fans just forget about the Feud.  If
  a wrestler is forced to miss more than 6 shows in
  a row due to Serious Injury the Feud is consid-
  ered to be over.  Ending a Feud in this way with-
  out rekindling the Feud when the wrestler returns
  reduces your promotion’s rating by 1.
  •   Booking
  Sometimes a Feud isn’t working out quite like you
  had hoped.  Maybe the wrestlers are having a hard
  time maintaining their Heat and you don’t want
  to give them as much TV time.  Regardless of your
  reasons, you can prematurely end a Feud at any
  time during the Booking Committee.  Ending a
  Feud in this way reduces your promotion’s rating
  by 1.
  If a Feud ends before its Longevity reaches zero
  make a note of the remaining Longevity for fu-
  ture reference.
  Rekindling a Feud
  Sometimes Feuds end prematurely due to Face/
  Heel turns, injury etc. If at any time this Feud is
  restarted you must calculate a new Feud Longev-
  ity. The Rekindled Feud has a Longevity equal to
  the remaining Longevity from the previous Feud
  plus the combined Heat of the two wrestlers (or
  two wrestlers with the most Heat for Stable Feuds).
  
  The
  Locker Room
  
  During the Booking Committe the players took
  on the roles of the show’s writers.  Once the Locker
  Room Session begins players must switch gears
  and take on the roles of their wrestlers.  It is im-
  portant that players are able to separate the two
  and understand that the objectives of the writing
  staff may be quite differant than the objectives of
  the individual wrestlers.  In some instances player
  may have already thought of this when coming
  up with ideas for the show.
  The Locker Room Session is in many ways the
  desiding factor in the success of your promotion’s
  show.  It is here where the wrestlers interact with
  each other and determine how the show will actu-
  ally come together.
  As the Locker Room Session begins the Booker
  will present the players with the current show's
  Booking Sheet. The Booking Sheet tells the
  player's what matches, Skits and Promos have
  been scheduled for the current show, how long
  each will be and who will win each match. Dur-
  ing the Booking Committee players gave the
  Booker a number of ideas about what they’d like
  to see happen on the show.  Those ideas may or
  may not be on the Booking Sheet.  Some items
  may be on the Booking Sheet, but be completely
  different from what the players intended, while
  others may be left out entirely.  It is now the play-
  ers opportunity to roleplay their wrestlers’ reac-
  tions to the Booking Sheet.
  Changing Matches & Skits
  There is nothing to say that just because a Match
  or Skit is listed on the Booking Sheet that its out-
  come is set in stone or that it will even occur.
  Wrestling can be a dirty business and wrestlers
  are well known for their ability to politic and
  backstab to get to the top of the industry.  In many
  cases, ‘going with the flow’ can result in a
  wrestler’s fall into obscurity.  Even though most
  fans are aware that match outcomes are predeter-
  mined, wrestlers often lobby for victories.
  Wrestler’s desire to build an image and none want
  an image that depicts them as a loser or a fool.
  Veteran wrestlers, who have spent many years
  building up their image, are most likely to chal-
  lenge the Booker to protect that image.  Likewise,
  inexperienced wrestlers trying to build their own
  image are likely to fight for a big victory or a cool
  gimmick that will give them credibility and thrust
  them into superstardom.
  Changing Promos & Interviews
  Changing a Promo or Interview is a relatively easy
  task in most cases.  Wrestlers with exceptional Mic
  Skills are often given free reign in such situations.
  As a rule of thumb wrestlers with high Mic Skills
  should be given a topic, a time limit and then set
  loose.  However, some Promos and Interviews
  serve a specific purpose and it’s important to the
  Booking Committee that specific things are said
  and done.  Since most wrestlers are not privy to
  the objectives of the writing staff, there can be a
  level of apprehension among the wrestlers.  In a
  sense the wrestlers are putting their futures in the
  hands of the writers and that can be a pretty risky
  thing when you don’t know how your storyline is
  going to end.
  
  Using Clout
  Players can typically adjust matches and match
  placement on the card through roleplay, but occa-
  sionally compromises can't be made. When this
  happens players can attempt to use their wrestler's
  Clout. Whenever a wrestler fails to come to terms
  with the Booker or another wrestler he can use
  Clout to see if he get's his way. To do this the player
  roleplays his wrestler's argument and rolls a num-
  ber of dice equal to his Clout Trait (+/- any modi-
  fiers for good narration). If the result of the roll
  includes at least one 6 the wrestler get's his way.
  If the roll resulted in no 6s he must abide by the
  Booker’s wishes.  Another wrestler can choose to
  support the Booker and oppose a change.  If this
  happens, the second wrestler can also make a Clout
  roll. The wrestler who gets the most 6s gets his
  way.  If no 6’s are rolled the die roll with the high-
  est total wins out.
  Losing Clout
  Sometimes wrestlers try to get their way a little
  too often.  Each time a wrestlers uses his Clout to
  alter a match or to Shoot he comes one step closer
  to losing it.  A wrestler can only use his Clout
  once for each point of Clout he has before losing
  a point of it.  For example:  If a wrestler has a
  Clout of 5 he may use his Clout 5 times, after
  which his Clout is reduced to 4.  From there he
  may use it more 4 times before his Clout is re-
  duced to 3 and so on.  Losing Clout is a result of
  attempting to use it and has nothing to do with the
  success or failure of the roll.  Wrestler’s with zero
  Clout can not make Clout rolls to effect booking,
  but can still shoot.
  Shooting In A Match
  Intentionally injuring an opponent is
  equivalent to making a number of Clout
  rolls equal to the amount of damage done.
  Shoot Interviews
  Shooting on another wrestler in an
  Interview or Promo is considered to be
  using Clout.
  Gaining Clout
  Just as there are ways to lose your Clout there are
  also ways of gaining it.  Building up your Clout is
  almost as important as building up your Heat.
  Many wrestlers bide their time and suffer through
  rediculous gimmicks and matches in the hopes that
  some day it will all pay off for them.  Clout can be
  gained in 3 ways.
  Experience
  Simply managing to stay in the business for an
  extended period can gain you Clout.  As time
  passes your wrestle will learn the intricasies of
  the business and the secret art of negotiation.  Af-
  ter each Pay Per View your character will have
  the opportunity to increase his Clout (see After
  the PPV: Character Advancement).
  Paying Your Dues
  Every wrestler needs to pay his dues before he
  advances to superstardom.  Clout often represents
  your character’s respect behind the scenes as much
  as his influence.  Showing other wrestlers that
  you’re willing to do “the job” for them makes it
  more likely that they will do the same for you.
  Whenever a wrestler looses a number of matches
  equal to “twice” his Clout he gains a point of Clout.
  Doing Favors for the Booker
  The other way to Gain Clout is to be awarded it
  by the Booker.  At any time during a Series the
  Booker may choose to award a wrestler a point of
  Clout.  Wrestler’s earn this award by accepting
  matches that are OBVIOUSLY not in their best
  interest.  Simply losing a match to an inferior op-
  ponent is not enough to garner this award unless
  the wrestler gains no opportunity to reasonably
  avenge the loss.  The Booker may only award 1
  point of Clout per show.
  
  Plotting Out a Match
  Once the Booking Sheet has been given to the
  players and any changes have been negotiated, the
  wrestlers can plot out how they would like the
  match to progress.  Usually the wrestlers will dis-
  cuss a few high spots they would like to do and
  any moves they don’t want to take or perform.
  Players will often layout how the narration of the
  match will be executed (i.e. player 1 will narrate
  2 Move Sets and then player 2 will take over), but
  it is not unknown for wrestlers to just “wing it”
  once they get in the ring.  “Winging It” is more
  difficult than planning out the match, especially
  if there is a strict Time Limit.  When ploting out a
  match players shouldn’t go into too much detail
  or they will simply be repeating themselves when
  they narrate their match.
  Backstage Interaction
  The Locker Room Session is also the stage of the
  game where the Booker can introduce behind the
  scene's plot twists and relationships. This is dis-
  cussed in more detail in the Booker’s Section.
  
  The Show
  
  Interviews, Promos & Skits
  Interviews & Promos
  Interviews typically involve a single wrestler or
  tag team being interviewed in the ring or back-
  stage.  In most cases Interviews involve the
  wrestler(s) talking trash about their opponent(s),
  but can involve an interviewer asking the
  wrestler(s) about a recent match of event.
  Shoot Interviews
  Shoot Interviews involve a wrestler breaking
  kayfabe and talking as a real person.  Shoot inter-
  views are highly discouraged, but ocassionally
  make sense when explaining real injuries and and
  other real life experiences that effect the show.
  Shooting on another Wrestler
  Ocassionally a wrestler will sneak real life into an
  Interview as a way of hurting another wrestler’s
  reputation.  Examples of this can be as innocuous
  as simply saying a wrestler has no talent or as bad
  as saying a wrestler has a drunk driving record or
  cheats on his wife.  Doing this uses Clout and the
  target of the Shoot loses anywhere from 1 to 10
  Heat based on the severity of the Shoot (Booker’s
  discretion).
  Promos
  Promos work exactly the same as interviews, but
  with one exception - no interviewer.  Promos al-
  most always take place in the ring or at the top of
  the entrance ramp.
  Skits
  There are a variety of differnt ways a Skit can be
  performed.  Some Skits involve behind the scenes
  interaction between wrestlers who appear to be
  unaware of the camera.  These types of Skits can
  nvolve a simple conversation or plotting between
  the wrestlers.  Some Skits take place in the ring
  and can involve anything from clever comentary
  to parodies of another wrestler.
  Effects of Interviews, Promos
  and Skits
  Players involved MUST roleplay their Interview,
  Promo or Skit.  In addition, each player whose
  wrestler had a speaking role must roll a number
  of dice equal to their wrestler’s Mic Skills Trait
  (+/- any modifiers).  Afterwords  each wrestler
  involved gains an amount of Heat equal to the
  TOTAL number of 6s rolled plus any additional
  points as noted below. In addition if the partici-
  pating wrestlers are currently in a Feud the amount
  gained is also added to their Feud's Longevity.
  • Was it entertaining? + 1 point of Heat
  • Did it elicit an emotion (sympathy, fear,
     laughter)? + 1 point of Heat
  • Did it add to the current storyline? or Start
     a new one? + 1 point of Heat
  • Did it establish your opponent as a Heel
     or Face (as applicable)? + 1 point of Heat
  Botched Interviews, Promos & Skits
  Botched Interviews, Promos and Skits not only
  make your wrestler look stupid, they also annoy
  the audience.  If NO player rolls a six on their
  Mic Skills roll each wrestler involved loses an
  amount of Heat equal to the total number of ones
  rolled (this could be zero).
  
  Wrestler’s often make reference to the fact that
  their matches tell a story.  As players of Kayfabe,
  it is your responsibility to tell that story.  Matches
  in Kayfabe don’t involve hit rolls or damage like
  many other games.  Instead players take turns nar-
  rating the events of each match and use the dice
  to determine the crowd’s reaction.
  Match Narration
  Professional wrestling matches, as we all know,
  are a sham.  The end result is predetermined and
  the wrestlers do their best to not hurt each other.
  What many people don’t know is that throughout
  the match the wrestlers are in constant communi-
  cation with each other.  A typical match is filled
  with instructions being secretly relayed back and
  forth between the wrestlers.  This communication
  is performed through subtle gestures or discrete
  conversation.  This aspect of the match is not
  roleplayed, but is instead simulated through nar-
  ration.  When one player is narrating it is assumed
  that his wrestler is dictating the moves being per-
  formed by both wrestlers.
  Which Players Narrate the Match?
  The creator of the wrestler that is controlling the
  match is considered to be the narrator.  The Booker
  must control one of the wrestlers if both wrestlers
  were created by the same player.
  How Do I Narrate a Match?
  Match narration is rather simple.  All you need to
  do is describe what the audience sees.  Your nar-
  ration describes the actions of ALL the wrestlers
  involved in the match (even ones you didn’t cre-
  ate).  You are free to do whatever you want, but
  you should follow some general guidelines:
  Matches
  
  Try and Stick to the Plan
  Make sure you follow whatever palns were layed
  out during the Booking Committe and the Locker
  Room by the writing staff and wrestlers.  If it was
  agreed that you would make your opponent look
  good, don’t make him look like a chump.
  Don’t Be Selfish
  When narrating a match don’t give all the action
  to your wrestler.  Nothing is more boring to a wres-
  tling fan than watching one guy beat the snot out
  of another guy for ten minutes.  Good matches go
  back and forth between the two wrestlers.  Al-
  though wrestlers should strive to make themselves
  look good, the old addage “if you don’t look good,
  I don’t look good” applies here.
  Remember Your Assets and Flaws
  Keep in mind that your wrestler is a person and
  that different aspects of his personality will come
  into play during the match.  If your wrestler is a
  high flyer  don’t have him do power moves all the
  time.  If your wrestler doesn’t like his opponent
  consider shooting  or ruining the match.
  Be Enthusiastic
  Get into your match!  Don’t just give a laundry list
  of manuevers.  use some detail, make the other
  players feel as though the match is happening right
  in front of them.  Try standing up when you nar-
  rate (it helps).
  How Long Should I Narrate?
  The amount of time you spend narrating will de-
  pend on two things.  One, how long the Match is
  and two, how descriptive you want to be.  See
  “Advancing a Match” for more information on
  this.
  
  Starting a Match
  In most cases, initial control of the match belongs
  to the Heel, but this will vary from promotion to
  promotion.  Players may simply deside amongst
  themselves who starts the match.
  Once the starting narrator has been chosen he can
  begin narrating the first exchange of moves.  That
  player will continue to narrate until one of the fol-
  lowing occurs:
          • Opposing Player Seizes Control
          • Opponent Misreads the Narrator
          • Opponent Stretches
          • A Run-In Occurs
          • Narrator Chooses to Relinquish Control
  Opposing Player Seizes Control.
  A wrestler that does not like the way a match is
  being narrated  can choose to use his Work Rate
  to seize control of the narration.  Attempts to seize
  control of narration often come as a result of one
  wrestler shooting on another or refusing to sell a
  move.  When a wrestler tries to seize control of
  the narration  all of the narration since the last die
  roll is disregarded and both players make a Work
  Rate roll. Whoever rolls the most 6s gets control
  of the narration.  If no 6’s are rolled the player
  with the highest die total gains control of the nar-
  ration.  A player may only choose to seize control
  BEFORE the narrator makes his Wrestling roll.
  Opponent Misreads the Narrator
  This occurs whenever the narrator fails to roll at
  least one 6 when performing a Move Set.  This
  indicates that there was a miscommunication be-
  tween the two wrestlers.  Perhaps the crowd noise
  made one of the wrestlers miss his cue, or some-
  thing along those lines.  Regardless of the cause,
  some aspect of the moveset went wrong.  The new
  narrator must describe what went wrong before
  begining his own narration.
  Opponent Stretches
  At any time a wrestler can try to forcefully take
  control of a match by Stretching his opponent.
  This means the wrestler attempts to dominate the
  narrator’s wrestler through actual wrestling.  Wres-
  tlers that lack a high Work Rate often resort to
  this kind of discouraged activity.  Stretching on a
  regular basis is sure to get a wrestler the bad repu-
  tation Flaw.  When a wrestler chooses to Stretch
  all of the narration since the last die roll is disre-
  garded and both players roll dice equal to their
  Wrestling Trait.  Whoever rolls the most 6s gets
  control of the narration.  If no 6’s are rolled the
  wrestler with the highest die total gains control.
  NOTE: this wrestling roll does not reduce a
  match’s Time Limit.  A player may only choose to
  stretch BEFORE the narrator makes his Wrestling
  roll.
  A Run-In Occurs
  If another wrestler enters the ring to interfere his
  controller automatically gains control of the
  match’s narration.  Keep in mind when narrating
  that unless the match was a no disqualification
  match you should point out why the ref didn’t
  notice the interferance.
  Narrator Chooses to Relinquish Control
  The Narrator can always choose to relinquish con-
  trol of the narration.  This usually happens as a
  result of a player running out of ideas.  In some
  cases wrestlers may have decided ahead of time
  when they will relinquish control of the match.
  
  Advancing The Match
  During a match players will be required to make
  a number of die rolls. As these die rolls are made
  the match's Time Limit is reduced. Below are the
  2 primary ways to advance a match.
  Move Sets
  A Move Set consists of any number of actions
  taken in a match that takes apporimately 1 minute.
  Players are encouraged to start each Move Set with
  a number of smaller moves like punches, kicks,
  irish whips and so on, and end the Move Set with
  a more climatic move like a clothesline of suplex.
  Remember, a Move Set should fill 60 seconds of
  match time.The wrestler that had the MOST of-
  fense during the current Move Set gets to roll a
  number of dice equal to his Wrestling Trait plus
  any bonus dice the Booker awards as a result of
  "exceptional" narration (usually 1 or 2). Keep in
  mind that it is the controller of the wrestler, NOT
  necessarily the narrator that rolls the dice.  Every
  time the dice are rolled in this fashion reduces the
  match's Time Limit by 1 minute.
  Rest Holds
  A wrestler who gets Blown up (see Flaws) can
  recover by using a hold that allows him or his
  opponent to rest such as a headlock, or front face
  lock.  Doing this reduces the match’s Time Limit
  by 1 and the Time Limit is considered to be 2 min-
  utes further back than it actually is as far as the
  Blown Up flaw is concerned.  For example, if a
  match has gone for 5 minutes it is consider to have
  only gone 3 minutes in regards to being Blown
  Up.  Rest holds do NOT require a die roll and
  reduce a match’s Heat by 5.
  CLAIRIFIER: During a match you should only
  have to roll the dice a number of times equal to
  the Time Limit minus the number of Rest Holds
  used.
  Match Heat
  Matches have Heat just like wrestlers.  A Match’s
  starting Heat is determined by averaging the Heat
  of all the participating wrestlers.  A Match’s Heat
  also determines where the match occurs on the
  card as well as the amount of Heat the wresters
  gain or lose at the end of the match.  There are a
  variety of ways to increase or decrease a Match’s
  Heat discused below.
  Move Sets
  Each time a Wrestling roll results in 1 or more 6's
  the Match’s Heat is increased by 1 point  for each
  6 rolled. Every time a Wrestling roll results in no
  6’s the Match’s Heat is reduced by 1 point of Heat
  for each 1 rolled (minimum of 1).
  Promos
  After the first wrestler gets in the ring he can cut a
  short Promo. Promos usually involve the wrestler
  “calling Out” his opponent, or can simply involve
  the wrestler talking until his opponent comes to
  the ring.  As with Interviews and Skits the players
  involved MUST roleplay the Promo in addition
  to rolling a number of dice equal to their wres-
  tlers’ Mic Skills Trait (+/- any modifiers).
  After the Promo has been completed the Booker
  will add a amount of Match Heat to the match
  equal to the number of 6s rolled plus 1 to 10 addi-
  tional points based on the entertainment value of
  the Promo and the reaction of the other players.
  Crowd Heat
  Sometimes wrestlers get lucky and the crowd is
  really easy to please.  Some crowds will have a
  great time no matter what is happening in the ring.
  Unfortunately, some crowds are just the opposite
  and can’t be pleased at all.  Before each show the
  Booker should asign the crowd a Heat rating be-
  tween -10 and +10 and apply that amount to each
  match.  Location, crowd size, and weather all play
  a role in determining Crowd Heat, but there can
  be any number of factors involved.
  
  Wagering Match Heat
  Sometimes a wrestler has to give 110% to build
  up a match’s Heat.  Wrestler’s can choose to Wa-
  ger Match Heat by putting forth a little extra ef-
  fort. By doing so the wrestler is assumed to be
  doing something that the fans just won't accept.
  The move can be anything, but it has to be some-
  thing that the fans normally would respond to with
  doubt or amazement.  Anything that make sthe
  crowd scream “HOLY SH#T!” is worth Wager-
  ing Heat over.  Some examples of this include: a
  500lb wrestler doing a top rope manuever or  do-
  ing a frog splash from the top of a steel cage.   Note
  that, Wagering Heat is not the same as Risking
  Injury but some moves can be considered both.
  To Wager Match Heat the player must announce
  that he is doing so and how much Match Heat is
  being wagered (up to 10).  If the Wrestling roll
  results in NO 6s the maneuver either fails or is
  met with utter disbelief and the Match’s Heat is
  reduced by the amount of Match Heat wagered.
  If the roll results in at least one 6, increase the
  Match Heat by the amount wagered.
  False Finishes
  False Finishes are an easy way to increase a
  Match’s Heat. False Finishes involve convincing
  the crowd that one wrestler will win, and then
  having the pinned wrestler kick out at the last sec-
  ond. False finishes are a touchy thing and involve
  a lot of match psychology - simply kicking out of
  a pin isn’t enough.  False Finishes are a result of
  two wrestlers building up the crowds anticipation
  to a peak.  Doing this requires both wrestlers to
  make Work Rate rolls. If Both wrestlers get at least
  one 6 then the Match’s Heat is increased by an
  amount equal to the total number of 6s rolled by
  both wrestlers. If either of the wrestlers fails to
  roll at least one 6 the False Finish fails to build
  enough anticipation an dthe Match’s Heat is re-
  duced by an amount equal to the total number of
  1s rolled (yes that could be zero).
  Shooting
  When a wrestler Shoots he is intentionally trying
  to hurt his opponent.  Shooting on an opponent
  works similar to Risking Injury.  At any time dur-
  ing a match the narrating player may choose to
  Shoot on his opponent. When a wrestler chooses
  to Shoot he must deside how much Injury he in-
  tends to cause his opponent (max of 10).  The nar-
  rator will then make his wrestling roll as usual.  If
  the wrestling roll garners at least one 6 the
  opponent's Injury Trait is increased by the amount
  of intended injuryand the Match's Heat is de-
  creased by twice the amount of Injury Risked.
  Failing to roll a six has the normal effect (but it is
  obvious that the wrestler was trying to shoot.
  Example: The Vindicator is angry with Magnus
  because he messed up in a previous match and
  now he wants to teach him a leason.  He desides
  he's going to break Magnus' nose (2 injury).  If
  his Wrestling roll garners no 6's the attempt fails
  and the match continues as usual.  If the roll suc-
  ceeds, Magnus' nose is broken, his Injury Trait
  goes up by 2 and the match gains 4 points of Heat.
  NOTE:  Shooting and Clout
  Shooting in a match is considered to be bad form
  and has adverse effects on the Shooter in the
  Lockerroom.  Most wrestlers will not want to
  wrestle someone who is known for Shooting.  Pro-
  fessional wrestling is about entertainment, not
  proving how tough you are.  Players are discour-
  aged from having their wrestlers Shoot unless it
  is an aspect of that specific wrestler.  Intention-
  ally causeing Injury to someone is illegal and wres-
  tlers can take steps to prosecute or get a wrestler
  fired for doing so.  Shooting on an opponent is
  equivalent to making a number of Clout rolls equal
  to the amount of damage done in regards to Clout
  reduction (and yes, you can still shoot if your Clout
  is zero).
  
  Intentionally Botching a Move Set
  It is not unknown for wrestlers with a lot of Heat
  to intentionally reduce a match’s Heat to keep his
  opponent from advancing - wrestlers with a lot of
  Heat can afford to lose Heat more than those with
  low Heat scores.  At any time before a player
  makes a Wrestling roll the player rolling the dice
  may declare that he intentionally screws up.  Af-
  ter the dice are rolled he can chose to ignore any
  number of 6’s he rolled.  If the player chooses to
  ignore all of the 6’s rolled the match loses an
  amount of Heat equal to the number of 1’s rolled
  just as if the 6’s were never rolled.  Note that ig-
  noring all 6’s may result in a change of narration.
  Risking Injury
  Sometimes wrestlers attempt particularly danger-
  ous moves in an attempt to get more Match Heat.
  At any time during a match the narrating player
  may choose to Risk Injury to himself, his oppo-
  nent or both.  The Booker can also declare that a
  move is likely to injure either you or your oppo-
  nent.  When a wrestler performs a move that Risks
  Injury the Booker must deside how much Injury
  is being risked (max of 10).  The narrator will then
  make his wrestling roll as usual.  If the wrestling
  roll garners no 6s the wrestlers that were placed
  in danger increase their Injury Traits by the amount
  of Injury Risked.  If the roll results in at least one
  6, the Match's Heat is increased by twice the
  amount of Injury Risked.  For example: The Leap-
  ing Luchador  does a frog splash from the top rope
  onto Magnus and there is a steel ladder on Magnus.
  The Booker determines that this is Risking 4 points
  of Injury to both wrestlers.  If the Wrestling roll
  garners no 6's both wrestlers increase their Injury
  rating by 4.  If the roll succeeds, the match's Heat
  is increased by 8.
  Note: Remember, not all moves are as dangerous
  as they appear.  For example, falling 20' through a
  table may seem far more danger ous than simply
  falling 20', but in reality the tables absorb a great
  deal of the fall.  Keep this in mind when deter-
  mining how much injury a wrestler is risking.
  Bleeding
  Fans love blood!  If a wrestler bleeds in a match
  the Match gains 5 points of Heat.  This bonus Heat
  can only be applied once per wrestler.
  Getting Busted Open
  Any time a wrestler receives 2 of more points
  of injury to the face he get’s busted open and
  bleeds.  Injuries to other areas of the body can
  also bleed if it’s appropriate.
  Bladeing
  Fans may like blood, but most wrestlers don’t
  want to get busted open for the extra Heat.  As
  an alternative, it is common for wrestlers to
  use a small razer to cut their forehead.  Even a
  tiny forehead cut can bleed quite a bit and once
  the blood starts mixing in with the sweat it
  can look really gruesome.  Note that fans may
  love blood, but TV censors don’t.  Unautho-
  rized blading during a match is considered to
  be using Clout.
  
  No Selling
  When a wrestler No Sells a Move Set he is inten-
  tionally making the move look ineffective.  Some
  gimmicks are built around No Selling moves.
  Wrestlers with gimmicks that portray them as be-
  ing tough or unhurtable no sell moves as part of
  their character - and that’s ok.  However, when a
  wrestler no sells a move that he should be selling
  he risks causing the match to lose Heat.  A player
  can choose to No Sell at any time directly before
  or after a Wrestling roll.  Choosing to No Sell at
  an inapropriate time causes the match to lose an
  amount of Heat equal to the number of 6’s rolled
  instead of gaining that amount.  NOTE: You can
  not choose to no sell if the your opponent is Shoot-
  ing on you (see below).
  Stipulations
  Match stipulations are guaranteed ways of increas-
  ing a match’s Heat. A match can have any number
  of stipulations, but most matches only have 1 or
  2, and almost never have more than 4.  Each match
  stipulation is described in the Appendix.  Keep in
  mind that some match stipulations do not work
  well together.
  +20 Match Heat
  3 Tiered Cage Match, Death Match
  +15 Match Heat:
  Scaffold Match, Cell Match, Last Man Standing
  Match
  +10 Match Heat:
  Barbwire Match, Cage Match, Ladder Match,
  Table Match, Flaming Match, World Title Match
  +5 Match Heat:
  Ironman Match, Hardcore Match, Handicap
  Match, Lumberjack Match, Strap Match,  Chain
  Match, Submission Match, Pole Match, Title
  Match
  There are many other stipulations that can come
  into effect in a match, such as requiring a valet or
  manager to remain backstage or loser kisses the
  winner's ass. Match Heat modifiers for these types
  of matches will vary depending on the effect they
  have on the match. The Booker should decide what
  modifiers should apply.
  
  Using Trademark Moves and Finishers
  Fans love trademark moves and therefore wres-
  tlers performing them are given extra dice to their
  Wrestling rolls.  Using a Trademark move gives a
  wrestler 2 additional dice to roll. Using a finisher
  grants the wrestler an additional 5 dice. Wrestlers
  can only gain these extra dice ONCE per Move
  Set.  A wrestler can perform a Trademark move
  any number of times during a match, but only re-
  ceives extra dice once for every 3 minutes in the
  match.  A wrestler can only perform his finisher
  once for every 6 minutes in the match without
  penalty.  Each time a wrestler uses his Finisher
  and does not receive extra dice fans no longer see
  it as being special and he risks losing it.  In such
  cases, a wrestler’s Finisher is degraded to a Trade-
  mark move if the Move Set it is used in fails to
  garner any 6s on the die roll.
  Changing a Match’s Finish
  Some wrestlers are so egotistical and worried
  about their image that they will simply refuse to
  let their opponent win (even when the match is
  scheduled that way).  Changing a match’s outcome
  at this stage works nearly identical to the way it’s
  done in the Locker Room.  The only difference is
  that the players make wrestling rolls instead of
  Clout rolls.  Despite the fact that you don’t make
  any Clout rolls changing a match’s outcome is
  consider to be using Clout inregards to Clout re-
  duction.
  Premature Finish
  At any time during a match the narrator may
  choose to end a match early by not letting his op-
  ponent kick out of a pin or by Shooting and forc-
  ing his opponent to submit.  If the attempt suc-
  ceeds the match ends, if it fails the match contin-
  ues as usual.
  Extending a Match
  A wrestler may also choose to kick out of a pin
  when he shouldn’t or no sell a submission move.
  If the attempt succeeds the match continues until
  the original winner reclaims control of the match
  and a pin is made.  If the attempt fails, the match
  ends as planned.
  
  The
  Booker
  
  Who is the Booker?
  In real life professional wrestling, the booker is
  the guy who sets up the matches.  He desides who
  will win and who will lose.  In Kayfabe the Booker
  does the same thing.  However, he also has many
  more responsibilities.  Being that this is a
  roleplaying game and that most players will want
  to be wrestler, you won't have a separate person
  to play the guys on the ring crew, the production
  crew or any of the other hundreds of people that
  will come into play during the game.  It is the
  Booker's job to roleplay all those "Non Player
  Characters" or NPCs.  not only does the Booker
  roleplay these NPCs, but he also determines when
  and where they come into play.
  Setting Up the Booking Sheet
  During the Booking Committee the players should
  have come up with some interesting ideas about
  the upcoming Show.  As the Booker, it is your job
  to take all those ideas and put them all togther
  into a conhesive, entertaining show.
  Time Management
  It’s imperative that you remember that each show
  is only 2 hours long.  30 minutes for commercials,
  50 minutes for matches, 35 minutes for Skits and
  Promos and 5 minutes for interviews is a pretty
  good breakdown, but don’t feel obligated to stick
  to that.
  Giving the Players What They Want
  Try to use as many of the players’ ideas as pos-
  sible.  The idea of the game is for everyone to
  have fun and if a player can’t do what he wants
  how much fun is he going to have?
  Don’t Make it Easy
  When going over the ideas from the Booking
  Committee be sure to adjust a few things and add
  your own style.  Don’t be afraid to completely
  mess up the players’ ideas.  Be sure to incorporate
  wrestler’s Flaws and Assets into the mix.  If a
  wrestler has the “Friends with the wrong people”
  Flaw, make sure that friendship hinders the out-
  come of his match.  Likewise, if a wrestler has the
  “Friends In High Places” Flaw, make sure those
  friends influence the show.
  Plotting Out The Show
  The placement of the match on the Card is deter-
  mined by the Match’s Heat.  The matches that fans
  look forward to the most are typically at the end
  of the card.  The last match of the Card is called
  the Main Event.  The match with the lowest Heat
  is first on the card and the match with the highest
  Heat goes last.  If there is a tie, the match that
  involves the wrestler with the highest Heat usu-
  ally occurs last.  Wrestler’s can always use their
  Clout to alter a match’s location on the card, so
  don’t worry too much about it..
  Awarding Dice
  Throughout the game session players
  will narrate their wrestlers actions.  As
  the Booker you can allo the player to
  roll up to 2 additional dice if you feel
  the narration was good.  Simply stating
  that you do a suplex and then a clothes-
  line is not sufficient to get extra dice.
  Us ethe following as a guidline:
  “My wrestler puts the other guy in a re-
  verse headlock and then gives him a
  DDT.”  - no extra dice.
  “The Vindicator crushes Magnus’ head
  in a reverse headlock and then falls back
  into a DDT smashing the top of Magnus’
  head into the mat.” - 1 extra die.
  “Vindicator lets out a growl as he
  squeezes magnus’ head in a devestating
  reverse headlock.    As the crowd roars,
  cries of ‘Get him Magnus!’ and
  ‘Magnus! Magnus!’ echo through the
  arena.  Magnus begins to stir and
  struggle free until Vindicator crushes
  Magnus’ skull into the mat with a DDT.”
  - 2 extra dice.
  
  Establishing a Cast of NPC
  Though it's not necessary to know all the details about every possible NPC that can come into play, there
  are a few primary NPCs that the Booker should have some notes on.  Below is a list of NPC characters that
  will most likely play an important role in your federation.  Take a few minutes to come up with some names
  and write a paragraph or so about each one.  The bigger the roll the NPC will play teh more you should
  write about him.
  Other Wrestlers - A small group of 3 players will
  only have between 6 and 12 wrestlers.  Most wres-
  tling companies have many more wrestlers work-
  ing for them, not to mention the thousands of in-
  dependent wrestlers out there who will work for a
  different company every night.  As the Booker you
  are responsible for creating and controling all these
  extra wrestlers.  Even with larger groups you
  should still create a few wrestlers to hold the titles
  that the players don't have enough Heat to hold.
  TV Representative - In some cases a TV station
  will asign a representative to your company to
  protect their investment.  TV reps can be a hin-
  derance in cases of content, but can be great as-
  sets when you need to promote your company.
  The Crew - In addition to the NPCs mentioned
  above you also have to take into account the ring
  crew, the medical staff, the TV production crew,
  security and all the other hard working people that
  play a part in making a show happen.
  Censors (Standards & Practices)- Censors usu-
  ally don't work for the company.  In most cases
  they work for the TV station your show is aired
  on and make sure your shows don't violate any
  FCC or station regulations.  Having a Censor in
  the game is a great tool to help the Booker pre-
  vent the players from having steel cage, explod-
  ing, barbwire scaffold matches every show.
  Extras - When wrestler's perform Skits it is often
  necessary to bring in actors to play the role of
  police officers, medical staff or even fans.  Most
  extras are only used once or twice so there's not
  much need to write much aout them unless they
  will be reaccuring characters.
  The Booker - Now don't get confused; the Booker
  is an actual job.  As an NPC the Booker is the guy
  who sets up the matches and determines the win-
  ner and loser.  This is usually the guy wrestlers
  will have to talk to to get their match altered.
  The Promoter - This is the guy who runs the
  whole show.  He pays the wrestlers and sets up
  the show.  In many companies the Promoter will
  also be the Booker.
  The Referees - Every federation will have at least
  one referee to officiate the matches.  Referees are
  very important to the game because they in essense
  help control the match.  The ref not only passes
  messages back and forth between the wrestlers,
  but also from the production crew.  In some cases
  the ref is just as important as the wrestlers.
  
  Drama
  As the Booker it is your job to set up conflict and
  obstacle s for the players to overcome.  Most of
  this will take place during the Locker Room ses-
  sion and will involve forces outside the individual
  wrestler’s controls.
  Styles of Play
  When playing Kayfabe there are two different
  ways you can play: Realistic and  Unrealistic.
  Realistic Campaigns
  In a realistic campaign wrestlers are just like you
  or me; they have families, friends, pets, etc.  They
  live with the same problems we all face in our
  lives.  As the Booker, you should play up these
  things.
  Money
  You may not think, after watching pro wrestling
  on TV, that wrestlers have a tough life, but they
  do.  Starting wrestlers don’t make much money -
  think about it, a wrestler with 10 Heat only makes
  $100 a night at best.  take into account that some
  independent wrestlers may only work once or
  twice a week and that money doesn’t go very far.
  Family Issues
  The home life of a professional wrestler is often a
  difficult one.  Being on the road all the time makes
  having a family very difficult.  Some wrestlers
  may only see their families a few days out of the
  week.  And as wrestlers get more famous it only
  gets worse.  Wrestlers that work for big promo-
  tions may only be home once or twice a month.
  This can instigate all kinds of roleplaying poten-
  tial within the game.
  A wrestler’s children can also be a useful tool when
  devising drama.  imagine what goes through an 8
  year old’s head when he watches his father get
  thrown through tables and hit with chairs all the
  time.  It’s bound to take its toll.
  Possible Plot Twists
  Relationship Problems
  arrange for one of the wrestler’s wives to have
  an affair with a cameraman or another wrestler.
  This is always a good way to stir things up.
  The Buddy System
  Veteran wrestlers can be known for lobbying to
  get jobs for their friends.  Most of the time there’s
  only so much money available in the coffers. It
  may be time to fire someone.
  Character Flaws
  Flaws are a great way to throw a wrench into
  things.  Perhaps a wrestler failed to show up or
  has shown up "in no condition to wrestle." How
  will his scheduled opponent react?  Or maybe
  one of the wrestlers finds a vile of illegal nar-
  cotic in the dressing room.
  Getting Screwed
  Sometime wrestlers get booked in matches that
  just make them look really bad.  Every so often
  throw a wrestler into such a match and watch
  him go balistic.
  Competition
  A rival wrestling federation has bought up the
  entire front row for the show.  It is suspected
  that they may try to interfere or otherwise ruin
  the show.
  Doing Favors
  Sometime the owner of the company may order
  a wrestler to deviate from the scheduled outcome
  of a match and not to tell his opponent.  Will the
  wrestler follow orders and screw over the other
  wrestler or will his integrety get the best of him?
  Moral Issues
  Schedule a wrestler to win the World Title and
  then tell him his wife is sick in the hospital.  This
  opportunity may not come up again for some
  time.  What will he do?
  Contract Negotiations
  Wrestlers often work for several different pro-
  motions throughout their career.  Every so often
  it comes time to renegotiate a deal.  Tell one of
  the players that one of his wrestlers is being re-
  evaluated and if he doesn’t have a good match
  he could be let go.
  
  Health Issues
  Though most wrestlers are in great physical shape,
  they are still human like everyone else and
  susseptable to getting sick or injured.  A wrestler
  simply getting the flu can cause all kinds of prob-
  lems in the game.  The wrestler may simply call
  in sick, or try and tough it out and wrestler through
  it.  What happens when the entire crew comes
  down with it?
  Injuries are also a factor.  Remember, not all inju-
  ries are sustained in the ring.  Wrestlers have the
  same chances of getting hit by a car or slipping on
  some ice as anyone else.  A wrestler breaking his
  leg in a car accident can ruin an entire series, es-
  pecially if it happens right before a PPV.
  The Moral Right
  There are all kinds of political groups out there
  that would just love to see professional wrestling
  go away.  “It’s too violent”, “It’s a bad influence”,
  “It’s degrading to women”.  These extremest
  groups usually limit their involvement to hurting
  a promotion’s advertising potential through lob-
  bying, but some groups may go as far as picket-
  ing outside an event, or outright sabotaugeing your
  equipment.  Things could get ugly.
  The Censors
  Some things are ok to air on TV and some things
  are not ok.  The censors make that desision and
  there is no set standard to follow.  One TV station
  may allow blood while another may not.  Here
  are a few things that may get sensored from your
  show:
  Male on Female Violence
  Blood
  Barb Wire
  Harsh Language (of varrying degrees)
  Nudity
  Homosexuality
  The posibilities primarily depend on the network
  that carries your promotion’s show.
  Unrealistic Campaigns
  Unrealistic campaigns play out a lot like an ac-
  tion movie.  Try and imagine that your promotion
  exisst as part of a TV show and not real life.  In an
  unrealistic campaign all kinds of things can hap-
  pen that may just seem odd or outright silly.
  Fighting Crime
  In many ways wrestlers are kind of like super he-
  roes.  In an unrealistic campaign it’s quite pos-
  sible for your wrestlers to go out and solve crimes
  just like on all those prime time TV shows we all
  watch.  Maybe they even have their own cool van
  that they drive around in called the Muscle Ma-
  chine.
  Science Fiction
  Set your campaign in outer space.  Maybe your
  wrestlers aren’t even human.  Imagine the wres-
  tling moves you could come up with if your wres-
  tler had 12 arms!
  
  Advancement
  
  Advancing Your Wrestler
  Improving Traits
  After each PPV players may increase a wrestler’s
  Wrestling, Mic Skills or Work rate Trait by 1 point.
  Gaining/Losing Assets & Flaws
  After a PPV the Booker can choose to add or re-
  move an Asset or Flaw from a wrestler if he feels
  it is warranted.
  Increasing & Decreasing Heat
  After every match, compare the match’s Heat to
  the Heat of each of the wrestlers in the match.  If
  the match’s Heat is higher than the wrestler’s Heat
  increase the wrestler’s Heat as follows:
  Regular Match
  +1 point
  Main Event Match
  +2 points
  PPV Match
  +5 points
  PPV Main Event
  +10 points
  If the match’s Heat is lower then the wrestler’s
  Heat decrease the wrestler’s Heat as follows:
  Regular Match
  -1 point
  Main Event Match
  -2 points
  PPV Match
  -5 points
  PPV Main Event
  -10 points
  Signing A Contract
  Most independent promotions only require their
  most valued wrestlers to sign a contract.  When
  you first create your promotion only the experi-
  enced wrestlers have a contract.  Other wrestlers
  may choose to sign a contract after their first PPV.
  Contract Details
  Exclusivity - Wrestlers that are under contract can
  not wrestle for any other promotion without per-
  mission from the Booker.
  Pay - Wrestler’s under contract get paid $1000
  per year per point of Heat they had at the time
  they signed the contract.
  Duration - A contract’s duration is determined
  when it is signed.  A standard contract lasts the
  duration of 6 PPVs.
  Working Without a Contract
  Working without a contract has advantages and
  disadvantages.  While having a contract guaran-
  tees your wrestler will get paid regardless of his
  performance, it also limits where he wrestles and
  for how much.  Wrestlers that work without a con-
  tract get payed $10 per point of Heat they have
  each time they wrestle, but can work anywhere
  they like.  Most Booker’s are reluctant to push a
  wrestler that can be working for the competition
  the following day.
  Negotiating a Contract
  When it comes time for a wrestler to sign a con-
  tract he may choose to surrender pay in exchange
  for certain Assets.  Wrestlers may purchase the
  following Assets at a rate of $10,000 per year per
  Asset.
  Creative Control
  Has a Valet
  Has a Manager
  Insurance
  Perks
  A Favor
  When negotiating a contract remember that your
  wrestler has expenses.  A wrestler isn’t very likely
  to work for peanuts in exchange for Assets.  be
  realistic and try to imagine how much you would
  acccept as pay if you were a wrestler.
  Renegotaiting
  Once a contract has expired the wrestler and
  Booker can choose to either extend the contract
  another 6 PPVs or come up with a completely new
  contract.
  
  Advancing Your Promotion
  After the PPV is finished calculate the average
  Heat of all the wrestler’s on your Roster.  If that
  number is higher than your promotion’s rating you
  receive a number of Advancement Points equal to
  the difference.  Advancement points represent your
  promotion’s profits and can be saved for later use
  or spent on any of the following:
  Hiring New Wrestlers
  Adding new blood to your promotion helps keep
  things fresh and gives you more options for
  matches.  Hiring a starting wrestlers costs a flat 5
  Advancement Points.  Hireing an experienced
  wrestler costs a number of advancement points
  equal to the wrestler’s Heat.
  Giving Raises
  Increasing the pay of a current wrestler costs 1
  Advancement Point per $1000 per year increase.
  Buying New Equipment
  Filming your shows on a cheep VHS camera isn’t
  gonna cut it if you want to hit the big time.  As
  time goes by your promotion will need to purchase
  new production equipment, props and other hi-
  tech equipment.  Spending Avancement points on
  new equipment increases your promotions rating
  by 1 for every 5 points you spend.
  Advertise
  By spreading the word about your Promotion you
  can increase the amount of Crowd Heat at your
  next Series of shows.  For every Advancement
  Point you spend increase the Crowd Heat at your
  next Series of Shows by 1 (max 10).
  Medical Insurance
  Most wrestling promotions don’t provide insur-
  ance to theiur wrestlers, but in the long run it can
  really help you out.   For every Advancement
  Points you spend on Insurance you can remove 1
  point of injury from a wrestler in your roster.
  Points of Serious Injuries can not be removed in
  ths way.
  Failure
  If the Average Heat of your Roster is not higher
  than your promotion’s Rating reduce the
  promotion’s rating by the difference.
  Failing to Meet PPV Requirements
  Sometimes things happen that just make your PPV
  match imposible to happen as planned.  Maybe a
  wrestler failed to aquire enough Heat to hold a
  title, or perhaps his opponent was seriously in-
  jured and couldn’t wrestler.  If a scheduled PPV
  match fails to occure reduce the promotion’s Rat-
  ing by 5.
  Firing  Wrestlers
  Wrestlers who are not under contract can be
  fired by the Booker at any time.  If a wrestler is
  fired remove him from the promotion’s Roster
  and give the promotion a number of Advance-
  ment Points Equal to the wrestler’s Heat.
  
  Appendix
  
  Tag-Team Match
  A Tag-Team match is a match that has teams of 2
  or more wrestlers.  During a match of this kind
  only one wrestler from each team is allowed in
  the ring at the same time.  Each team is assigned a
  corner and participants who are not the “legal”
  man wait outside the ring by their corner for their
  partner to “Tag” them in.  When a wrestler is
  tagged in his creator takes over narration of the
  match and the tagging  wrestler must leave the
  ring and wait to be “tagged in.”  It is common for
  both teammates to remain in the ring for the dura-
  tion of a single Move Set before leaving.  The
  match is the same as a normal match in all other
  regards.
  Handicap Match
  Handicap matches are just like regular matches
  except the match is 2 on 1, or 3 on 2 etc.
  Hardcore Match
  A Hardcore match is a “no holds barred” match
  where you can use anything as a weapon and
  pinfalls count ANYWHERE.
  Texas Tornado Match
  A Texas Tornado Match is the same as a Tag Team
  match except all the participants can be in the ring
  at the same time (no tagging).
  3-Way Dance
  A 3-Way Dance is a match with more than 2 par-
  ticipants that wrestle against each other.  There
  are no “teams” but it is not uncommon for two
  wrestlers to gang up on another.  The first wres-
  tler to pin either of his opponents wins the match.
  4- and 5-Way dances are not unheard of.
  Submission Matches
  Submission Matches work like any standard match
  except the only way to win is to make your oppo-
  nent submit.
  Types of Matches
  Elimination Match
  An elimination match is a match with more than
  2 participants in which whenever a wrestler is
  pinned he is eliminated from the match and the
  match continues with the rest of the participants.
  This continues until only one wrestler remains.
  Ironman Match
  During an Ironman match the wrestlers wrestle
  for an entire hour.  At the end of the hour the wres-
  tler with the most pinfalls or submissions wins.
  In game terms such a match works the same as a
  normal match, but has an excessive Time Limit.
  Table Match
  A Table match works similar to a normal match,
  but with one exception.  To win a Table Match
  you must throw your opponent through a table
  instead of pinning him.  There have been varia-
  tions on this match where the table is set on fire
  before the person is thrown through it.  Such Flam-
  ing Table Matches are more dangerous and there-
  fore infrequent.
  Ladder Matches
  Ladder matches almost always involve a title belt.
  In such a match the Belt (or similar match related
  object) is suspended high above the ring.  The first
  wrestler to get to the item (by using a ladder) wins
  the match.  Ladder matches can be particularly
  brutal because it is completely legal to use the lad-
  der as a weapon and it is not uncommon for wres-
  tlers to do “high spots” off of the ladder.
  Barbwire Matches
  In a barbwire match the ring ropes are replaces
  with barbwire.
  Flaming Matches
  A Flaming Match involves the ring being sur-
  rounded by a ring of fire.  The first wrestler to
  catch on fire loses.
  
  Last Man Standing Match
  A Last Man Standing match is similar to a
  Hardcore match except the wrestlers keep going
  until one man can’t continue.  In game terms such
  a match works the same as a normal Hardcore
  match, but has an excessive Time Limit.
  Strap & Chain Matches
  Strap and Chain Matches are just like a normal
  match except the participants are attached by ei-
  ther a 15’ Strap or Chain respectively which can
  be used as a weapon.
  Lumberjack Match
  Lumberjack matches work the same as a regular
  match except the ring is surrounded by wrestlers
  (usually 2 or more on each side).  If a wrestler
  tries to leave the ring the outside wrestlers may
  use whatever force is necessary to put them back
  in the ring.
  __________ On A Pole Match
  This kind of match is a toned down version of a
  ladder match.  Instead of the item hanging above
  the ring, the item is hung from a pole in one of the
  corners.  The wrestler that obtains the item (by
  climbing to the top rope and grabbing it) wins the
  match.  I matches where the item is a weapon the
  match does not end when the weapon is obtained.
  At that point the weapon may be used and a win
  is obtained by a normal pinfall.
  Cage Match
  In a Cage match the ring is surrounded (flush to
  the edge of the ring) by a 10’ steel cage (usually
  chain link, but occasionally steel bars).  The way
  to win the match varies from match to match but
  usually involves the winner being the first wres-
  tler to get out of the cage either by climbing over
  the top or through the door (if it’s not locked).
  Sometimes pinfalls and submissions are accept-
  able ways of winning, but in all cases the cage
  can be used as a weapon.
  Cell Match
  A Cell match is similar to a cage match except the
  cage (always chain link) not only surrounds the
  ring, but 5 to 10 feet of the surrounding floor.  In
  addition the cage has a top that is about 20’ off the
  arena floor.  The winner of the match usually must
  win by pinfall or submission.  Climbing on top of
  the cage is completely legal and usually expected
  by the crowd.
  3 Tiered Cage Match
  This type of match is similar to a Cell match ex-
  cept there is a 10’ high cage on top of the Cell and
  an additional 10’ high cage on top if that one.  Each
  cage is smaller than the one below it.  The second
  cage is about 10’ smaller than the bottom cage on
  each side and the top cage is about 5’ smaller on
  each side than the second cage.
  Participants must use a ladder to climb, from the
  ring, through a trapdoor into the second cage.  The
  second cage is filled with weapons such as steel
  chairs and trash cans as well as a pair of bolt cut-
  ters which must be used to cut the chain locking
  the door to the cage.  Once the door has been
  opened the wrestler goes out onto the top of the
  bottom cage and must then climb up to the third
  cage (the third cage usually has an additional
  weapon in it, but it is not required to enter it.  The
  wrestler can then win the match by climbing to
  the top of the structure to obtain an item hanging
  above the top cage (usually a belt).
  Types of Wrestling Moves
  There are far too many wrestling moves to list here
  without taking up move room than the list justi-
  fies.  If you are unfamiliar with wrestling or would
  like to learn some new moves a list of over 1000
  wrestling moves can be found at Ray Duffy’s Big,
  Big Book of Wrestling Moves.
  The Big, Big Book of Wrestling Moves can be
  found online at
  http://208.49.27.96/bbbowm/bbbowm.htm
  
  Angle
  A wrestling "plot" which may involve only one
  match or may continue over several matches for
  some time; the reason behind a feud or a turn.
  Blade
  The practice of cutting oneself or being cut with a
  part of a razor blade hidden in tights, hair or wrap-
  pings in order to produce juice.
  Blow Up
  To become fatigued or exhausted.
  Booker
  The individual responsible for angles, finishes,
  hiring and firing in a promotion. In reference to
  this game the Booker is the player who controls
  all the characters not created by another player.
  Bump
  A fall or hit done as a spot (see spot) which takes
  the wrestler (or other participant, i.e. referee, man-
  ager) out of the ring or out of action.
  Bury
  The process of deminishing a wrestler’s Heat
  through booking.  Many wrestlers are punished
  by having them lose repeatedly or by making them
  look foolish.
  Canned Heat
  Crowd heat generated from the arena’s speakers
  system as opposed to the actual crowd.  Done to
  both encourage crowd enthusiasm and disguise a
  dead crowd.
  Card
  The series of matches in one location at one time.
  Carry
  This term refers to the act of a skilled wrestler
  controlling the majority of a match with a less
  skilled opponent to ensure the match gains Heat.
  Also refered to as Carrying your opponent.
  Glossary
  Dark Match
  Match performed at Televised events that live au-
  diences get to see, but TV audiences don't. These
  usually happen before the intro fireworks to the
  show.
  Dead
  Used in refernce to crowds that lack enthusiasm.
  Draw
  To attract marks. n. the popularity of a wrestler,
  the ability to bring in marks.
  DUD
  A particularly bad and totally uninteresting match.
  Face
  Short for “babyface”.   A good guy.
  Faction
  A group of wrestlers who have joined together.
  Factions often have their own name.
  Fall
  Short for “pinfall”.  A referee's count of three with
  the loser's shoulders on the mat.
  Feud
  A series of matches between two wrestlers or two
  tag teams, usually face vs. heel though
  face feuds and heel feuds are not unknown.
  Finish
  The event or sequence of events which leads to
  the ultimate outcome of a match.
  Foreign (International) Object
  Something not allowed in the ring.
  Gimmick
  A wrestler’s in-ring persona.  Something about a
  wrestler that makes him different from other wres-
  tlers.
  Green
  Refers to wrestlers who are inexperience.
  
  Hardway Juice
  Real blood produced by means other than blading,
  i.e. the hard way. One of the possible outcomes of
  a shoot.
  Heat
  Enthusiasm, a positive response.
  Heel
  A bad guy, rule-breaker.
  High Spot
  A manuever executed from an elevated location
  such as the top rope or the top of a ladder.
  House
  The wrestling audience in the building said to be
  composed of marks.
  Job
  A staged loss. A clean job is a staged loss by legal
  pinfall or submission without resort to illegalities.
  v.i. To do a job. Sometimes combined with a de-
  scriptive adjective (stretcher job, rope job, tights
  job.)
  Jobber
  An unpushed wrestler who does jobs for pushed
  wrestlers. Sometimes known as fish, redshirts
  PLs (professional losers,) or 'ham-and-eggers.'
  Juice
  Blood. v.i to bleed, usually as a result of blading.
  Kayfabe
  Of or related to inside information about the busi-
  ness, especially by fans. Origin is carny jargon
  talk for "fake."
  Kill
  To diminish or eliminate heat or drawing power.
  There are a variety of ways to do this, but mostly
  it is done by having a wrestler do too many jobs.
  A house can be killed by too many screw-job end-
  ings.
  Luchador
  A Mexican wrestler.  Famous for highflying
  adrenalin filled matches.
  Mark
  A term used todescribe someone who believes pro-
  wrestling is real, or seems to from over-enthusi-
  asm.  Can be used in conjunction with an
  orginization orpersonality to describe an enthusi-
  astic fan.
  Paper
  Complimentary tickets v.t. to give lots of compli-
  mentary tickets to make a house look good, par-
  ticularly for a television taping.
  Plant
  A person planted in the audience, as though they
  were a fan; promotions often use plants to hold
  up signs praising a certain wrestler/orginization,
  or to have them run-in during the course of the
  event at some point.
  Pop
  Sudden heat from a house as a response to a
  wrestler's entry or hot move.
  Post
  To run or be run into the ringpost.
  Potato
  To injure a wrestler by hitting him on the head or
  causing him to hit his head on something.
  Psychology
  The practice of reading a crowd during a match
  so as to know when to perform trademark moves,
  false finishes, etc. to get Heat.
  Push
  The process of building up a wrestler’s Heat
  through Booking.  Wrestlers that are placed into
  matches that gain them Heat on a regular basis
  are considered to be being pushed.
  Run-in
  Interference by a non-participant in a match.
  Save
  A run-in to protect a wrestler from being beat up
  after a match is over.
  
  Screw-Job
  A match or ending which is not clean (definite)
  due to factors outside the "rules" of wrestling.
  Sell
  To act hurt when a move has been applied. A no-
  sell is when a wrestler gets up after another
  wrestler's devastating move.
  Shoot
  The real thing, i.e. a match where one participant
  is really attempting to hurt an other. The opposite
  of work or fake.
  Spot
  An event or sequence of events which makes a
  particular match distinctive, a high-point of a
  match.
  Squash
  A totally passive job where one wrestler com-
  pletely dominates another. v.t. to win a squash
  match.
  Stable
  A faction or group of wrestler's united to watch
  each other's backs.
  Stiff
  Chops, hits or moves which cause real injury
  (though perhaps not more than a welting up of the
  opponent.) Not a shoot, but almost.
  Stretch
  A form of shoot where one wrestler dominates
  rather than injures the other as a proof of personal
  superiority.
  Turn
  Change in orientation from heel to face or vice-
  versa.
  Work
  A deception or sham, the opposite of a shoot.
  Workrate
  The approximate ratio of good wrestling to rest
  holds in a match or in a wrestler's performance.
  Also the ability of a wrestler to guide a match.
  
  Kayfabe
  Wrestler Sheet
  Wrestling
  Work Rate
  Mic Skills
  Clout
  Heat
  Heel / Face
  Injury:
  OOOOOOOOOO
  Serious Injury:
  OOOOOOOOOO
  Trademark Move: _________________
  Trademark Move: _________________
  Finisher: _________________________
  Salary:  __________________________
  Used
  OOOOOOOOOO
  Gimmick
  ______________________________________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________________________________________
  Background
  _____________________________________________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________________________________________
  _____________________________________________________________________________________
  Name:
  ____________________
  Real Name:____________________
  Lost Matches
  OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
  Assets
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  Flaws
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  ____________________________
  
  Kayfabe
  Sample Booking Sheet
  Hour 1
  9:00 -9:10
  Interview
  - Mr. M
  - Killer Cane
  - The Overtaker
  9:10 -9:15
  Commercials
  9:15 -9:17
  Skit
  - Mr. M
  - Killer Cane
  9:17 -9:25
  Match
  - Dog Boy d. Venom
  9:25 -9:30
  Commercials
  9:30 -9:32
  Skit
  9:32 -9:33
  Promo
  - Freedom
  9:33 -9:40
  Match
  - El Diablo d. Freedom
  9:40 -9:45
  Skit
  - Mr. M
  - Mrs. M
  9:45 -9:55
  Match
  - Crippler d. Gilgamesh
  - U.S. Title
  9:55 -10:00
  Commercials
  Hour 2
  10:00 -10:02
  Skit
  - Mr. M
  - Killer Cane
  - The Overtaker
  10:02 -10:03
  Promo
  - The Justifiers
  - Larry
  10:03 -10:10
  Match
  - Justifiers d. Daryl & Daryl
  - Tag Team Titles
  10:10 -10:15
  Commercials
  10:15 -10:25
  Match
  - Warrior d. the Gimp
  - Non-Title Match
  10:25 -10:25
  Promo
  - Flat Top
  10:26 -10:35
  Match
  - Flat Top d. Tornado
  - Cruierweight Title Match
  - Hardcore Match
  10:35 -10:40
  Commercials
  10:40 -10:42
  Interview
  - The Overtaker
  - Killer Cane
  10:42 -10:45
  Commercials
  10:45 -11:00
  Main Event Match
  - Overtaker d. Killer Cane
  - World Title
  - Strap Match
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Kayfabe/Kayfabe Corebook.pdf