Table of Contents (for Serenity RPG):
List of Game Tables
Introduction: Here's how it is 3
Serenity 4
Role Playing Game? 4
The Serenity Role Playing Game 4
Crew 5
Game Master 5
Sessions, Adventures and Campaigns 5
The Dice (Sidebar) 6
Game Basics (Sidebar) 6
Gear 6
The 'Verse 6
Out to the Black 6
Pre-Designed Characters 8
Mal 8
Zoe 10
Wash 12
Jayne 14
Kaylee 16
Inara 18
Book 20
Simon 22
River 24
Chaper 1: Find a Crew 26
The Client (story) 27
Crew Basics 28
Pilot 28
Mechanic 28
Medic 28
Security 29
Socialite 29
Captain 29
Heroic Level 29
Greenhorn 29
Veteran 29
Big Damn Hero 30
Concept 30
Crew Creation (sidebar) 30
Race 31
Traits 31
Assets 31
Complications 32
Attributes 32
Physical Attributes 32
Agility 33
Srength 33
Vitality 33
Mental Attributes 33
Alertness 33
Intelligenct 33
Willpower 33
Derived Attributes 33
Initiative 33
Life Points 34
Skills 34
Skill Rolls 35
Unskilled Actions 35
Gear 35
Character Development 35
Secrets 35
Plot Points 36
Plot Point Pool 37
Advancement Points 37
Character Improvement 37
Removing Complications 37
Chapter 2: Traits and Skills 38
The Warning (story) 39
The Good, The Bad, and the Big Damn Ugly 40
Assets 41
Allure 41
Athlete 42
Born Behind the Wheel 42
Fightin' Type 42
Friends in High Places 42
Friends in Low Places 43
Good Name 43
Healthy as a Horse 43
Heavy Tolerance 43
Highly Educated 43
Intimidatin' Manner 44
Leadership 44
Lightnin' Reflexes 44
Mean Left Hook 45
Mechanical Empathy 45
Military Rank 45
Moneyed Individual 45
Natural Linguist 45
Nature Lover 45
Nose for Trouble 46
Reader 46
Religiosity 46
Sharp Sense 46
Sready Calm 47
Sweet and Cheerful 47
Talented 47
Things Go Smooth 47
Total Recall 47
Tough as Nails 47
Trustworthy Gut 47
Two-Fisted 47
Walking Timepiece 47
Wears a Badge 48
Complications 48
Allergy 48
Amourous 48
Amputee 49
Bleeder 49
Blind 49
Branded 49
Chip on the Shoulder 49
Credo 49
Combat Paralysis 50
Coward 50
Crude 50
Dead Broke 50
Deadly Enemy 50
Deaf 50
Dull Sense 50
Easy Mark 50
Ego Signature 51
Filcher 51
Forked Tongue 51
Greedy 51
Hero Worship 51
Hooked 51
Leaky Brainpan 52
Lightweight 52
Little Person 52
Loyal 52
Memorable 52
Mute 52
Non-Fightin' Type 52
Overconfident 52
Paralyzed 53
Phobia 53
Portly 53
Predjudice 53
Sadistic 53
Scrawny 53
Slow Learner 53
Soft 53
Stingy 53
Straight Shooter 54
Superstitious 54
Things Don't Go Smooth 54
Traumatic Flashes 54
Twitchy 55
Ugly as Sin 55
Weak Stomach 55
Skills Pay the Bills 55
Benchmarks of Proficiency 55
Skill Descriptions 55
New Specialities 56
Animal Handling 56
animal Training 56
riding 56
veterinary 56
zoology 56
Artistry 56
appraisal 56
cooking 56
forgery 56
game designing 56
painting 56
photography 56
poetry 56
sculpting 56
writing 56
Athletics 57
climbing 57
contortion 57
dodge 57
juggling 57
jumping 57
gymnastics 57
parachuting 57
parasailing 57
pole vaulting 57
riding 57
running 57
swiming 57
weight lifting 57
individual sport (soccer, baseball etc) 57
Covert 57
camouflage 57
disable devices 57
forgery 57
infiltration 57
open locks 57
sabotage 57
sleight of hand 57
stealth 57
streetwise 57
surveillance 57
Craft 57
architecture 58
blacksmithing 58
carpentry 58
cooking 58
leatherworking 58
metalworking 58
pottery 58
sewing 58
Discipline 58
concentration 58
interrogation 58
intimidation 58
leadership 58
mental resistance 58
morale 58
Guns 58
assault rifles 59
energy weapons 59
grenade launchers 59
gunsmithing 59
machine guns 59
pistols 59
rifles 59
shotguns 59
Heavy Weapons 59
artillery 59
catapults 59
demolitions 59
forward observer 59
mounted guns 59
repair heavy weapons 59
rocket launchers 59
ship's cannons 59
siege weapons 59
Influence 59
administration 59
barter 59
bureaucracy 59
conversation 59
counseling 59
interrogation 59
intimidation 59
leadership 59
marketing 59
persuasion 59
politics 59
seduction 59
streetwise 59
Knowledge 60
appraisal 60
culture 60
history 60
law 60
literature 60
philosophy 60
religion 60
sports 60
Linguist 60
Mechanical Engineering 60
create mechanical devices 61
machinery maintenance 61
mechanical repairs 61
fix mechanical security systems 61
plumbing 61
Medical Expertise 61
dentistry 61
forensics 61
general practice 61
internal medicine 61
pharmaceuticals 61
physiology 61
psychiatry 61
rehabilitation 61
surgery 61
toxicology 61
veterinary medicine 61
Melee Weapon Combat 61
clubs 61
knives 61
melee weapon-smithing 61
nunchaku 61
pole arms 61
swords 61
whips 61
Perception 62
deduction 62
empathy 62
gambling 62
hearing 62
intuition 62
investigation 62
read lips 62
search sight 62
smell 62
tactics 62
taste 62
tracking 62
Performance 62
acting 62
dancing 62
costuming 62
keyboard instruments 62
impersonation 62
mimicry 62
oratory 62
percussion instruments 62
singing 62
stringed instruments 62
wind instrument 62
Pilot 63
aerial navigation 63
astrogation 63
astronomy 63
astrophysics 63
space survival 63
specific types of craft 63
Planetary Vehicles 63
aquatic navigation 63
cars 63
canoes 63
equestrian 63
ground vehicle repair 63
horse-drawn conveyances 63
hovercraft 63
industrial vehicles 63
land navigation 63
large ground transports 63
military combat vehicles 63
powerboats 63
sailing 63
scooters 63
scuba diving 63
skiffs 63
submarines 63
yachts 63
Ranged Weapons 64
blowguns 64
bows 64
crossbows 64
darts 64
grenade 64
javelin 64
ranged weaponsmithing 64
slings 64
throwing knives 64
Scientific Expertise 64
earth sciences 64
historical sciences 64
life sciences 64
mathematical sciences 64
Survival 65
aerial survival 65
aquatic survival 65
general navigation 65
land survival 65
nature 65
space survival 65
specific environment or condition survival 65
tracking 65
trapping 65
Technical Engineering 65
communications systems 65
computer programming 65
hacking 65
create/alter technical devices 65
demolitions 65
electronics 65
technical repair 65
technical security systems 65
Unarmed Combat 66
boxing 66
brawling 66
judo 66
karate 66
kung fu 66
savate 66
wrestling 66
Chapter 3: Money and Gear 68
The Idea (story) 69
Economics of the 'Verse 69
Currency 70
Costs of Goods & Services 70
Gearing Up 70
Owning a Ship 70
Gear 71
Credits and Coinage 71
Big Damn Prices 71
Economics of a Tramp Freighter (sidebar) 72
Availability 73
The Black Market 73
General Store 73
Tools 74
Food and Supplies 74
Tailor 76
Protective/Emergency Gear 76
Armoury 77
Ammunition & Reloading 78
Hand-to-Hand Weapons 78
Ranges Weapons 80
Explosives 81
Heavy Weapons 82
Techshop 82
Computers, Hardware and Progs 83
Communications and Security Equipment 85
The Outfitters 86
Medical Equipment 86
Covert Ops Gear 87
Engineering Supplies 89
Robots 89
Newtech 91
Newtech Design 91
Cost x2 92
Cost x4 92
Cost x10 92
Services 93
Services 93
Chapter 4: Boats and Mules 95
The Tell (story) 96
Ships 97
Gravity Control 97
Power 98
Propulsion 98
Life Support 99
Hull 99
Atmosphere 100
Water 100
Food 100
Waste Management 100
Navigation, Sensors and Communications 100
Navigation 100
Sensors 101
Communications 101
Weapons 102
Space Mines 102
Missiles 102
Bombs 102
Warheads 102
Life Aboard Ship 103
Daily Routine 103
Operating Costs 104
Port Fees 104
Fuel 104
Provisions 104
Salaries 104
Other Costs 104
Paying the Biils 104
Freight 105
Passengers 105
Charter 105
Getting Around 105
Ship as a Character 106
Concept 106
Agility 106
Strength 106
Vitality 107
Alertness 107
Intelligence 107
Willpower 107
Specifications 108
Dimensions 108
Tonnage 108
Speed Class 108
Fuel Capacity 108
Crew Quarters 108
Cargo and Passenger Capacity 109
Ship Traits 109
Everybody Has One 110
Fast Throttle 110
Fuel Efficient 110
Loved 110
Seen Better Days 110
Short Range 111
Slow Throttle 111
Ship Skills 111
Complexity 112
Derived Attributes 112
Gear 112
Maintenance 112
Weapon Systems 113
Armor 113
Price 114
Maintenance Costs 114
Increasing Attributes 114
Aces & Eights (diagram) 115
Sample Ships 117
Hotaru 117
Aces & Eights 117
Escape Pod 117
Short-Range Shuttle 118
Alliance Short Range Enforcement Vessel 118
Small Transport 118
Homestead Transport 119
Bumblebee Class (diagram) 120
Firefly 121
Serenity (diagram) 122
Variants 124
Alliance Patrol Boat 125
Independent Blockade Runner 125
Alliance Patrol Boat (diagram) 126
Cargo Liner 128
Alliance Cruiser 128
El Dorado 128
Vehicles 129
Surface Travel 129
Air Travel 129
Vehicle Statistics 129
El Dorado (diagram) 130
Sample Vehicles 132
Mule 132
Hover Mule 133
Hovercraft 133
Skiff 133
Reaver Skiff (diagram) 134
Spaceship and Vehicle Combat 135
Scale 135
Vehicle Scale 135
Spacecraft Scale 136
Collision Damage 136
Mixing Scales 136
Chapter 5: Keep Flying 137
Payday (story) 138
Playing the Game 139
Using the Dice 140
The Real Basics (sidebar) 140
When to Roll 140
Extraordinary Success 141
Extraordinary Success & Damage 141
Attribute Rolls 142
Skilled Actions 142
Unskilled Crew and Skilled Actions 143
Opposed Actions 143
Botching 143
Complex Actions 143
Aiding Others 144
Life gets easier or the job gets harder 144
Plot Points 145
Gaining Plot Points 145
Complications in Play 145
Rewards 146
Spending Plot Points 146
Improving Actions 147
Staying Alive 147
Covering Your Assets 148
Story Manipulation 148
Combat 149
Timing-Combat Turns 150
Initiative 150
Resolution 150
Actions 150
Multiple Actions 150
Free Actions 150
Optional Initiative (sidebar) 151
Optional Secondary Actions (sidebar) 151
Moving About 151
Defend Yourself 151
Inflicting Violence 153
Special Situations 154
Automatic Weapons 154
Covering 154
Threatening 154
Breaking Stuff 154
Explosions 155
Firing into a Crowd 155
Unarmed Combat 155
Improvised Weapons 155
Obscured Vision 155
Prone 155
Unstable Terrain 155
Zero-Gravity 156
A World of Hurt 156
Taking Damage 156
1. Determine Basic Damage 156
2. Determine Weapon Damage 156
3. Fallout 156
Other Ways to Get Mangled 157
Patching Up 158
Natural Healing 158
Stun Damage 158
Wound Damage 158
Miracles of Modern Medicine 158
Chapter 6: Out in the Black 160
The Devil's Shoes (story) 161
Role of the Game Master 163
Launching Point 163
Serenity Basics 163
Gamer Terminology (sidebar) 163
Science Fiction 163
Technobabble 164
Language 164
26th Century Slang 164
Western 165
In with the Old, and In with the New 165
Livin' Lean & Hungry 166
All in the Family 166
There's No Place Like Home 166
Campaign Concepts 167
Underlying Themes 167
Creating the Crew 168
Character Building 168
Motivation 168
Character Roles 168
Establishing Relationships 169
Creating New Traits (sidebar) 170
Traits and Relationships 170
Designing Adventures 171
Starting the Adventure 171
Adventure Structure 171
Desire 171
Conflict 172
Rising Action 172
Climax 172
Resolution 173
Plots 173
Plot Types 173
Fleshing Out Plots 173
Non-Player Characters 174
Plot Twist 174
Events 174
Strange Scenes 174
Adventure Concepts 175
Long Arm of the Law 176
Sometimes Danger Fines You 176
Telling Whoppers (sidebar) 176
Breaking the Mold 176
Playing the Parts 176
"Stock" Characters 177
Important NPCs 177
Villains 178
Fellow Travelers 179
Alliance Officer, Disillusioned Veteran 179
Alliance Officer, Gung-Ho 179
Alliance Officer, Young and Green 179
Alliance Grunt 179
Bounty Hunter, High Tech 180
Bounty Hunter, Border Planet 180
Browncoat Ally 180
Unification War Vet and Proud of It 180
Bartender and Owner 180
Bartender, Hired Help 180
Barfly 181
Dance Hall Girl 181
Bar Floozy 181
Registered Companion (female) 181
Register Companion (male) 181
Sheydra 182
Buddhist Monk 182
Whore with a Heart of Gold 182
Settler Family 182
Father 182
Mother 183
Little Boy 183
Little Girl 183
Saloon Piano Player 183
Alliance Hospital Personnel 183
Trauma Surgeon 183
Trauma Nurse 183
Hospital Administrator 183
Security Guard 183
Paramedics 183
School Teacher 183
High-Falutin' Gentleman 184
Society Belle 184
Itinerant Frontier Revivalist 184
Preacher Man 184
Angel of Mercy 184
King of the Dung heap 185
Bully Boy 185
Tong Leader 185
Frontier Sheriff 185
Frontier Deputy 185
Frontier Doctor 185
Rim Shop Keeper 185
Fanty and Mingo 186
Hired Gun 186
Con Artist 186
Purveyor of Stolen Goods 186
Pawn Broker/Fence 186
Town Leader 187
Mr. Universe 187
Reaver 187
Dr. Mathias 188
The Operative of the Parliament 188
The Crew of Aces and Eights 189
Jack Leland 189
Hwa Ling 190
Maxx Williams 191
Time Bomb 192
Ramona Cortez 193
Rawhide 194
Chapter 7: A Brief Guide to the 'Verse 195
More of me to Love (story) 196
The Year 2518 197
History is Programmed by the Victors 197
Exodus 197
The Age of the Terraformers 198
Unification War 199
The Here and Now 200
Governments 200
The Anglo-Sino Alliance 200
The Independent Planets 201
The Military 201
The Law 202
Corporations 202
Blue Sun Corporation 202
The Corone Mining Consortium 203
Iskelian Technology Solutions 203
Unifed Reclamation 203
Guilds 204
Companions' Guild 204
The Syndicate 205
The Tongs 205
Traders' Guild 206
The Miners' Guild 206
Faith in the Verse 206
Reavers 207
Maps 208
The 'Verse 210
Central Planets 210
Ariel 210
Bernadette 210
Londinium 211
Osiris 211
Sihnon 212
Border Planets 212
Beaumonde 212
Bellerophon 213
Boros 213
Hera 213
Newhall 214
Paquin 214
Persephone 214
Santo 214
Verbena 215
Rim Planets 215
Athens 215
Beylix 216
Ezra 216
Greenleaf 216
Higgins' Moon 217
Jianyin 217
Lilac 217
Miranda 218
Regina 218
Shadow 218
Triumph 218
St.Albans 218
Appendix: Gorram Chinese 219
English and Chinese 219
Mutt Tongues 219
Frontier Slang 219
Basic Rim World Speech 219
A few examples 220
Slang: Frontier Life 220
Slang: Spacefaring 220
Slang: Underworld 220
Slang: Technical 220
Chinese Phrases 220
Jung J'Wohn Guo Hua like a True Spacer 221
(supplied by Robbie Matthews)