The Matrix Role-Playing Game

Table of
Contents

Game
Mechanics

Characters

Attributes
& Skills

I. The Basics
This game is based on West End Game's D6 system, specifically its Star Wars Role-Playing Game. I recommend picking up a Star Wars rule book (available at some game stores and on many online auctions) to fill in gaps that I don't cover here. If you have any questions or comments, please email me and I'll try to answer them for you.

GAME MECHANICS

The Dice
The system requires players to roll six-sided dice (D6), which represent a character's attributes and skills. When appropriate, the Game Master will tell a player to roll a number of dice equal to either the attribute or skill being used. The player rolls the appropriate number of dice, adds the values together and tells the GM the sum. If the sum is equal to or greater than the difficulty number (See below), the character succeeds. If it is lower, the character fails.

Example: Rom is trying to walk along a thin ledge without falling. He has a Dexterity of 3D. The GM sets a difficulty number and then the player controlling Rom will roll 3 dice and sum the results to see if he is successful.
Example 2: Rom is trying to operate a forklift and the GM tells him to roll his Mechanical skill (2d+2). Rom rolls two six-sided dice and adds 2 to the resulting sum.

The Wild Die

Each player should designate one of his or her dice to be the Wild Die (it is helpful if it's a different color or shape).

Whenever the the Wild Die comes up with a 2,3,4, or 5, add the result to the other dice as normal. But, if the Die comes up with a 6, add 6 to the dice total and roll the Wild Die again and add the new value to the dice total. If another 6 comes up, roll and add again. This continues as long as the player continues to roll 6's on the Wild Die.

Example: Rom has a Firearms skills of 4D. When he fires, he rolls 4 dice. His values are 2,5,3 and on the Wild Die, a 6, resulting in 16. He rolls the Wild Die again and gets another 6! The total is now 22 and he gets to roll again. This time, he gets a 1 and adds that to the sum to get a 23 for his shot.

If the Wild Die comes up with a 1 when a character is first rolling a Skill or Attribute Check, roll the Wild Die again. If the value is 1 through 5, remove the Wild Die and the die with the highest value from the dice to be added.

Example: Rom is shooting again. He rolls a 2,5,6 and on the Wild Die a 1. He rerolls the Wild Die and gets a 2. He removes the Wild Die and the die that came up 6 and adds the remaining two dice together to get 7.

If the second Wild Die roll comes up to be a 6, then the character has Complicated. He or she has screwed up in a particularly bad way...perhaps dropping his gun down into a sewer grating or twisting an ankle while trying to dodge. Complications should make a character's life more difficult, but never kill them outright.

Example: Rom is running away from a pair of Agents on a crowded street. The GM has him make a running roll with a difficulty of 10 to avoid colliding with a bystander. Rom, with a Running skill of 3D, rolls 3 dice. He gets a 2,3 and on the Wild Die a 1. He rerolls the Wild and gets a 6! He not only fails but complicates. The GM tells him that he runs into a homeless woman pushing a shopping cart and drops his cellular phone into the gutter, short-circuiting it. He'll have to find another way to contact his Operator outside the Matrix!

The GM could have just as well said that Rom got a muscle cramp and is -1D to all Dexterity actions for the next 5 rounds, or that he is stunned for the next round. Anything that makes Rom's life a little more scary.

Difficulty Numbers
When a character makes an Attribute or Skill check, they are usually rolling against a difficulty number. Difficulties are divided into the following categories:

Difficulty	Difficulty Numbers	Description
Very Easy	1-5	Anyone should be able to do this most of the time. Example: Driving a car in moderate traffic.
Easy	6-10	Most characters should be able to do this most of the time, though there is still a chance for failure. Example: Driving a car in moderate traffic during a rainstorm.
Moderate	11-15	Requires a fair amount of skill and/or effort. Most unskilled characters will fail such an attempt. Example: Avoiding jaywalkers who suddenly step in front of your car during a high speed chase.
Difficult	16-20	Only highly skilled characters succeed at these with any regularity. Example: Driving through an intersection full of speeding cross traffic.
Very Difficult	21-30	Even pros have a hard time pulling these attempts off. Example: Steering your car into oncoming traffic and avoiding collisions while at high speeds.
Heroic	30-50	Only the luckiest and most skilled are successful. Example: Jumping from a rooftop into a small window across the alley (like Trinity from the movie).
Unearthly	50-75	A character must have advanced skill in the Matrix in order to even think of attempting such an action. Example: Stopping bullets in mid-air.
Impossible	75+	Only those who have mastered the Matrix may attempt these tests. Example: Decoding an Agent.

Opposed Rolls
When a character is testing his or her Attributes or Skills against those of another (PC or NPC), the parties involved make Opposed Rolls. The one with the highest roll wins.

Example: One character tries to shoot another. The first makes a Firearms roll while the other makes a Dodge roll. If the attacker's roll is higher than the others' Dodge, then he hits.

Character Points
A character may spend his or her Character Points to gain additional dice during an action. They receive an additional die for each point spent. A character may spend up to 3 CP's per action or attack, and up to 5 CP's for any defensive action (Dodging, Strength rolls versus damage, etc.). If the die purchased with a CP comes up a 6, the player may re-roll it and add the new value to the total (as for the Wild Die, though there is no penalty for rolling a 1).

Example: Rom gets shot with an Assault Rifle for 23 points of damage. He rolls his Strength of 3D and gets a 10. That's 13 points below the damage level, which is Mortally Wounded. Rom's player decides to spend some Character Points. He spend one for an additional die and gets a 5, reducing the difference to 8, meaning Rom's Wounded. The player decides to spend an additional CP and rolls a 6! He gets to roll again and gets a 4, which means his Strength roll is 2 over the damage roll. Rom suffers no damage from the attack!

Character Points may be used in or out of the Matrix. However, they may not be used the same round a Chi Point is used.

Chi Points
Chi represents a character's inner strength and the extent to which they have control over the Matrix. When a character spends a Chi point, all skill and attribute dice totals are doubled. Anything which is not part of a character (a weapon or vehicle), is not affected.

Example 1: Rom is in hand-to-hand combat with an Agent. He decides to spend a Chi point one round. His Martial Arts is normally 5D while in the Matrix. This round, it goes to 10D! For purposes of damage, his Strength doubles from 3D to 6D!
Example 2: Rom is in a firefight with an enemy and decides to spend a Chi Point. His Firearms skill doubles from 4D to 8D, but the damage from the gun (5D) remains the same.

See Characters: Chi for rules about using and regaining Chi. Remember, Chi may only be used while inside the Matrix. Also, Chi may not be used the same round Character Points are spent.

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