House rules Mutant Chronicles

Gonna detail some Houserules as well as rules clarification and some errata. If you have specific questions, send them to me and I will clarify it here.

Basic Rules:

  1. Player Investment: A maximum of three extra dice can be purchased with DSP, including any bonus dice for Talents etc.

  2. Once a difficulty reaches 5, any further additions to increase the difficulty of a test reduces the character's target number by 1.

  3. Banking Group Momentum: Momentum is only useful on a successful roll, and banked Momentum (or Bonus Momentum from certain items, talents, etc.) is not a substitute for successes. The important part is that a character does not need to spend Momentum until it is needed - if they know that you want to use it for a particular effect in advance, they can spend it then, or they can wait until after the roll to see what they want to use it for, in conjunction with whatever Momentum they have generated on that roll

  4. Performing Actions:
    Page 120 [ERRATA] In Types of Actions, replace

  • The four main types of actions are Free Actions, Restricted Actions, Standard Actions, and Response Actions.
    with
  • The four main types of actions are Standard Actions, Restricted Actions, Free Actions, and Response Actions. [ERRATA] Under the Free Actions section, replace the section Free Actions with:

Standard Actions

Standard Actions generally either take some effort to perform, or require time to accomplish. Many Standard Actions require a skill test. A character can perform one Standard Action on his turn, unless a special ability (or spending a Chronicle point) allows more. Most attacks and other combat actions requiring a skill test are Standard Actions. A character may substitute a Restricted Action for his Standard Action should they wish.
Shooting an enemy with a pistol, grappling with a foe, or assembling a mounted weapon are examples of Standard Actions. [ERRATA] Under Restricted Actions section, replace
A character can perform only one Restricted Action on his turn. If a character takes a Restricted Action, he can only perform one Free Action that turn.
with
If a character takes a Restricted Action, they can only perform one Free Action per Restricted Action taken that turn.

Page 121 [ERRATA]
In the Standard Actions section, replace Standard Actions with:

Free Actions

Free Actions are minor, often narrative, things a character does that do not require much energy or effort. A character can perform any number of Free Actions on his turn, but cannot perform the same Free Action more than once.
Talking to another character, dropping an item being carried, or falling prone are all examples of Free Actions. Some talents allow a character to perform a task, attempt a skill test, or trigger an effect as a Free Action. A character can take any number of Free Actions on his turn, or he may take a Restricted Action and one Free Action.

Combat Rules:

  1. Cover Soak: DS symbols rolled during cover soak adds 1 reinforced point of soak that cannot be reduced by any means.

  2. Withdraw Action: The opposed Test is Average (D1).

  3. Dodge or Parry: If both tests beat their difficulty, compare the Momentum generated to determine the overall winner. The winner's total Momentum is not reduced by the loser's total Momentum - the values are simply compared to see who got more. The loser does not get to spend or bank the Momentum generated.

  4. Movement: The eligibility to make an attack refers to extra standard actions gained from Chronicle Points/Swift Attack, hence the If – it is referring to a particular situation, rather than the usual state of affairs.

Combat Momentum:

  1. Momentum Spend: The Momentum with a scaling effect (a +) can be applied multiple times per turn, but the others cannot be. Also, assume in all cases that a character cannot re-roll a die of any kind they have already re-rolled, whether it is a d20, a d6, or a [DS]/damage dice - the second result stands. Where Momentum spends are described in the text, if a Momentum spend is described as for X Momentum, then it can be used once per roll. Where it can be used multiple times, it will be written as for each Momentum spent or for every X Momentum spent.

  2. Swift Strike now costs 4 momentum.

  3. The Reducing Soak momentum spend only applies to the attack's initial damage roll, not any additional instances of damage such as from the Spread Quality or other momentum spends.

  4. Weapons with the Blast or Torrent quality determines the number of targets hit by selecting a number of DS symbols up to the character's Focus in the active skill's damage roll, not through momentum spends. For each DS symbol chosen, an additional target within the blast's range is hit. These symbols are only used for the Blast or Torrent quality (and it's connected spread quality) but not for any other purpose.

  5. The Knockout Momentum Spend costs 2 points per difficulty and inflicts the Unconscious Status Condition.

  6. The Devastating Blow momentum spend cannot be used with Ranged Attacks.

Chronicle Points:

  1. Extra Action: One extra action from a Chronicle point per round at most.

  2. In Recovery, replace
    For each Chronicle point spent, the character recovers one Mental Wound and one Light Wound box in each hit location.
    with
    For each Chronicle point spent, the character recovers one Mental Wound and all Light Wound boxes in one hit location.

  3. Spending a Chronicle Point suspends any Dread accrued before or gained during the current Scene. Spending two removes all dread as stated in the Core Book.

Healing & Damage:

  1. On page 138 of the corebook. Exchange the paragraph about Treat Wounds with.

    "Treat Wounds: A character may attempt a Medicine test to help a patient recover from any wounds.
    Treating a seriously injured patient requires a Challenging D2 Medicine test. Treating a critically injured patient requires a Daunting D3 Medicine test. If the test passes, the patient recovers one wound of the most severe type he is suffering from. The patient can recover one wound for each two Momentum spent.
    Once a test has been successful no further tests using mundane means are possible and further healing will instead use the Long Term care rules."

Status Conditions:

  1. Rattled now reduces the character's Target Number by 1 for each rank, not skill.
  2. There is now a Status called Unconscious. An unconscious character is unaware of their surroundings and cannot take actions or response actions. Unconsciousness lasts until the end of the scene.

Insanity & Corruption

  1. Corruption Soak: There is no maximum limit for Corruption Soak, but numerous sources of Corruption Soak can only apply once to any given person (for example, the Blessing spell can only give a person +1, regardless of how many times it is used on them), so there is a finite number of applicable sources.

  2. Individual Corruption Soak is defined depending on the career. Most people have a basic Corruption Soak of 2. Characters with an Earnings rating of 1 or less, or with the Criminal background, have a basic Corruption Soak of 1 instead. Characters who belong to the Brotherhood have a Corruption Soak of 3 – they have a greater degree of spiritual fortitude than most. Doomtroopers increase their Corruption Soak by +1.

Regaining Mental Wounds.

  1. A good night's rest now heals 1 Mental Wound +1 per Momentum.

Talents

Overarching change: Any talent that reduces the difficulty of a test may only be taken twice.

  1. Acrobatics
  2. Animal Handling
    • Empathetic: Upon purchasing this talent, in addition to its usual effects, the Character is capable of forming a special bond with an animal. See ANIMAL FRIEND rules below.
  3. Athletics (Each Talents purchased in the Athletics tree gives the character +1 Load.)
    • Rigorous Training: Text replaced by "When performing an Athletics test, the character may reroll one d20 and must select the second result.
    • Leverage: Now functions as Rigorous Training.
  4. Close combat
    • Weapon Master increases the damage by 1 not 2.
  5. Command - Minions only affects NPCs, Font of Courage only affects NPCs.
  6. Education -
  7. Gunnery -
  8. Heavy Weapons
    • Fire for Effect, the attack now deals base damage plus half the number of DS-dice.
    • Steady Arms, Now encompasses a group of weapons Heavy Machine Guns, Autocannons, Flamethrowers etc. Skills must use the Heavy weapons skill to be eligible.
    • Suppressive - Increases the difficulty by the character's focus.
  9. Insight
    • Know the Signs has the window of use increased to 24 hours plus 2 per momentum.
  10. Lifestyle
  11. Linguistics
    • Puzzler changes place on the linguistics tree with Encrypter.
  12. Mechanics.
    • Snap Diagnostics only functions for the initial instance of an attack. Any further instances derived from momentum or qualities are not affected.
  13. Medicine.
  14. Mysticism.
    • Dark Defence now costs two momentum per extra free reaction.
    • Slayer of Darkness has its difficulty increased to 3 and costs two momentum per additional point damage but instead lasts for the remainder of the encounter.
    • Mystic Ward. In the situation where an ability would not offer a test to resist, the Mysticism test becomes a D3 test with an additional d20.
  15. Observation.
    • Quick Survey. A character may spend one Dark Symmetry point before making an Observation test to recognise the reason the test was made. If this occurred prior to entering a conflict, the character may add 1d20 to any skill test made during his first turn, without paying any Dark Symmetry points.
  16. Persuasion.
    • Haggler has its difficulty increased to 3.
  17. Pilot.
  18. Psychotherapy
  19. Ranged Weapons.
    • Gun In Hand may only be used with One Handed or Unbalanced weapons.
    • Through and Through can be purchased up to three times. Each new instance of Secondary Target costs momentum.
    • Clear Shot is only applied when firing further than the weapon's range.
  20. Resistance.
    • Just a Scratch. Is also applicable when using the "Shake it Off" action.
    • Rub Some Dirt On It. Also automatically reduces the duration of any status effect by one turn to a minimum of one.
    • Resilient is removed.
  21. Sciences.
  1. Space.
  1. Stealth
    • Living Shadow now adds a number of momentum equal to the number of Stealth Talent the character has purchased.
  2. Survival.
    • Risks. The character may now protect a single individual per point of focus in addition to the number of successes rolled on the test. A new test is made at the start of each session.
    • Rewards. The difficulty of this test is increased to 3 but the roll may be performed every day.
  3. Thievery
  1. Treatment
  1. Unarmed Combat
  1. Vacuum
  1. Willpower
    • Psychic Hole. The character also gains a bonus d20 on all defensive Willpower tests.

ANIMAL FRIEND

The character must be in the presence of a suitable, 'natural' beast which cannot be a "Nemesis". The character first makes an Animal Handling check with a difficulty equal of the chosen animal's Fortitude Focus plus 2. This takes one week of time but momentum may be spent to decrease it as usual. The first test is to see whether the character is able to acclimatize the animal to the presence of humans. It is preferable to attempt this test on a young specimen, attempting it upon an adult individual increases the Difficulty by 1. After this first test, the Character may make a second Animal Handling test with a difficulty one higher than the previous test. This test also takes a week of time to perform. If successful the bonds of friendship has been tied and an Animal Friend is created.

Animal Friends are more than mere pets. Almost anyone can befriend a dog or a favourite goat. An Animal Friend is special. This is manifest in that Animal Friends gain a few benefits over the typical individual of its kind. When creating an Animal Friend, use the normal template of the animal in question and modify it to reflect its uniqueness, age and other situational factors (A young animal for instance are likely not as strong or as tough as a an adult specimen). If necessary, reduce one point from one attribute to increase another like Step 1 of a Character's Life Path. The character may also use their Chronicle Points to affect their Animal Friend. Additionally, for every talent purchased in the Animal Handling tree the player may choose one of these abilities for his Animal Friend.

1-2 talents:

  • The Animal Friend may reroll (Combat Focus) damage dice on any successful attack.
  • The Animal Friend needs not spend a Dark Symmetry point to take a Response Action.
  • The Animal Friend can reroll 1d20 on any Movement or Fortitude test (Choose which).
  • The Animal Friend reduces the difficulty of Survival Checks to track or follow a target by 1, this can remove the need for a test.
  • The Animal Friend can learn complex "tricks" such as searching for particular substances or act as a service animal without actually training for it.

3-4 talents:

  • The Animal Friend gains +1 Natural Soak.
  • The Animal Friend gains +5 to Load.
  • The Animal Friend gains 1 Intelligence (May only be chosen once).
  • The Animal Friend chooses a Field of Expertise, when spending Dark Symmetry points each point grants 2d20s on the roll.
  • When an attack within Close distance targets the Character, they may spend 1 Dark Symmetry point and have their Animal Friend take the Guard Response Action to become the new target for the action.

5-6 talents:

  • The Animal Friend gains chooses one Field of Expertise and gains +1 in both Expertise and Focus.
  • The Animal Friend gains +1 Corruption Soak.
  • The Animal Friend gains +1 Personality (May only be chosen once)
  • The Animal Friend becomes 'Jaded 1' as the Willpower Talent.
  • The Animal Friend can learn to comprehend Human language albeit in a limited fashion (unless its intelligence has increased in which case its comprehension equals a young child's).

7-8 talents:

  • The Animal Friend becomes Immune to Dread.
  • The Animal Friend gains +1 to either Expertise or Focus in any Field of Expertise.
  • The Animal Friend gains 1 bonus Momentum to any successful Combat, Fortitude, Movement, Sense or Social check (Choose 2).
  • The Animal Friend gains +1 to two Abilities (may only be chosen once).
  • The Animal Friend can always find its Human Friend should they be separated.

Finally Animal Friend also gains additional physical wound boxes equal to the sum of its Human Friend's Animal Handling expertise and focus.

EQUIPMENT

Page 210 [CLARIFICATION] Burning and Incendiary Qualities: the ongoing damage from Burning X, and a new application of Burning X (say, from an Incendiary X weapon) both work the same way, with each [DS] prolonging the existing Burning effect by one round.

Page 211 [CLARIFICATION] Weapon Qualities: If an attack causes no damage, the qualities still take effect. Remember that the attacks still hit home. Think of them as inflicting less than 1 damage - a fractional non-zero amount of damage, too insignificant to remove Wounds, but still representative of a successful attack. There are minor ways a character can be harmed, even draw blood, without losing Wounds (things like paper cuts, scratches, grazes, bruises, etc.). [CLARIFICATION] Full Defence X Quality works the same way as the Parry Quality (see below), only the bonus Soak also applies to ranged attacks as well, as Full Defence allows a character to parry ranged attacks as well as close combat ones. [CLARIFICATION] Knockdown Quality: Knockdown weapons can generate 0 Damage. Remember that the damage roll represents a wide range of variables and other factors; individual bullets don't have variable velocity or mass, but the precise location they strike (does it hit vital organs or major blood vessels?), the presence of absence of interfering objects (belts, thick clothing, items in pockets, etc.) will alter the way they harm the body. [CLARIFICATION] Parry Quality: Once a character makes a Parry response action, for the rest of the round (until the start of their next turn), they gain additional Soak against melee attacks - a number of dice of Soak equal to the Parry quality's rating (the X), representing the character continuing to defend
themselves (as they only get one Response Action per round). So, a character with a weapon with Parry 2 would roll two combat dice (as if he were in light cover, essentially) and add the total rolled to his Soak whenever he was hit with a melee attack. [CLARIFICATION] Reach Quality: The first attack made against somebody with reach is at +1 difficulty. Does that mean the first attack made per round, or per engagement, or per attacker per combat? First attack per attacker per combat; if a character or their opponent disengage, and then get back into melee, then the quality resets.

Page 212 [CLARIFICATION] Vile Quality: Serious Wounds from Vile weapons count towards critical wounds and death.

Page 219 [ERRATA] In Mk. XIb Invader Battle Rifle section, replace GL3000 Grenade Launcher with Mk.XIX Grenade Launcher [ERRATA] In Panzerknacker section, replace RESTRICTED with RESTRICTION

Page 236 [ERRATA] In the Chain Bayonet section, replace RELIABILITY 5 with RELIABILITY 3

Page 239 [CLARIFICATION] Reloads: Ranged weapons - other than Munitions weapons, which always spend a Reload - can be used freely without spending a Reload, which means they can be used once a character is out of Reloads.
However, if they are out of Reloads, the GM is free to impose a Complication describing a character as completely out of ammo if he has no more Reloads left (it's demonstrably untrue, and thus not a valid option, if he tries this before you're out of Reloads).
Oxygen Loads and Fuel Loads are meant to be limits first and foremost (enabling action that would not otherwise be possible). Parts do not actually work like that - like Coagulant and Reagents, they are used to grant a bonus (+1 Momentum per unit spent), rather than to enable an action.
It should only ever be 1DSP per reload.
Reloads are separate equipment for weapons - you can carry a number of reloads with your weapon. Under normal circumstances, using the weapon does not use any Reloads - characters are assumed to use their ammunition carefully in normal situations. A character can use Reloads by letting rip to get extra dice, or to use Covering Fire, or they can lose them by suffering Repercussions.
As an aside, if a character has no Reloads, they are not out of ammo... they just have a small amount left, so they can keep firing. The GM is free to create a Complication of completely out of ammo for a character who has run out of Reloads.
Reload cost is mentioned before each category of weapons

CHAPTER 24: BELONGINGS (page 250)

Page 255 [ERRATA] In the Respirator description, replace:
A respirator grants the wearer three bonus Momentum on all Resistance tests against airborne hazards.
with
A respirator reduces the difficulty by 3, to a minimum of 1, on all Resistance tests against airborne hazards. [CLARIFICATION] Oxygen Loads and Fuel Loads are meant to be limits first and foremost (enabling action that would not otherwise be possible). Parts don't actually work like that - like Coagulant and Reagents, they are used to grant a bonus (+1 Momentum per unit spent), rather than to enable an action.

Page 261 [CLARIFICATION] DIANA Systems are a distinct character, but one with no physical presence and no ability to communicate with anyone else beyond the character it is installed within. So, it can make any test by itself that does not require any physical activity. Further, if it has information or knowledge relevant to a task that its 'host' attempts, it can provide assistance to them. It cannot assist anyone else.

Page 264 [ERRATA] In the Bolt Cutter section, replace
…adds three bonus Momentum to any test made to break chains,
with
…reduces the difficulty by 3, to a minimum of 1, of any test made to break chains, [CLARIFICATION] Fake ID: The Fake ID is Restriction 3 (unless the GM rules otherwise).

Page 265 [ERRATA] In the Safecracker Kit section replace
Destructive methods add two bonus Momentum to this Thievery test
with
Destructive methods reduce the difficulty of this Thievery test by two steps, to a minimum of 1.

Page 267 [ERRATA] The Mechanics Workshop is missing from the Mechanical Tools section of the table. It should have the following: Encumbrance Fixed, Restriction 3, Cost 5, Maintenance 2

Page 268 [ERRATA] Remove the Radar Gun entry from the POLICE EQUIPMENT section. Remove Tactical webbing waldos from TACTICAL GEAR section. Neither are listed in rulebook.