Master Rules Document

Revenant Games

SAGE

Crafty Games

MASTER RULES DOCUMENT (MRD)


VERSION 4.1

These Campaign rules are in effect as of July 20th, 2008.

Original Source: http://spymaster.org/x/dpage/MRD


 
 
 

OGL Product Identity Declaration: All characters, names, places, and text herein is copyrighted by Revenant Games and is not OGL.
Reproduction without Revenant Games written permission is expressly forbidden.


Key Differences from Living Spycraft to Spymaster

This is a quick summary of the differences in how the campaign runs:
  • Rule Number One: The Story is King
  • Two character types: Signature and Unlimited. Signature characters are tracked from level-0 and can use in-story certs, where Unlimited are not and cannot.
  • You can play a Signature character at any level they have reached, from zero up to their current level.
  • When building a table, the levels should only be + or - one level from the lowest level character in the group. This is to help with table balance and to make it more approachable of a game for new players.
  • Judges get well rewarded for running and burning missions for other players.
  • Only one setting per Campaign, although both Wyrmstone and Spymaster are using the same campaign rules (Wyrmstone being the Fantasycraft Organized Play campaign). This does mean that Spymaster is specifically focused on the modern Spy genre. We may create other campaigns (such as Wyrmstone) for other settings, but that is a possibility to be explored later.
  • All characters, regardless of Faction or Freelance, track Reputation (keeps things simple).
  • Scenarios/Missions are broken into multiple tiers, with the first (ALPHA) being for community contributed and unnofficial, the second (BRAVO) is official and still free, and the third (CHARLIE) has the option for a low event cost to help generate more writers by providing royalties back to the authors. Custom missions may also be generated for conventions, using the ALPHA level mission.
  • More defined campaign setting, with clear antagonists and a structure to allow the community to direct the world, and contribute as coordinators.

SAGE Organized RPG Campaign (ORC) Rules

Spymaster uses the SAGE Organized RPG Campaign (ORC) rules version 1.4, with the Spymaster ORC Campaign Declarations v4.1. Anything described in the Rules Declarations are in addition to the ORC rules. In the case of a conflict, the rules described below take precedence.

Spymaster ORC Campaign Declarations v4.1 (Addendum)

The following rules are supplemental to the core SAGE-ORC rules.

Character Creation

New Spymaster characters are created according to the rules in the Core Rulebook, with the following enhancements:

  • Spymaster uses Signature and Unlimited characters as described in the SAGE-ORC rules (see below for the lone exception).
  • Each Character can begin at any level as desired by the Player as an Unlimited Character, or they must begin at first level for a Signature Character (see above).
  • Each Character begins with 2 Reputation, additional Reputation can be gained through play, and is tracked on the Character Journal. Net Worth is not tracked.
  • Each character gains the maximum possible vitality points at Level 1.
  • The number of vitality points a character gains when he rises in level is based on the vitality die of the class in which he gains the level: 5 for d8, 6 for d10, or 7 for d12.
  • Clergyman: The player may choose to belong to any real-world religion in the Spymaster campaign.
  • Test Subject: This Specialty is Limited.
  • Interests: The player may define his own Interests in the Spymaster campaign, within the limits set forth in the published rules.
  • Subplots: The player may not define his own Subplots in the Spymaster campaign. Although we encourage players to use Subplots in home games, the potential exists for abuse of Subplots in an Organized RPG Campaign.
  • Faction / Freelance: The Spymaster campaign features the hybrid campaign quality, so Faction and Freelance characters are both allowed. To keep things simple, however, both Faction and Freelance characters track reputation. Net Worth does not exist in the Spymaster campaign.

Past Living Spycraft 2.0 Character Conversion to Spymaster

If you have a Living Spycraft 2.0 Character, it may become a Spymaster Signature Character at its last Living Spycraft level! To do this:

  • Create a Character Journal for the character and reference the original Living Spycraft documentation, keeping the two together.
  • Create character builds for frequently used levels of the Character (NOTE: This is the Spymaster campaign's sole deviation from the SAGE-ORC rules on Signature characters--the Spymaster campaign strongly encourages lower-level builds of signature characters to allow for maximum play flexibility, but the maintenance of those builds is ultimately up to the player).

Rulebooks

The Spymaster Campaign uses the Spycraft 2.0 rules. The following materials are required when playing Spymaster. At least one copy of each must be available at each Spymaster table.

  • Core: The Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook (Either printing) -- when both printings are generally available, use only the rules in the second printing, which features the Crafty Games logo on the spine.
  • Expanded Rules -- Each player must bring 1 copy of each book or legal PDF other than the core rules featuring a character option he has taken, or a rule he wishes to use. When a player invokes a character option or rule to which he doesn't have access during play, the Game Control decides whether it may be used, and its effect (remember SAGE Rule#1).
  • Errata -- latest edition of any errata for any rule used (Core or Extended). This document is available on the Downloads page of the Crafty Games Website.
  • SAGE ORC Rules and the Spymaster Master Rules Document (MRD) -- this document, latest edition.

Expanded Rules

As new rules are released for Spycraft 2.0 , this section lists how they apply to Spymaster, with any applicable revisions. Some options will not become available and players should always check this section before using any Expanded rules. Any rulebook or expansion not explicitly listed in this section is considered Removed.

Bag Full of Guns (PDF Release)
All character options in these products are Open Access.
Agent X (PDF Release)
The following products from this line are Open Access: One-Man Army.
World on Fire
All character options with Allegiance requirements (Talents, Specialties, Classes, Feats, etc.) are Removed. The classes Mole, Provocateur, Saboteur and Terrorist are Removed. All other rules are Open Access.
Practice Makes Perfect
All character options in this product is Open Access.
Crafty Previews
The following Preview classes are Open Access: Lawman, Thief, Thug.
Signs & Portents (PDF magazine from Mongoose Publishing)
The Quartermaster expert class from issue 46 is Open Access.

Scenario/Mission Levels

In Spymaster there are three levels of Scenarios (also known as Missions):

Level-1 -- Classification Level Alpha Scenarios are those generated by the community, for the community, with no restrictions, and are freely available for download and upload. Level 1 scenarios are also typically not official Campaign Canon, any author can explore any option they wish with a Level-1 Scenario.

This avoids a majority of the politics that might occur, where one authors vision of a story may clash with another authors. Level-1 scenarios are much like "fan-fic" style games, where the fan base can explore alternate variations on the story without them ever being officially sanctioned.

Through the use of Level-1 scenarios authors are free to explore anything they wish (within the Writers Guidelines), and it is only up to the community to decide if the Author or Scenario is well received or not. Your Mileage May Vary. Level-1 Scenarios do not provide any Certificates. However, Reputation and XP gained from a Level-1 Scenario can be used with Signature Character advancement.

Level-2 -- Classification Bravo Scenarios are those which are approved by the Council, and are freely available. Level-2 scenarios also are approved as canon by Regional Coordinators. Level-2 Scenarios may provide Certificates (and thus access to Restricted Items).

Level-3 -- Classification Charlie Scenarios are similar to Level-2 Scenarios, but typically deal with the major plotlines. Level-3 Scenarios have a nominal per-event cost, with the proceeds going back to the author(s) as royalties and to cover campaign management costs. SAGE Karma Points can also be used to purchase scenarios within the same campaign (running events and helping with the campaign results in SAGE Karma Points for a member).

Living Spycraft Missions

You can play any Spycraft 2.0 Living Spycraft Mission listed in the Spymaster Missions list as a Level-1 ALPHA Mission. When playing these games, assume and translate accordingly:

  • "The Agency" in Living Spycraft is close to the same thing as "The Consortium" in Spymaster.
  • "UNITAS" is similar to "CORE" in Spymaster.
  • As with all Level-1 ALPHA missions, Certificates are not kept.
  • Organizations and other story elements of these missions may not apply to Spymaster.

Gear Considerations

Spymaster uses the Spycraft Core Gear system.

A gear item acquired during play carries over to following event rounds only if appropriate Possession slots are dedicated to it, as well as all add-ons and upgrades attached to it. Such an item is permanently lost at the start of the first mission during which appropriate Possession slots are not dedicated to it and each attached add-on and upgrade. If no Possession slots apply to a given acquisition -- such as a building erected using the Engineering skill or a back door established with a class ability or a hacking Advantage -- the acquisition may not carry over to following event rounds.

These rules apply to gear acquired from any source, including Build, Chemistry, Engineering, Fabrication, Forgery, Genetics, Installation, Mathematics, Modify, Pharmacology, Programming, and Super-Science checks, as well as mission bundles, theft, and other means.

Lost and destroyed Possessions, such as a cover identity shredded during a brainwashing Conflict, are automatically replaced at the start of the following event round, unless otherwise specified. Mission gear is chosen during the Intel Phase of each event round and therefore is not replaced in this fashion.

Money gained and organizations developed during play never carry over to following event rounds, no matter how they're acquired.

Unless otherwise specified, gadget Mechanisms may not be installed in a Spymaster character (i.e. a Spymaster character may not be the Housing for a gadget Mechanism).

Spymaster Mission Objectives

It's possible to misinterpret certain mission rewards. When the team completes two or more graded objectives within the same reward tree, they earn the XP for the highest-grade objective completed.

Example: A serial's Rewards section contains the following reward tree.

A. Destroying one or more vials of the antidote: 50 XP.

B. Capturing one or more vials of the antidote: 100 XP.

If a team of characters completes both of these objectives, the mission's base XP reward increases by 100 XP. This is the case even if they destroy every vial but one, and capture that last vial.

Campaign Qualities

The Spymaster campaign always features the hybrid and revolving door campaign qualities.

Copyright by Revenant Studio; Visit Surfing The Cloud | Riders of the Stars | Wyrmstone Spymaster and Spymaster the Game is a Trademark and Copyright of Revenant Creative Studio.