Coriolis: The Third Horizon: 1P Player Cheat

I'm preparing three different games for the Gauntlet Hangouts in April, Blades in the Dark (in Iruvia), 7th Sea The Crescent Empire, and Coriolis: The Third Horizon. I ran Coriolis before when the quickstart first came out. It shares the Mutant: Year Zero system, with a few key differences like level of combat granularity and how it handles rerolls. Below is a cheat sheet which should give players the basics when they come to the table. You can find a pdf here. 

BASICS
Coriolis uses much the same system as Mutant Year Zero, though more forgiving. 

You roll a pool of d6’s usually based on Attribute + Skill. You’re looking for one “6” for a success. That’s all you need. There are only 16 skills in the game: Basic and Advanced. You can only make an advanced skill test if you have at least a 1 in the skill. One or two successes is a limited success. Three+ successes is a critical success. In combat you can spend extra successes for additional results. 

No successes means the GM gets to inflict a problem. 

If you get no successes, you can ”Pray to an Icon.” Reroll all non-6 dice. You can only do this once per roll. BUT when you do this, the GM gets a Darkness Point. They can spend this on effects later in the session. You can do Preparatory Prayers to a particular icon. For the rest of the session you get an extra die when you reroll skills associated with that Icon.

Gear gives you extra dice to relevant skills. Aiding someone as an action gives an extra die. If you have the Command skill, you may roll that giving extra dice = to successes. 

Most skills are self-explanatory. Social leverage modifies Manipulation. Use Observation to spot ambushes and super-hidden things. Otherwise if you look for a thing, you find it.

Everyone begins with a randomly determined Icon association. This gives you an Icon talent. These talents as well as some others generate Darkness Points for the GM. The GM uses Darkness Points to make things ammo run out, have ship systems break, activate adversary abilities, reroll their check, give a reaction to an NPC, invoke a PC’s personal problem and so on.

COMBAT
Roll one die for initiative. Talents & combat successes can raise this. 

On your turn you have 3 Action Points (AP). Slow actions cost all 3 AP; normal actions cost 2 AP; and fast actions cost 1 AP. The lists make it look complicated, but it’s easy in play. 

• SLOW ACTIONS (3 AP): Firing an aimed shot; firing full auto; administering first aid; tinkering with a gadget; activating a mystical power. 
• NORMAL ACTIONS (2 AP): Attacking in close combat; firing a normal shot; reloading a weapon; ramming with a vehicle. 
• FAST ACTIONS (1 AP): Sprinting a short distance (typically 10m); taking cover; standing up; drawing a weapon; picking up an item; parrying; making an attack of opportunity in close combat; Making a quick shot; going into overwatch; getting into, starting, or driving a vehicle.
• FREE ACTIONS (0 AP): Using your armor against an attack; defending in an opposed roll; a quick shout to a comrade. 

A quick attack/shot is a fast action, but gives you a -2. 

STRESS= mental damage = Mind Points. DAMAGE = physical effects = Hit Points. 

Melee Combat
With a successful attack you inflict weapon damage. For each additional six, choose one bonus effect: 

• +1 damage (may choose multiple times.)
• Inflict a critical injury. This costs extra sixes (beyond the first one) equal to weapon’s Crit Rating. 
• Deal 1 point of stress (may choose multiple times)
• Raise your initiative score by 2 (may choose multiple times)
• Make enemy drop weapon or hand-held item.
• Pin your enemy in a tight clinch. 

Defending
Defending against a melee attack is a fast reaction. Test Melee Combat. Each six allows you to choose an effect. 

• Neutralize one enemy 6. 
• Perform an attack dealing weapon damage. You may not increase this. 
• Inflict a critical injury. This costs extra sixes (beyond the first one) equal to weapon’s Crit Rating. 
• Raise your initiative score by 2 (may choose multiple times)
• Make enemy drop weapon or hand-held item after attack. 

An aimed shot is a slow action, giving you +2. A quick shot is a fast action but you get a -2. Only at close range and your weapon empties if you fire three times.

Ranged Combat
With a successful attack you inflict weapon damage. For each additional six rolled, choose one bonus effect: 

• +1 damage (may choose multiple times.)
• Inflict a critical injury. This costs extra sixes (beyond the first one) equal to weapon’s Crit Rating. 
• Deal 1 point of stress (may choose multiple times)
• Raise your initiative score by 2 (may choose multiple times)
• Make enemy drop weapon or other hand-held item.

Additional Options: Grappling, Attacks of Opportunity, Reloading, Overwatch, Automatic Fire. 

Damage is not rolled, it is simply inflicted. Cover and Armor resist damage. Roll that value; each 6 reduces the damage. 

If you go to 0 HP, you are Broken. You cannot take actions or use skills. Further damage may cause Critical Injuries. If someone has the Medicurgy skill they may attempt first aid.

END OF SESSION: GM asks XP questions (risking for mission, personal problem, learning about PC, helping PC buddy, following Icon). You may spend 5 pts to raise a skill or add a talent. Some talents also cost brir (money).