TEXT: TAM H
  
  Special thanks to chief play-tester, Eric M., without whom this game wouldn’t
  exist. The world we created together with the early homebrew version
  shaped and inspired these pages.
  Also inspired by my ﬁrst modern campaign, Urban Shadows, Monster of
  the Week, and a ton of TV shows, books, and movies.
  Notably: Buffy
  (movie and show), early Supernatural, Laurel K. Hamilton’s mysteries, Si-
  mon Green’s Nightside, Blade, Tanya Huff’s urban fantasy, Bloodnet, For-
  ever Knight, P.N. Elrod’s vampires, Nick Pollotta’s Bureau 13.
  Urban/Modern/Fantasy is by Tam H. The text is licensed under Creative
  Commons Attribution 4.0. The for use with DW logo by Mike Weem is
  licensed under CC Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported.
  UMF is based on Dungeon World by Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel, which
  is licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0.
  Make Camp, Get Some Rest, Recover, and condensed debilities adapted
  from Revised Debilities (CC-BY) by Jeremy Strandberg:
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/18HVXpyAiWP-q9dh2W3G8ni8vj7gJJGc_souVWmT3kqA/
  Art courtesy of the photographers of Unsplash and Pexels:
  Amistad, Andrew
  Benz, Andre
  Blackeye, Jason
  Chaozzy, Lin
  Cheek, Blake
  Cooper, Jonathan
  Cordoba, Frankie
  de Klerk, Geran
  de Nadai, Rafael
  del Cuesta, Jc
  Detroit, Tony
  Donaghy, Tyler
  Eckersley, Scott
  Filipe, Joel
  Franco, Camila Q.
  Gill, Dollar
  Graham, Drew
  Grizzell, Andy
  Hayder, Bayar
  Heyerlein, H
  High, Christopher P.
  Intraversato, A.
  Jensen, Daniel
  Korpa, Jr
  Kotyk, Olenka
  Kuzu, Emre
  Lincoln, Daniel
  Link, Holger
  Lykruwe
  Mariana, Isabella
  Mendoza, Luz
  Negele, Tobias
  Nevozhai, Denys
  Newhall, Marten
  O’Donnell, Elijah
  Popov, Alexander
  Rivera, Hermes
  Salvino, John
  Saunders, Frank
  Troupe, Hannah
  V, Franck
  van Rensburg, Tertia
  Wittstock, Lennart
  Wong, Warren
  Zayane, Zakaria
  This LaTeX document uses Lora, Monserrat, and Being Human.
  Thanks to everyone on the Dungeon World and RPGTalk Discords
  who put up with me endlessly talking about this. Y’all are saints.
  
  Contents
  Introduction
  3
  How to Play, Brieﬂy
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  4
  Character Generation
  7
  The Playbooks
  13
  The Charismatic
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  14
  The Dedicated
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  20
  The Fast
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  26
  The Genius
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  32
  The Strong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  40
  The Tough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  46
  The Supernaturals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  53
  The Vampire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  95
  Playing the Game
  105
  The Implied Setting
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Basic Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
  Minor Moves
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  113
  Recuperation Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  116
  Gear
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  117
  Running the Game
  121
  Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  Principles
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
  GM Moves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
  Common Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
  Challenging Mortals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
  Challenging the Supernatural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
  Setting & Campaigns
  145
  Those Who Hunt Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
  Major Crimes Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
  Invasion
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
  Trapped
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  151
  My Bloody Valentine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
  The Long Con . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
  Missions & Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
  Tables & Generators
  161
  
  Introduction
  
  U
  rban/Modern/Fantasy (UMF) is a toolkit for running mod-
  ern adventures using the rules laid out in Dungeon World,
  a fantasy game derived from Apocalypse World.
  It is is
  more or less compatible with Dungeon World, with a few caveats,
  and a little imagination.
  If you know how to play Dungeon World, you already know the
  basics of how to play UMF. If you don’t, you may ﬁnd the informa-
  tion in the following chapters enough to manage, but you’ll have an
  easier time of it if you read Dungeon World as well. Especially the
  chapter on how to play, the GM’s chapter, and the play example.
  In this book you’ll ﬁnd rules adjustments for Dungeon World, ad-
  vice for handling modern situations like gunﬁghts and car chases,
  and tools for running meaningful NPCs and developing a mod-
  ern setting, whether that’s one with paranormal elements or not.
  You’ll also ﬁnd six new playbooks and sixteen supernatural paths
  (similiar to compendium classes).
  A few things to keep in mind:
  Dungeon World is the heart of this game; you can, and should,
  always fall back to Dungeon World rules as needed.
  Speciﬁc always wins over general. Use the most speciﬁc Move
  available for a given situation.
  If two Moves conﬂict, try to use the best interpretation for the
  player. And always round up. Remember: be a fan!
  3
  
  HOW TO PLAY, BRIEFLY
  UMF is a conversation, a back and forth between the players at the
  table, who are divided into two roles. Players explore the world
  using their characters, while the Gamemaster, or GM, serves as
  their lens, describing the world as the characters would see and
  experience it, and also controls the other pieces in play.
  Like other Apocalypse World derived games (known as “powered
  by the apocalypse” or “pbta”), UMF expects the GM to ask a lot of
  questions of the players, and to use their creative input to help
  deﬁne the world, explore their premises, and to develop the nar-
  rative that you all build together. Ultimately, however, the GM is
  the ﬁnal arbiter of what is true in the game’s ﬁction.
  You’ll ﬁnd more details in the chapter on Playing the Game, but
  for now it’s enough to know that when you are a player and it’s
  your turn, you narrate what your character feels and does, and if
  a Move triggers, dice are rolled and the Move’s rules are followed.
  If no Move triggers, that’s a trigger for the GM to make a move
  instead; they’ll complicate your character’s life.
  Find Someone (Cha)
  When you go looking for someone who can help you, 2d6+CHA.
  On a 10+, you ﬁnd them and they’re open to negotiation. On a
  7-9, they’re in trouble or dealing with a problem when you get
  there, or you have to settle for a lesser version like an assistant
  or protege.
  Moves have three parts; a trigger, generally beginning with “when
  you”, that says what must happen ﬁctionally to make the rest of the
  move happen, instructions on what to roll or do when the trigger
  happens, and clauses that tell you what happens next depending
  on your roll result. Moves are always, and only, triggered by things
  that happen in the game’s ﬁction.
  A roll is two regular six-sided dice (d6s), rolled and added together
  with a modiﬁer, usually between -1 and +3, derived from the rolling
  4
  
  player’s character’s ability scores. In UMF, like Dungeon World, the
  players handle almost all rolls.
  If a roll’s total is 10+, success! You get what you want, and often an
  additional beneﬁt. If it is a 7-9, it’s still a success, but it’s qualiﬁed,
  partial, or there’s some drawback. If it’s a 6-, it’s probably (but not
  always) a failure, and the GM will make a hard Move, from their list
  of GM Moves, in addition to any bad stuff speciﬁed by the Move.
  Bonuses Sometimes you’ll roll an extra die and keep the best two
  (advantage), or keep the worst two (disadvantage).
  Sometimes you’ll add +1 forward, meaning a one time +1 bonus to
  either the next roll or to the next roll of a speciﬁc type, or +1 ongo-
  ing, meaning you keep adding that +1 to any appropriate rolls until
  the GM tells you the ﬁction has changed signiﬁcantly enough it no
  longer applies.
  You might also earn hold for a roll. Hold points can be spent to
  achieve effects. Hold is tracked and spent according to the Move
  you earned it from’s clauses, and lasts until the ﬁction changes
  enough that it is no longer relevant.
  Riley’s got the satchel and, in the back seat of the jeep, Audrey out
  cold and still bleeding from the vampire’s bite. Riley’s player: “I
  drive fast, but careful, straight to Ella’s. It’s late but she might still
  be up.”
  GM: “Going for a healer, that sounds like you’re looking for someone
  who can help you, right?” That triggers the Find Someone move.
  The roll is a 2 and a 3, plus Riley’s CHA of 2 makes 7– a partial. So
  Ella’s home, but in trouble or dealing with a problem, since we’ve
  already established that she doesn’t have an assistant or protege.
  “Okay, you get there, the lights are on, the gym’s open. As you duck
  in, you see her talking with Elliot. He’s a vampire, he’s deﬁnitely go-
  ing to notice the blood, and you’ll recall he has a thing for Audrey.
  What do you do?”
  5
  
  Character Generation
  
  C
  haracters in UMF have a base playbook that deﬁnes them
  in broad strokes, each centered around one ability score:
  Strong, Fast, Genius, Dedicated, Tough, or Charismatic.
  The base playbook you choose determines your Signature Move,
  which grants advantage on a speciﬁc, narrow type of roll, and pro-
  vides suggestions for details like name, look, and gear.
  As you advance, you may choose Moves from any playbook or path
  your character qualiﬁes for, including Dungeon World and DW-
  compatible playbooks, with the GM’s approval.
  This means that you might start out a Fast Celebrity, but over time
  take Moves from Tough, or Psychic, or Shapeshifter, depending on
  where your vision and the ﬁction carries you. You will also have a
  built-in mechanic for gaining new Moves “on the ﬂy”– the Mani-
  fest Power Basic Move.
  It’s a good idea to do character creation as a group, and to discuss
  any overlaps in approach and Moves before play begins. There’s
  nothing that says you can’t all bring Oracles or Haunted or Were-
  wolves (especially Werewolves!) to the table, but each player should
  at least choose a different base playbook to help ensure the spot-
  light is shared fairly.
  Morgan, Charlie, Dee, and I sit down to make characters for Ryan’s
  Chicago game. Ryan tells us we’re all monster hunters, but not
  current law enforcement, and that we all know each other in some
  way. I decide to make a psychic detective.
  I consider Fast, but I like the world-weary ex-cop vibe of the Ded-
  icated so I pick that instead, letting Dee take Fast. My signature
  Move is Deep Wisdom, and has three options: seasoned, savvy, or
  empathetic. I choose empathetic; I have advantage on rolls where
  being in tune with emotions, my own and others, is helpful.
  7
  
  The default stat array is 16, 15, 13, 12, 9,
  and 8. Assign one of these numbers to each
  of Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelli-
  gence, Strength, and Wisdom.
  Your stat modiﬁer, between -1 and +3, is de-
  rived from your ability scores; when the text
  refers to the abbreviated form (CHA, CON,
  DEX, INT, STR or WIS) it’s referring to the
  modiﬁer, not the base number.
  Score
  Mod
  1-3
  -3
  4-5
  -2
  6-8
  -1
  9-12
  0
  13-15
  +1
  16-17
  +2
  18
  +3
  Low stats don’t necessarily mean your character is bad at that as-
  pect of life, but they do indicate where most of your character’s
  complications will happen. Put your high numbers in areas you’ll
  be rolling a lot (look at your Moves), and in areas you’re less inter-
  ested in seeing complicate your character’s life. If you’re new to
  the game, put the 16 or 15 in your playbook’s core stat.
  I put my 16 in my core Dedicated stat, Wisdom, giving me a +2 WIS.
  She’s all about heart, not ﬁsts, and I like the idea that when she
  does throw a punch, it usually ends up causing trouble for her, so I
  put my 8 in Strength (-1 STR).
  A negotiator needs social skills, so I’ll put the 15 in Charisma, for a
  +1 CHA, and the 13 in Intelligence for a +1 INT. Dexterity and Consti-
  tution get the 12 (0 DEX) and 9 (0 CON) respectively, since I might
  want to increase Dexterity eventually.
  Choose your name, look, and gear, and write down your max HP
  (base as listed in the playbook + Constitution, not just CON). Try
  not to sweat this stuff yet; let the character come to you as you
  pick options, and remember you can always come back later or
  revise.
  I decide on Hero for her ﬁrst name, and North for her last. She’s def-
  initely got haunted eyes; she’s seen a lot lately. Her hair’s profes-
  sional, her clothing casual, but I don’t like the options for “body” so I
  write in “petite”–she’s physically unimposing with that -1 Strength.
  Maybe an illness in the past or just bad genes? Compensating for
  it has always been a chip on her shoulder.
  8
  
  I like the idea of being down on my luck, with the pressure of need-
  ing to make rent, so I pick the by-the-week motel room. With a
  Load of 9 she’s not carrying much on her; she’s got a ﬁeld kit in her
  car trunk and a shotgun under it.
  For “Income” I pick Finder. she uses her psychic gifts to make rent
  but has a hard time charging for bad news. Her HP is 8+Constitu-
  tion (not CON!), so a solid 20 HP to start.
  Pick your drive; if you’re not sure, prioritize your mundane life.
  Choose between a starting Talent or +1 Damage now. You’ll get to
  choose one of these again at level 6.
  Hero is all about her mundane life, keeping her head down and
  pretending to be normal when she’s not actively using her powers
  to solve a case. I’m tempted by the damage, but instead I pick Tal-
  ent [Exceptionally Risky Parkour]. That’s how she works off stress,
  and it compensates for the 0 DEX just enough to be interesting.
  Choose a background or create your own; this reﬂects your char-
  acter’s past and gives you an extra Move. Choose two more Moves
  you qualify for, from any path or playbook, paying attention to the
  requirements for each path.
  I choose the Law Enforcement background, giving her the Move
  Investigative Specialist. That Move tells me to pick a specialty; I
  decide on Forensic Art. I also take Tough-Minded; at some point
  she walked out on a promising career because of pride and a re-
  fusal to compromise.
  The only moves you can’t choose yet are those that are gated be-
  hind requirements that are not justiﬁed by your character’s ﬁction
  or that you don’t have enough levels for yet. Note that you can’t
  have two Signature Moves as a mortal.
  That leaves me one ﬁnal Move pick, and while I have the “detec-
  tive” part I’m still not a psychic! Fortunately, the Psychic path gives
  me two moves for the price of one. I take Object Reading for the
  ﬁrst, and for the second, Poltergeist (from The Haunted but acces-
  sible through Psychic too) seems useful. That gives me a total of
  ﬁve Moves, four using WIS.
  9
  
  You should have at least four Moves; one Signature, one Back-
  ground, and any two other Moves, plus any bonus Moves granted
  by your choices.
  Now look at your character in total, and consider their Entangle-
  ments. Entanglements are simple statements of how your char-
  acter feels towards another character, generally in the form:
  Name (relationship to me) is, has, or does something
  important to me and this is how I feel about it.
  Create at least one Entanglement that ties the character to an NPC
  and at least one that ties them to another PC.
  I talk to Kim about how Hero knows her ex-military Tough Weapon
  Expert. “Joe (my dad’s best friend) has special gifts too, but unlike
  him I don’t want to be a superhero.”
  I also decide that Hero has an NPC best friend, an detective she
  used to be partners with. I write down “Sam, my ex-partner, doesn’t
  know I have psychic powers and I want to keep it that way.”
  Now write down the character’s Dread, a long-term issue like “no-
  body will ever love me” or “my skills are not enough to protect
  those I love”. Also choose two Desires, or things they want right
  now, immediately and concretely, like “ﬁnd a date for the party”
  or “eat a really good burger”.
  I think about it for a moment, and write down “people will reject
  me if they ﬁnd out” as Hero’s Dread; she gave up a job she loved
  rather than reveal her new powers.
  Her immediate Desires are “make rent” and “why me?”; she wants
  to keep a roof over her head, and she wants to know more about
  the source of her newly developing powers.
  Finally, go back and make any changes to reﬂect any discoveries
  you’ve made along the way. Now you’re ready to play.
  10
  
  11
  
  The Playbooks
  
  T
  here are six core mortal playbooks, each based around one of
  the stat attributes, each with one basic and two advanced
  paths containing ﬁve moves each.
  While you can build solely out of one core playbook, you should
  take a look at the others before you decide on your Moves. There
  are a lot of options and plenty of beneﬁts to choosing outside your
  own playbook.
  Remember, regardless of what playbook a move is part of, if you
  qualify for it, you can take it.
  The Charismatic Playbook
  The Charismatic Path
  The Manipulator Path
  The Celebrity Path
  The Dedicated Playbook
  The Dedicated Path
  The Investigator Path
  The Community Organizer Path
  The Fast Playbook
  The Fast Path
  The Rogue Path
  The Gunslinger Path
  The Genius Playbook
  The Genius Path
  The Field Scientist Path
  The Hacker Path
  The Strong Playbook
  The Strong Path
  The Weapon Expert Path
  The Athlete Path
  The Tough Playbook
  The Tough Path
  The Bruiser Path
  The Daredevil Path
  13
  
  “Your help is much appreciated, Circe,” Orion says smoothly to the
  fae leader. “You’re satisﬁed, we’re satisﬁed. We’ll be going now.”
  She tilts her head in a very slow way, ﬁxing him with pale orbs that
  nearly lack all color. “We bargained for passage in; nothing was said
  of ’out’,” she says, and a muscle in his jaw tightens. “Give me the
  ﬂesh-fae worm and I will open a portal for you.”
  “For all of us,” Orion says, and her eyes glitter.
  “For all of you.”
  THE CHARISMATIC
  Attractive. Magnetic. Vivacious. The Charismatic knows people
  they can talk into making their lives easier, or talk into getting
  them what they want, either by calling in old debts or just by being
  charming.
  The Manipulator pushes buttons and manipulates to get their way;
  the Celebrity does it through being a literal celebrity.
  Consider dipping into Dedicated for detecting skills and empathy,
  or into Fast to get out of the trouble your mouth will talk you into.
  SMOKIN’ HOT
  When being good-looking or having a forceful personality
  is an asset, roll an extra die of a different color and keep
  the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Hot die, the GM
  will tell you how someone’s regard has changed or trust has
  been broken, in addition to any other consequences.
  14
  
  Names
  Veronica, Madison, Andre, Maddox, Dallas, a glamorous name,
  a stage name, a stuck-up name
  Look
  Choose one for each, or make up your own:
  Eyes
  Haughty, Sparkling, Bedroom
  Hair
  Stylish, On Trend, Classic
  Clothing
  Stylish, Flashy, Trendy
  Body
  Toned, Hot, Athletic
  Heritage
  Human
  Background
  Choose one, or make up your own:
  Child Star
  Start with Minor Personality.
  Crime Reporter
  Choose a Dedicated Move.
  Grifter
  Choose a Fast Move.
  Drive
  Choose one:
  Mortal
  Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Other
  Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Gear
  You start with a nice place to live, like a room in your parents’
  mansion or a brownstone you share with other beautiful people, a car
  that’s on a two year lease or a lift service subscription, and a new phone
  in a distinctive case.
  Think about where you live and what you drive, and what it says about you.
  If one of these doesn’t “ﬁt”, cross it out and replace it with something that
  does.
  You also have:
  • A bag with your necessaries (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Choose two:
  • A stylish leather jacket (1 armor, 1 weight)
  • A sponsorship deal for a local business
  • Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  • Contact numbers for interesting people (5 uses, 0 weight)
  Your Max Load is 9+STR.
  Income
  Service Job, Trust Fund, Dancer, Your Own
  Stats
  The starting array is 16 (+2), 15 (+1), 13 (+1), 12 (0), 9 (0), and 8 (-
  1). Your starting HP is 6+Constitution (not CON). Choose if you have +1
  damage or a starting Talent now.
  15
  
  THE CHARISMATIC PATH
  KNOW SOMEBODY
  You always know somebody who can get what you need or who
  knows someone else who does. When you roll to ﬁnd someone,
  treat a miss as a bigger partial (you still mark XP).
  NAME TO A FACE (CHA)
  When you see someone’s face for the ﬁrst time, roll+WIS. On a hit,
  the GM will tell you who they appear to be and what their reputa-
  tion is. On a 10+, you know something they’ve done they wouldn’t
  want everyone to know. Tell the GM how you discovered this and
  if you think they’ll remember you.
  INSPIRE (WIS)
  When you do or say something inspiring in front of your allies,
  roll+CHA. On a hit, take 1 Inspiration to give to one of those present,
  who can spend it to add +1 to a roll by declaring how you inspired
  them. On a 10+, take +2 hold and divide it as you see ﬁt. Only 1
  Inspiration can be spent per roll.
  NOT THE FACE
  You’re skilled at taking hits where you want to. When the GM de-
  clares that you’ll take a speciﬁc injury to a body part, tell them how
  you manage to take it in different location of your choosing. If they
  veto this change, mark XP.
  PEOPLE PERSON
  Add “when you use your words when action would be easier and
  safer” as a new trigger for Smokin’ Hot.
  MAGNIFICENT ORATOR
  When you trigger Inspire, you gain +1 hold, even on a miss, and the
  bonus from spending Inspiration increases to +2.
  16
  
  THE MANIPULATOR PATH
  BLATANT LIAR (CHA)
  When you lie boldly to someone’s face, you take a +1 forward to negotiate
  with them as long as you maintain the lie. On a 10+, they won’t question
  it unless it becomes an obvious lie.
  THE BIRDS OUT OF THE TREES
  When you use fast-talk, blufﬁng, or cajoling to get your way, on any roll
  result you may choose one:
  • someone present’s regard or feelings are changed
  • you learn a secret or gain an advantage against the target
  • an opportunity appears or disappears
  AIR OF AUTHORITY
  You may or may not have the authority to bargain for a million dollars
  in small, unmarked bills, to perform heart surgery, or to teach a class on
  physics, but if you conﬁdently state you do, most people will believe you.
  If they’re suspicious of your claims, take +1 ongoing to bluff about what
  you can and cannot do.
  FACADE (CHA)
  When you pretend to be someone you’re not, roll+CHA. Take +1 if any two
  are true: you’re in the right place, you’re dressed the part, you’re carrying
  the right equipment.
  On a hit, they believe you are who you are pretending to be unless given
  serious cause to doubt. On a 7-9, they’re suspicious enough to go looking
  for conﬁrmation or ﬁnd you unexpectedly interesting, GM’s choice.
  COLD READ (CHA)
  You can convince people that you have special insight or psychic pow-
  ers through psychological tricks. When you exploit someone psycholog-
  ically or emotionally, roll+CHA. On a 10+, they believe what you’ve told
  or shown them, and trust you until you prove false. On a 7-9, also choose
  one:
  • they’ll catch on before too long or someone else catches on now
  • they act immediately and rashly, thinking you want them to
  • they demand proof or assurances before they believe you
  17
  
  THE CELEBRITY PATH
  MINOR PERSONALITY (CHA)
  You’re famous in certain circles for something. Tell the GM what it is and
  what those circles are, like “youtube daredevil” or “friend of a reality tv
  star” or “local news anchor”.
  When you attempt to live up to your image, choose one:
  • you do it ﬂawlessly; nobody watching this could believe you are any-
  thing but what you seem
  • you add a new aspect, skill, or degree to your image that wasn’t
  there before
  • you do something dangerous, foolish, or embarrassing to play to
  your image; whatever else happens, mark XP
  PRACTICED PERFORMER
  Add “perform to entertain, please, or thrill others” to the trigger for Smokin’
  Hot.
  RECKLESS INDIFFERENCE
  When you recklessly ignore danger or laugh in the face of adversity, you
  may roll+CHA instead of +CON.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  LOOK AT ME (CHA)
  When you demand one or more people’s attention, roll+CHA. On a 10+,
  they meet your gaze and hold it until distracted. On a 7-9, they look away
  after a moment.
  NO BROWN M&MS (CHA)
  When you demand privacy or privilege based on your fame or infamy,
  roll+CHA. On a 10+, people are mildly annoyed, impressed, afraid, or as-
  tonished, but everyone accommodates you. On a 7-9, almost everyone
  does; choose who doesn’t:
  • someone who you’d really rather not see right now
  • someone who actually has authority but is unsure of you
  • someone who is reaching for their phone
  18
  
  19
  
  “Would you trade the lives of two for the lives of millions?” the oracle coun-
  ters. “I warned you that you would face hard choices. You’ve only just set
  foot on that path.”
  “I wouldn’t,” Cade says, stubbornly. “There’s always a way to save everyone,
  if you try hard enough.”
  She stares at him, eyes mocking. “Your father has sheltered you, kept you
  from realizing your own strength,” she says. “You could do terrible, won-
  drous things with your powers if you were willing to sacriﬁce. Remember
  that.”
  “I’m always willing to sacriﬁce myself–” Cade starts, and she cuts him off.
  “You can sacriﬁce others, too,” she says, with just a hint of malice. The words
  hang in the air between them.
  “No,” Cade says ﬂatly. “I can’t.” He hesitates, and then walks out without
  another word, but his face says he’s thinking hard.
  THE DEDICATED
  The Dedicated is all about knowing people in an authentic way, unlike the
  Charismatic who is more about manipulation. They’ve been around the
  block a few times, are keenly empathetic, or are very well-trained.
  The Investigator is the quintessential detective, the guy in the rumpled
  suit or in the starched uniform. The Organizer is a neighborhood ﬁxture
  who knows everyone, a streetwise paladin for the dark streets.
  Both paths beneﬁt from dips into Tough, to keep them alive, and from
  Charismatic, to get people moving the way they want them to.
  DEEP WISDOM
  Choose if you are seasoned, savvy, or empathetic. When this is an
  asset, roll an extra die of a different color and keep the best two.
  On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Wise die, the GM will tell you how
  someone’s accidentally hurt or led astray, in addition to any other
  consequences.
  20
  
  Names
  Mercy, Constantine, Lincoln, Honor, Hero, a virtue name, a strong
  name, a hero’s name
  Look
  Choose one for each, or make up your own:
  • Eyes
  Haunted, Tired, Warm
  • Hair
  Rumpled, Professional, Short
  • Clothing
  Neat, Rumpled, Casual
  • Body
  Plump, Rangy, Athletic
  • Heritage
  Human
  Background
  Choose one, or make up your own:
  Law Enforcement
  Start with Investigative Specialist.
  Mercenary
  Choose a Strong Move.
  Boxer
  Choose a Tough Move.
  Drive
  Choose one:
  Mortal
  Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Other
  Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Gear
  You start with a shabby place to live, like a small apartment lit by a
  neon sign or a by-the-week motel room, a car that’s packed with old case
  ﬁles or prone to engine trouble, and an unremarkable cellphone.
  Think about where you live and what you drive, and what it says about you.
  If one of these doesn’t “ﬁt”, cross it out and replace it with something that
  does.
  You also have:
  • Bug out bag (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Choose two:
  • A reinforced trenchcoat (1 armor, 1 weight)
  • A ﬁeld kit in your trunk (5 uses, 2 weight)
  • Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  • Shotgun (near, scatter-shot, ammo 2, 2 weight)
  Your Max Load is 10+STR.
  Income
  Consultant, Finder, Bartender, Your Own
  Stats
  The starting array is 16 (+2), 15 (+1), 13 (+1), 12 (0), 9 (0), and 8 (-
  1). Your starting HP is 8+Constitution (not CON). Choose if you have +1
  damage or a starting Talent now.
  21
  
  THE DEDICATED PATH
  A FRIEND TO ALL (WIS)
  You have a group of people who call you friend and give you advice, aid, or
  information. At the start of a session, roll+WIS. On a 10+, hold 3 Friend-
  ship. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, hold 1; the GM also holds 1 they can
  spend to have the group complicate your life.
  Spend 1 Friendship to call in a favor from the group that won’t cost them
  much. Spend 3 to get them to inconvenience themselves greatly or put
  themselves in danger.
  TACTICIAN
  When you can use terrain or environmental conditions to your beneﬁt,
  you gain +1 to attack or defend.
  WHAT EVIL LURKS
  You know people, how they think, how they lie to others and to them-
  selves, and why. When you use discern to study a person or a group of
  people, add “what’s the loudest emotional subtext here?” and “what do
  you want out of this situation?” to the list.
  FORTUNE COOKIE
  Choose an additional trigger for Deep Wisdom, from the existing triggers
  or one of the following:
  • you act in anticipation of someone else’s incipient hostile action
  • you act to prevent or delay someone from making the kind of mis-
  takes that you’ve made in the past
  STOIC
  You never give yourself away with an involuntary reaction if you’re in pain
  or startled. When confronted with pain, fear, or loss of control, even of
  magical origin, take +1 ongoing to remain in control of yourself or to resist
  being compelled.
  MOSTLY HARMLESS
  You are often underestimated or discounted as a threat, even by those
  who should know better. When you strike at or react to someone who
  has underestimated you, take +1 forward.
  22
  
  THE INVESTIGATOR PATH
  INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALIST (WIS)
  Pick a specialty like proﬁling, forensics, or pathology. When you use your
  specialty to investigate a crime, roll+WIS. On a 10+, gain a major clue that
  points you towards someone you must see or a place you should go. On
  a 7-9, also choose one:
  • you attract unwanted attention
  • you can’t prove what you’ve found
  • it’ll take longer than expected to pursue the lead
  EXPERT WITNESS
  You always know someone who can help you with advice, aid, or informa-
  tion. When you go looking for an expert who can help you, pick one after
  rolling to Find Someone:
  • they owe you a favor and will honor it
  • you have or know something they will be very interested in
  • the roll result counts as a 10+
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  TOUGH-MINDED (WIS)
  You’ve seen it all before, or just
  about. When you are affected by
  horror, fear, or mental compul-
  sion, roll+WIS. On a 10+, you shake
  it off. On a 7-9, also choose one.
  • you act under the charm, but
  catch yourself quickly
  • it drives you to your knees or
  leaves you off balance
  • the enemy leaves a hook in
  you
  If you have Stoic, you may add “you
  use your Stoic bonus on a roll and
  fail” to the trigger for this move.
  23
  
  CRUSADER
  Choose an additional trigger for Deep Wisdom, from the existing triggers
  or one of the following:
  • you act in defense of someone else
  • you act to prevent a crime or miscarriage of justice
  SAW IT COMING (WIS)
  When a shocking betrayal, ambush, or similar surprise is revealed, ask
  the GM how early you anticipated it, and then explain how you prepared,
  with as much preparation as you could reasonably have achieved in secret,
  in the given time, and roll+WIS. On a 10+, the enemy is blindsided; also
  choose who takes +1 ongoing, you or an ally. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • a sacriﬁce of something of value to you•a d6 of damage or a debility,
  right now
  • the aid of a co-conspirator, who demanded a high price
  If the GM vetoes your preparation, mark XP instead.
  24
  
  THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER PATH
  COMMUNITY MEMBER
  Name a social group or neighborhood. When you ﬁrst encounter a crea-
  ture, location, person, or item important to that group (GM’s call), tell the
  GM something useful and interesting you know about it because you’re
  from around here. If the GM disagrees, mark XP.
  FOR A CAUSE
  You have a community cause or goal you’re particularly passionate about,
  like “restore the old library” or “settle this turf war”. Take +1 ongoing when
  you pursue it if determination helps. You can change this goal with a few
  hours of soul searching or by completing it.
  FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
  You might have made it good, or just out, but you’re still from around
  here. Choose a mark of the community, like an accent, idiom, or token
  style of dress; you can turn it on and off. You take +1 ongoing to deal with
  community members who recognize you, and they’ll open up to you in
  ways they wouldn’t to an outsider.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  ROLE MODEL
  People know you have integrity and ﬁnd you comforting to be around.
  When you have an honest, meaningful talk with someone, they hold 1
  Morale and you hold 1 Morale. You, or they, can spend Morale later to add
  +1 or -2 to a roll they make, even if you’re not present.
  COMMUNITY ICON
  You are a pillar of your community, well-known and respected. People
  come to you for advice and to settle conﬂicts, and will generally abide by
  your decisions. Choose two.
  • you may have a second non-conﬂicting goal from For a Cause
  • you each hold 2 when you use Role Model
  • choose another social group for the purposes of Community Mem-
  ber. If you have From the Neighborhood, choose marks for each of
  your new groups; you take +2 instead of +1 when using a mark.
  25
  
  The sword passes harmlessly through the center of the icy wind elemental,
  now swelling into a dark cloud that’s black against the gray sky and blotting
  out the lights across the roof.
  “Alright, time for a new strategy.” Lucas takes off running, vaults up onto
  a fan unit, and then smoothly leaps from the roof of the hotel toward the
  apartment building, aiming to land on the ﬁre escape.
  He lands, harder than intended, and rolls into a crouch near a window cov-
  ered with potted plants. The dark cloud extends tendrils of fog across the
  roof as it seeks for him, the howling painfully loud.
  He throws a plant through the window, then dives after it, sliding into a
  kitchen chair. No time to think, just to throw himself ﬂat, as a heavy object
  comes ﬂying towards his head.
  Lucas fumbles out his ﬂashlight and ﬂicks it on directly into the ﬁgure’s eyes.
  THE FAST
  The Fast is all about being fast, whether that’s sizing up a situation before
  it gets dangerous and then getting out of it unscathed or shooting ﬁrst.
  The Rogue is the classic thief, with moves to stay unnoticed in a crowd and
  to sneak into places they shouldn’t be. The Gunslinger is preternaturally
  good with a ranged weapon.
  You’ll ﬁnd Tough’s ability to size up the opposition and take a beating use-
  ful, but consider Dedicated’s Organizer or Charismatic’s Celebrity to ex-
  pand your range.
  LIGHTNING REFLEXES
  When being fast’s an asset, you can roll a die of a different color
  and keep the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Fast die, the
  GM will tell you something you lose your grasp on or control of in
  the process, in addition to any other consequences.
  26
  
  Names
  Nick, Dominique, Trix, Scout, Marlowe, a short name, a myste-
  rious name, a fake name
  Look
  Choose one for each, or make up your own:
  Eyes
  Sharp, Calculating, Icy
  Hair
  Practical, Unremarkable, Styled,
  Clothing
  Practical, Dark,Pocketed,
  Body
  Lithe, Lean, Flexible,
  Heritage
  Human
  Background
  Choose one, or make up your own:
  Petty Criminal
  Start with Hard to Pin Down.
  Agent
  Choose a Dedicated Move.
  Athlete
  Choose a Strong or Tough Move.
  Drive
  Choose one:
  Mortal
  Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Other
  Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Gear
  You start with a modest place to live, like a small apartment over
  a restaurant or a bungalow in a quiet neighborhood, a non-descript car
  that runs well and won’t attract notice, and an unremarkable cellphone.
  Think about where you live and what you drive, and what it says about you.
  If one of these doesn’t “ﬁt”, cross it out and replace it with something that
  does.
  You also have:
  • Useful stuff in pockets (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Choose two:
  • Padded jacket (1 armor, 1 weight)
  • Climbing gear in the trunk (5 uses, 2 weight)
  • Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  • Riﬂe (far, ammo 3, 2 piercing, 2 weight)
  Your Max Load is 9+STR.
  Income
  Athlete, Larceny, Retail, Your Own
  Stats
  The starting array is 16 (+2), 15 (+1), 13 (+1), 12 (0), 9 (0), and 8 (-
  1). Your starting HP is 6+Constitution (not CON). Choose if you have +1
  damage or a starting Talent now.
  27
  
  THE FAST PATH
  FAST SCAN
  You can discern realities with a glance; you no longer have to closely
  study a situation to trigger the move. If you use this, the GM holds
  1 they can spend to tell you how one of your impressions was in-
  accurate or misleading.
  HARD TO PIN DOWN (DEX)
  Add “Where’s an opening for me to escape this situation? If none,
  how can I make one?” to Discern Realities. Even on a miss, the GM
  will answer these for you.
  When you use an opening to escape a dangerous situation, roll+DEX.
  On a 10+, you’re gone. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • you leave something behind; the GM says what
  • you get hurt in the process
  • you owe someone a favor for your escape
  DODGE AND PARRY
  You can use DEX instead of CON to Defend.
  EVASIVE
  As long as you can see an attack coming, you have +1 armor. If
  an effect is untargeted (like a splash or explosion) take +1 to defy
  against it.
  ESCAPE ARTIST
  You have a tendency to end up tied up and a lot of practice getting
  out of it. Take +1 when you’re escaping, attempting to ﬁt into or
  through a space a little too small for you, or trying to talk someone
  into setting you free.
  ON MY CREW
  When you spend some time training an ally, name one or more
  Moves from this path you know and ask them to roll+DEX. On a
  10+, they hold 1 plus your DEX Training and may spend it to use
  one of those Moves as if they had it. On a 7-9, they hold just 1.
  28
  
  THE ROGUE PATH
  FACE IN THE CROWD
  You have a knack for going unnoticed, whether it’s blending into a
  crowd or moving quietly while taking advantage of terrain. Unless
  you attack or otherwise draw attention to yourself, you go unno-
  ticed by NPCs if it’s at all plausible for you to.
  SUDDEN STRIKE
  When you attack someone up close who doesn’t see it coming,
  roll+DEX. On a hit, choose two. On a 10+, choose one more.
  • deal damage as usual
  • you move away before they can retaliate
  • ignore armor
  • inﬂict a temporarily crippling wound that prevents them from
  raising an alarm or escaping
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  LIKE A BAD PENNY (DEX)
  When you fade into the background, roll+DEX. On a 10+, hold 2
  Sneak. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend this hold:
  • to be somewhere else you plausibly could be when you could
  be
  • to not be in trouble or a bad spot when you do
  FINE MOTOR SKILLS
  You can apply your Fast die to tasks requiring ﬁne manipulation
  or precise handling. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Fast die, the GM
  will tell you how you weren’t quite as precise or delicate as you
  intended, in addition to any other consequences.
  GRAB
  When you hack and slash and could deal damage, you can opt to
  take something visibly held, worn, or carried from your foe in-
  stead.
  29
  
  THE GUNSLINGER PATH
  WINGS OFF A FLY (DEX)
  When you take a few moments to carefully aim and then shoot
  at a speciﬁc spot on an enemy in range, name your target and
  roll+DEX. On a 10+, you do your damage and they suffer an ap-
  propriate injury. On a 7-9, it’s only a temporary hinderance; also
  choose one from the 7-9 options for Volley.
  SEASONED GUNFIGHTER
  When you defend in a ﬁreﬁght, hold +1 no matter the result. You
  may spend hold to completely negate the damage instead of halv-
  ing it.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  FROM THE HIP
  When you use Wings Off a Fly you no longer need to take a few
  moments to aim carefully; just aiming carefully is sufﬁcient.
  HAND-EYE COORDINATION
  You can apply your Fast die to tasks requiring good hand-eye co-
  ordination. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Fast die, the GM will tell
  you how you weren’t quite as accurate as you intended, in addition
  to any other consequences.
  GUN KATA
  When you defy danger using DEX while wielding a gun, in addi-
  tion to any other consequences, on a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9,
  just one.
  • deal damage to any targets you can hit
  • deal damage to one target you can hit
  • dive behind cover or go into hiding, as plausible
  30
  
  31
  
  “’Just a curiosity’ my ass,” Abel mutters, frustrated, ﬂipping pages in
  the cryptic book the ghost gave him. His headache worsens as his
  ﬁngers stop on a page that’s at least legible, though it’s all still mad
  rambling about freezing and ice and doom.
  The words blur together, letters squiggling into dark, sinuous shapes
  that ﬂop wetly against the page and reach off it. Startled, Abel reacts
  on instinct. Holding the book in one massive hand, he punches the
  word tentacles with the other.
  “Did you just punch your book?” Audrey asks, glancing up from her
  phone. The letters are just letters, now, but there’s a clear stripe of
  pale and red sucker marks across his knuckles.
  THE GENIUS
  If the Dedicated ﬁgures things out by knowing how people work,
  the Genius does it by analyzing the situation with logic and de-
  duction.
  The Field Scientist is about working in the ﬁeld and leveraging
  their experiences as a scientist. The Hacker knows anything the
  internet does, as long as they have time to look it up.
  The Genius beneﬁts from Fast and Tough moves, for ﬁghting and
  staying power, or from Dedicated and Charismatic to convince
  people of their genius.
  SMART AS A WHIP
  When being smart’s an asset, you can roll a die of a different
  color and keep the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your
  Smart die, the GM will tell you a ﬂaw in your plan or some-
  thing equally unwelcome you’ve discovered in the process,
  in addition to any other consequences.
  32
  
  Names
  Dexter, Ruth, Alvin, Dara, a smart name, a stuffy name, an old
  name
  Look
  Choose one for each, or make up your own:
  Eyes
  Serious, Spectacled, Assessing
  Hair
  Shaggy, Ponytail, Unstylish
  Clothing
  Button-down, Tweed, Uniform
  Body
  Lankly, Toned, Flabby
  Heritage
  Human
  Background
  Choose one, or make up your own:
  On Staff
  Start with Ivory Tower.
  Criminologist
  Choose a Dedicated Move you qualify for.
  Rough Childhood
  Choose a Fast or Tough Move.
  Drive
  Choose one:
  Mortal
  Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Other
  Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Gear
  You start with a modest place to live, like a small apartment off
  campus or a dorm you’re supposed to be chaperoning, a car that’s packed
  with papers you probably should get around to grading, and an unremark-
  able cellphone.
  Think about where you live and what you drive, and what it says about you. If one of
  these doesn’t “ﬁt”, cross it out and replace it with something that does.
  You also have:
  • Pocket of junk (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Choose two:
  • Walking stick (close, two-handed, 1 weight)
  • A ﬁeld kit in your trunk (5 uses, 2 weight)
  • Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  • A subscription to an academic journal database
  Your Max Load is 7+STR.
  Income
  Teaching, Help Desk, Patents, Your Own
  Stats
  The starting array is 16 (+2), 15 (+1), 13 (+1), 12 (0), 9 (0), and 8 (-
  1). Your starting HP is 6+Constitution (not CON). Choose if you have +1
  damage or a starting Talent now.
  33
  
  THE GENIUS PATH
  TRICKED OUT LAB
  You have a lab or base where you can work on your interests in relative
  peace and quiet. Pick two:
  • a research library with two areas of focus; +1 to research them
  • a huge pile of junk; you can always ﬁnd a spare part that’ll work
  • a search engine you’ve programmed yourself; it’s not AI but it’s close.
  Take +1 when you search the internet for information.
  INVESTIGATE (INT)
  When you investigate a mystery using logic or deduction, roll+INT. On
  a 10+, you gain a vital clue. On a 7-9, also choose if you attract unwanted
  attention.
  DEGREE
  Name a subject; you’ve got a degree in it.
  When this is relevant, roll
  1d8+1d6 instead of 2d6. If the d6 is the higher of the two, the GM will
  introduce any extra complications.
  SPECIALIZED
  Name a sub-ﬁeld for each degree you have; when you roll Degree in that
  sub-ﬁeld(s), both dice are d8s. Use the second for determining an extra
  complication.
  MINOR IN AWESOME
  When you dredge up immediately relevant knowledge from a book you’ve
  surely read or a class you must have taken, ask the GM for a Talent. This
  Talent is yours until you use this move again.
  IVORY TOWER
  You have a degree; if you also have Degree, you have two. Choose an ally
  from this list or similar:
  • a mentor in your ﬁeld. Cost: you behave as they expect
  • a devoted protege. Cost: your tutelage
  • a collection of grad students who run errands for you. Cost: letters
  of recommendation
  This ally is a standard hireling. If you lose access to the academic world
  replace this Move with a new one.
  34
  
  THE FIELD SCIENTIST PATH
  FIELD WORK
  You’ve been on at least a few expeditions. When you reﬂect on
  your past experiences that were similar to the one you currently
  face, pick one.
  • it was dangerous; take +1 forward to act on the experience
  • it was embarrassing; if you share it, everyone else takes +1
  forward for morale
  • you’ve never been in a situation like this; mark XP if you freeze
  up, freak out, or panic
  CHEMICAL WIZARDRY (INT)
  When you closely study a substance or its effects, and you have
  tools and time, tell the GM what antidote, toxin, or cure you’re
  trying to create and roll+INT. On a 10+, you create it, enough for
  one person. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • it’ll have side effects or will only work on any given creature
  once
  • it can’t be mass-produced
  On a 12+, you eke out up to a half-dozen doses.
  HANDS ON EXPERIENCE (INT)
  When you take something supernatural apart with an eye to ﬁg-
  uring it out, roll+INT. On a 10+, you get a good idea of the strengths
  and weaknesses it possesses that can be determined in this fash-
  ion. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • it wasn’t as dead as you thought
  • you’re exposed to something unpleasant
  35
  
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  RENOWNED EXPERT
  When you roll to ﬁnd someone who is a recognized expert in an
  academic ﬁeld, you use INT and treat a miss as a partial.
  When you offer your services as a renowned expert in your ﬁeld,
  take +1 ongoing to demonstrate your knowledge for the target if
  they accept; mark XP if they don’t.
  JURYRIG
  You can dispense with time or tools when synthesizing, taking
  something apart, or putting it together; if you are without both,
  choose an option from Manifest on any result but a 10+.
  36
  
  THE HACKER PATH
  TEMPORARY POLYMATH
  Name three narrow subjects, like Ancient Chinese Art, Aircraft Physics,
  or Slavic Folklore; you’ve recently spent way too much time read-
  ing up on them on the internet and you possess a wealth of second-
  hand and theoretical knowledge. When this knowledge would come
  in handy, take +1. When you binge on a new topic, you may replace
  one of your existing ones.
  GOOGLE IT (INT)
  When you do an in-depth search of the internet on a speciﬁc
  topic, roll+INT. On a 10+, you ﬁnd a useful piece of information
  and make a useful contact. On a 7-9, pick one.
  DATA SPIDER
  You have a program that monitors the internet for the answer to a
  speciﬁc question that can be found or pieced together from avail-
  able data, like “where are the vampires smuggling heroin into the
  city” or “is anyone showing undue interest in Egyptian artifacts”.
  When you take a few hours to set up a query, say how you receive
  notices; the next time two dice match, on any roll, by any player,
  you’ll get an alert with the information, though it might not be as
  complete as it could be. Choose if your spider keeps running on
  the same query or not.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  ELECTRIC SHEEP
  Your search engine from Tricked Out Lab is now actual artiﬁcial
  intelligence, or at least close enough most people can’t tell the
  difference. Describe how you communicate with it and its per-
  sonality, then name three Moves it can help you with. When it
  does, you can treat the result as one step higher. When you do,
  the GM may make a Move related to your AI.
  37
  
  REPROGRAM (INT)
  When you reveal how you reprogrammed a computer to serve
  your immediate purpose, explain how you gained access and name
  one task, of seven words or less, then roll+INT. On a 10+, it’s done,
  exactly as you intended. On a 7-9, you left traces behind; the GM
  will tell you who suffered as a result.
  38
  
  39
  
  The minotaur snorts. “You can quit any time, and forfeit the stakes,”
  he says, then lowers his head and rushes forward.
  Riley crouches into a ready stance and receives the charge head-on,
  grabbing him by the horns and digging in his heels.
  It’s like blocking a truck, and his boots scrape on stone as he moves
  back half an inch. The minotaur’s eyes register surprise, followed by
  a left hook towards Riley’s stomach that knocks the wind out of him.
  Riley grins as he straightens despite the pain, setting his feet again.
  It had been too long since his last challenge.
  THE STRONG
  The Strong is all about displaying strength, from a signature melee
  weapon to hitting obscenely hard to impressing people with their
  muscle.
  The Weapon Expert puts the signature weapon to good use, apply-
  ing strength in a controlled fashion, while the Athlete is all about
  being a comeback kid.
  The natural pair for Strong is Tough or Fast, making those toe-to-
  toe slugfests with a werewolf a little more survivable – but Dedi-
  cated has a lot to offer too.
  STRONG AS AN OX
  When being strong’s an asset, roll an extra die of a differ-
  ent color and keep the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept
  your Strong die, the GM will tell you something you break
  or damage in the process, in addition to any other conse-
  quences.
  40
  
  Names
  Bill, Joe, Marcy, Roxie, a short name, a hard name, a tough name
  Look
  Choose one for each, or make up your own:
  Eyes
  Haunted, Cold, Withdrawn
  Hair
  Cropped, Ponytail, Regulation
  Clothing
  Practical, Durable, Uniform
  Body
  Muscled, Hard, Strong
  Heritage
  Human
  Background
  Choose one, or make up your own:
  Soldier
  Start with Reputation.
  Cop
  Choose a Dedicated Move.
  Bouncer
  Choose a Tough Move.
  Drive
  Choose one:
  Mortal
  Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Other
  Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Gear
  You start with a modest place to live, like a small apartment over
  a gym or a warehouse that you’re converting in your spare time, a car or
  pickup truck that’s seen better days, and an unremarkable cellphone.
  Think about where you live and what you drive, and what it says about you.
  If one of these doesn’t “ﬁt”, cross it out and replace it with something that
  does.
  You also have:
  • Carried useful stuff (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Choose two:
  • Leather jacket (1 armor, 1 weight)
  • A sword (close, +1 damage, 1 weight)
  • Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  • Riﬂe (far, ammo 3, 2 piercing, 2 weight)
  Your Max Load is 12+STR.
  Income
  Menial Labor, Pension, Bodyguard, Your Own
  Stats
  The starting array is 16 (+2), 15 (+1), 13 (+1), 12 (0), 9 (0), and 8 (-
  1). Your starting HP is 8+Constitution (not CON). Choose if you have +1
  damage or a starting Talent now.
  41
  
  THE STRONG PATH
  BOUND WEAPON
  You know how to use an exotic melee weapon most people don’t,
  and yours is special. Maybe it’s forged from part of your soul or
  maybe it’s just really, really old. You start out with it, and, should
  it ever be lost, you know how to replace it. Tell the GM what it is
  and how you acquired it, and the GM will tell you if there will be
  any complications to carrying it openly and, if it comes up, what
  kind of effort it’ll take to replace it.
  Use the Fighter’s Signature Weapon to build yours.
  SLEDGEHAMMER
  When you do damage where strength matters, add +1d4; increase
  this to +2d4 at level 6.
  GOOD SPORT (STR)
  When you engage someone in a contest of strength, roll+STR. On
  a 10+, you win; take +1 ongoing to negotiate with them or anyone
  impressed by the win, or to press your advantage. On a 7-9, you
  break something you’d rather not have in the process.
  HITS LIKE A MACK TRUCK
  If you can apply your strength to an attack, you can make it force-
  ful, but if you do, you’re always exposed to the enemy’s attack, even
  on a 10+ (you still get bonus damage as if you’d chosen it, if so).
  TACTICAL RETREAT
  When you retreat from a threat that you’ve realized you cannot
  defeat right now, roll+STR. On a 10+, you escape and learn of a
  weakness you can exploit later. On a 7-9, also suffer further harm
  or lose something of value.
  FLEX
  Choose a Move you know and tell the GM that you now use STR
  when rolling it. If the GM disagrees, mark XP and choose a differ-
  ent Move.
  42
  
  THE WEAPON EXPERT PATH
  REPUTATION
  You have a reputation in combat; choose honorable, merciful, ruthless,
  relentless, or similar. When this reputation would help, take +1. If you
  contravene this reputation and people ﬁnd out, swap this reputation for
  the opposite or ask the GM for one.
  AROUND THE BLOCK
  Nobody gets this far without making friends and enemies. When you re-
  member something useful to the situation at hand that someone once
  told you, choose one:
  a mentor, friend, enemy, or ex-lover told you; name them and describe it,
  then take +1 forward to act on it it’s ﬂawed, inaccurate, or ﬂat out wrong;
  name the source and the circumstances and mark XP if you act on it any-
  way
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  HIT WHERE IT HURTS (STR)
  When you take some time to study an object or structure, you may ask
  the GM “where’s a weak spot I can apply strength and what’ll happen if I
  do?”. If you follow through, roll+STR. On a 10+, choose three. On a 7-9,
  choose two.
  • it doesn’t take a very long time
  • nothing of value you’d prefer not to be is damaged
  • it doesn’t make an inordinate amount of noise
  • you can ﬁx the thing again without a lot of effort
  RELENTLESS
  When you successfully deal damage to an enemy, deal +1 damage, cumu-
  lative, against that foe for the rest of the ﬁght.
  HONED (WIS)
  When you spend time caring for your bound weapon, roll+WIS. On a 10+,
  hold 3 Hone. On a 7-9, just 1. Spend Hone one-for-one when you ﬁght
  with your bound weapon to:
  • do an extra d6 damage or ignore armor
  • not be exposed on a 7+ roll, even if you opt for extra damage
  • double any bonus damage from Relentless, for one strike
  43
  
  44
  
  THE ATHLETE PATH
  SPORT
  Choose two of these sports or discuss a new one with your GM. When
  you defy danger and your sports experience would help, take +1.
  • parkour or free-running
  • climbing, free and on harness
  • swimming
  • a team sport like hockey, soccer, or football
  CLIMACTIC KICK
  When you’re engaged in a physical conﬂict or competition, you may de-
  clare a hit as a miss and hold 2 Kick. You can spend 1 Kick hold during this
  conﬂict to adjust a roll result upwards by one step. When you use this
  move again, the new hold replaces the old.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  EYE OF THE TIGER
  When you use Climactic Kick, you may spend 2 Kick to declare that the
  roll, no matter what it is, is actually a 12+. Do not mark XP if so.
  SEMI-PRO
  Choose a narrow aspect of your chosen sport, like “running across rooftops”
  or “catching ﬂying objects about the size of a baseball”. When you defy
  danger involving this aspect, treat a miss as a bigger partial (you still mark
  XP as usual).
  TEAM PLAYER
  Choose any two Moves you know when you take this move. You can share
  their beneﬁts with your team, as long as you work together and can justify
  how it works.
  When you use one of your Team Moves, name yourself or another member
  of the group the Team Leader. They make any rolls and choose who takes
  any consequences.
  When you pick your Moves, the GM will either accept your choice or offer
  you a modiﬁcation. If you can’t agree, you can’t take Team Player right
  now.
  45
  
  The jeep’s bouncing on unpaved road, underbrush ripping at the
  tires. A massive purple beast rises out of the jungle in front of you,
  all curved spikes, the sinuous tail and shoulder tentacles slashing
  angrily at the air as the jaw unhinges and it unleashes a terrifying
  roar.
  Abel stares at the creature, mouth agape, plans for the evening com-
  pletely dashed. “I think we should turn the car around.”
  Audrey slams on the brakes, wrenching the wheel hard to the left,
  where there’s an open space, then guns it as the beast crouches and
  leaps after the jeep, long limbs eating up the ground behind you.
  “You think?” Her knuckles go white as she swerves around a tree,
  then slams on the brakes again, the jeep skidding sideways.
  THE TOUGH
  The Tough chooses how they’re tough – mentally, physically, or
  emotionally – and in that area they’re almost untouchable.
  The Bruiser’s all about taking a beating and getting up for more,
  while the Daredevil takes defying danger up to the next level.
  Tough plays well with Dedicated, for that weeble-wobble pulp de-
  tective feel, but any of the other paths has something to offer you.
  TOUGH AS NAILS
  Choose how you’re especially tough: emotionally, mentally,
  or physically. When this is an asset, roll an extra die of a
  different color and keep the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve
  kept your Tough die, the GM will tell you something that’s
  lost to you or broken in the process, in addition to any other
  consequences.
  46
  
  Names
  Hoss, Cutter, Indiana, Lucky, Punch, a descriptive name, a tough
  name, a gang name
  Look
  Choose one for each, or make up your own:
  Eyes
  Hard, Cold, Weary
  Hair
  Bald, Long, Unkempt
  Clothing
  Practical, Casual, Ripped
  Body
  Big, Hard, Athletic
  Heritage
  Human
  Background
  Choose one, or make up your own:
  Foster Kid
  Start with Unbreakable.
  Poet
  Choose a Charismatic Move.
  Gang
  Choose a Strong Move.
  Drive
  Choose one:
  Mortal
  Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Other
  Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Gear
  You start with a meager place to live, like a couch at a friend’s
  place or a tiny shed behind your uncle’s repair shop, a vintage car that’s
  tricked out, and a beat up cellphone.
  Think about where you live and what you drive, and what it says about you.
  If one of these doesn’t “ﬁt”, cross it out and replace it with something that
  does.
  You also have:
  • An EDC/bug out bag (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Choose two:
  • A part-time gig you can use to talk your way into somewhere
  • A trunk full of spare parts (5 uses, 2 weight)
  • Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  • Shotgun (near, scatter-shot, ammo 2, 2 weight)
  Your Max Load is 10+STR.
  Income
  Odd Jobs, Disability, Bouncer, Your Own
  Stats
  The starting array is 16 (+2), 15 (+1), 13 (+1), 12 (0), 9 (0), and 8 (-
  1). Your starting HP is 10+Constitution (not CON). Choose if you have +1
  damage or a starting Talent now.
  47
  
  THE TOUGH
  UNBREAKABLE
  Choose one area you’re especially tough in, like emotionally, phys-
  ically, or mentally. When your HP reaches max, hold 3 Grit, losing
  any you already had. You can spend one Grit to halve an attack’s
  effect or damage if you can explain how being tough in that area
  would help.
  TAKE A BEATING (CON)
  When you take a beating from someone with no pressing reason
  to kill you, roll+CON. On a hit, they’ll just dump you somewhere
  inconvenient or leave you. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend
  hold to choose:
  • it wasn’t as bad as it looked; regain 2d6 HP (can choose more
  than once)
  • they dropped something of use or let something slip they
  shouldn’t have
  • they respect you now or think you’re dead/out, your choice
  WEATHER THE STORM
  When you take damage from or suffer an effect that affects your
  Unbreakable or Tough as Nails area, mark a debility not to.
  UNSTOPPABLE
  If you have Unbreakable and no hold remaining from it, take +1 on-
  going to CON, and roll+CON if you take your last breath.
  THE WALL
  When you defend you always get +1 hold, even on a 6-. When you
  defy danger while defending, take +1, and add “regain 1d6 HP” to
  the list of options for Defend.
  I GET BACK UP AGAIN
  If you have Unbreakable and you take damage you don’t reduce
  with Unbreakable, you gain +1 Grit, up to a total of 3.
  48
  
  THE BRUISER
  SIZE THEM UP
  When you face a foe or group of foes, choose:
  you know how much damage they can dish out you can tell how
  much damage they can take tell the GM you know both, but you
  misjudged them in one way; mark XP if you wade in anyway
  NOT AS BAD AS IT LOOKED
  You can spend 1 Grit from Unbreakable to declare an injury was
  less severe than it seemed; when you do, also regain a d6 of HP for
  every two levels you possess.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  THE BEST AT WHAT I DO
  Choose another Move you know. When you use that Move in com-
  bat, you get two beneﬁts, chosen by the GM now.
  • you get one bonus hold for it or it costs one hold less than
  usual
  • you can use it once per combat without rolling for it or as if
  you’d rolled a 10+
  • you roll it with +1, and +2 damage or double damage
  The GM may offer you a different option or decline to choose any;
  if you can’t agree, choose another Move instead of this one.
  THE BEST DEFENSE
  When you wade in to a melee without concern for your own safety,
  add an additional +1d4 damage each time you deal it, but take a -1
  ongoing to defy danger during the conﬂict.
  DISH IT OUT
  If you’re circled by a group of foes, when you hack and slash, if you
  deal damage, you can choose to do your damage twice as long as
  the total damage is divided up between at least two of them. If
  you’re ﬁghting a horde or similar abstraction, instead do an addi-
  tional 1d6 damage.
  49
  
  THE DAREDEVIL
  COOL SCAR
  You’ve got a wicked looking scar; describe it and how you got it, if
  it didn’t happen on screen. Choose one:
  • a type of creature is afraid of you because of it
  • a type of creature is impressed or awed by it
  When you show off your scar to a group of people, they’ll pay at-
  tention to the story you spin.
  SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
  Choose one of the following. You take +1 to defy danger against a
  danger caused by that source.
  magic that affects you in one of the following areas: physically,
  emotionally, or mentally (pick one now) movement, like rushing
  past someone or falling off a wet rooftop trickery, subterfuge, or
  lies
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  ON THE CHIN
  When you defy danger with a bonus granted by School of Hard
  Knocks, you may mark a debility to succeed as if you rolled a 10+.
  COOL RIDE
  Designate a vehicle as your wheels. When you get in it, hold 3 Cool.
  Spend Cool while you’re in your vehicle:
  • to gain School of Hard Knocks with the source “risk of harm
  to my vehicle or someone in it”.
  • to purchase defend options when defending your vehicle or
  a passenger in it
  • to count as hold for any other Move, as long as the GM okays
  it
  If your vehicle is lost to you, you may choose a new vehicle after a
  suitable period of mourning and some time to tinker.
  50
  
  VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
  Add one more pick to your School of Hard Knocks and upgrade the
  beneﬁts to a +2. When you defy danger against any source, on a
  12+, you turn the danger back on itself; the GM will say how.
  51
  
  52
  
  THE SUPERNATURALS
  The Supernatural paths change the scope of the game and open
  up new avenues for PCs to impact the game world, sometimes in
  surprising ways.
  Talk to the GM before taking any Moves from a supernatural path,
  and discuss your vision, the thing about this path, about being a
  werewolf or an elf or a psychic, that you want to explore in play,
  of your character and how they ﬁt into the world with your table.
  Discuss what complications inherent in your premise interest you,
  and how you see the ﬁction of it unfolding, and if any of the aspects
  of your moves don’t quite gel with your vision.
  The GM should defer to your vision of your character, by asking
  questions and using the answers, whenever possible. Be ﬂexible
  about your premise, and open to expanding it as events unfold.
  I like the idea that Hero’s object reading ability is uncontrollable
  and unpredictable, how it isolates her from touch, but I’m not crazy
  about the acting out or narrating clause from Uncontrollable Vi-
  sion – I see it more as “checking out” and won’t pick that option. I
  talk to the GM so we’re on the same page for misses.
  Supernatural moves, like all moves, are both prescriptive and de-
  scriptive.
  The GM will grant Moves as they become ﬁctionally
  appropriate, and you might lose Moves under the same circum-
  stances.
  Note that the Supernatural paths are more like suggested pack-
  ages than traditional classes, and ﬂexible. Be sure to read the in-
  structions for each path carefully as some grant extra Moves or
  open up additional options.
  And if a Move makes sense with your character’s ﬁction, even if it’s
  not from a path you have access to, talk to the GM about taking it,
  reﬂavored, or ask them to create a custom version based on it for
  your character!
  53
  
  THE ANGELIC
  The Angelic is a divine entity trapped in a fragile mortal shell, with
  great powers but only one way to fuel them – burning through that
  mortal shell. Choose this path if you want to achieve great things
  at great personal cost (or with a lot of collateral damage).
  When you take one of these two Moves, you get the other free.
  NOMEN
  You shine with a divine light, even through your mortal shell. Maybe
  you fell from heaven, or maybe it was your parents’ sin, but either
  way, you’re bearing the consequences now. You have a special
  ability you can spend 2 HP to use. Choose one:
  • you know where and how far the thing you need is
  • you can speak the person you’re talking to’s language
  • you’re lucky but that luck comes from somewhere
  CHANNEL DIVINITY (WIS)
  You can use any spell from the cleric spell list except those that
  animate the dead. Clerical rotes count as 0-level spells. When
  you channel divinity through your mortal shell, lose as many hp
  as the level of the spell, tripled, then roll+WIS. On a 10+, it works
  as expected. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • a supernatural entity notices and comes to investigate
  • your shell is marked with a debility of the GM’s choice
  • you lose an additional number of HP equal to the spell’s level
  • you can’t channel divinity again until you get at least a few
  hours of rest
  If a spell is ongoing, you take the standard penalty to this roll.
  54
  
  When you can choose a new Move and are angelic, you can choose
  from these:
  TO MY HAND (WIS)
  Choose a speciﬁc weapon or other item of similar size. When you
  summon that item to your hand or return it to whence it came,
  roll+WIS. On a 10+, it appears or moves as you expected. On a 7-9,
  the effort costs you. Choose one: you take 1d4 damage, mark a de-
  bility, or someone takes advantage of your moment of inattention.
  THE GATES ARE BARRED
  If you or someone you want to live would die or has just died, tell
  the GM and they will offer you two costs, like a memory of a lover
  or a singing voice, to choose between. If you choose, the subject
  is completely healed.
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and are divine, add the Shapeshifter’s
  Regeneration and this to your options:
  BURNING BRIGHT
  When you exceed mortal ability by channeling divine power, roll
  an extra die of a different color – your Divine Die – and keep the
  best two. This stacks with your Signature die as appropriate. If you
  keep your Divine die and are within your mortal shell, you lose as
  many HP as that die shows, in addition to any other consequences.
  55
  
  THE DEMONIC
  The Demonic is a bargainer, a tempter, who can rewrite reality if
  the deal’s good enough – but they always teeter on the edge of
  pushing it just a little too far–and Hell itself has their number.
  If you start as a demon, when you take one of these two Moves,
  you get the other free. If you become a demon or sign away your
  humanity, take these Moves immediately and forgo your next
  level Move.
  DEMON-TAINTED (CHA)
  Maybe you’re unfortunate offspring, maybe a former Power trapped
  in a mortal shell, maybe just cursed, but the powers of Hell are
  under your command to a limited extent. Describe at least one
  physical mark you carry that betrays your infernal heritage, and
  name a powerful supernatural creature you owe a debt to, if it’s a
  bargain or not, and why.
  When you use demon magic to adjust reality in a small, subtle,
  and temporary way to facilitate the fulﬁllment of a binding bar-
  gain, roll+CHA. On a 10+, it does what you intended and you don’t
  mark a debility. On a 7-9, pick one. On a 12+, choose if it’ll be big,
  ﬂashy, or long-lasting instead, but if you do, someone will deﬁ-
  nitely notice.
  BINDING BARGAIN (CHA)
  When you make a nominally even bargain with someone and de-
  clare it binding, roll+CHA. On a 10+, neither of you can break it
  until the GM declares that the terms are met or both parties mu-
  tually declare that it’s over. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • you can’t bind any new bargains until this one is settled
  • the binding will break if you utter a lie before it’s settled
  • the target has a prior binding that conﬂicts; you’ll need to
  defy danger to make yours take priority, and the previous
  claimant will notice
  56
  
  When you’re demon-tainted and can take a Move, you may also
  choose from these and the Shapeshifter’s Hybrid Form (as a de-
  mon form):
  FORKED TONGUE
  You’re skilled at saying one thing and meaning another. When you
  use words deceptively, gain +1 to be believed, escape punishment,
  or inﬂuence others. When you spend time sizing up someone’s
  desires, hold 1 Temptation. Spend this hold to tempt them to act
  in way they normally wouldn’t; if they do, they mark XP and you
  clear a debility or regain 1d6 HP.
  ENTWINED FATES
  When you adjust reality using demonic magic and would take a
  debility, you can opt to instead inﬂict it as a spiritual taint on the
  person you’re working on behalf of. If they demand your presence,
  you hear it, and you may go to them instantly if you want. You are
  always considered to have one Temptation you can spend as if for
  Forked Tongue with anyone you have a bargain with, even if you
  don’t have that Move.
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and are demon-tainted, add this
  to your options:
  ASCENDANCY
  When you use demon magic, you get the beneﬁt of a 12+ on a 10+
  and the effects of a 10+ on a 7-9.
  57
  
  THE DRAGON
  Giant. Fire-breathing. Lizard.
  When you take this Move, you get Human Like You free.
  FIRE-BREATHING LIZARD
  You’re a ﬁre-breathing lizard the size of an elephant. Your ap-
  petites are commensurate with your size; you mostly eat meat.
  Choose if you have wings or not; if you do, you can ﬂy, if you don’t,
  you can breathe water.
  Your claws and bite are weapons with a range of hand, precise, and
  messy. Use your own stats but be sure to remind the GM if they
  forget you’re a dragon.
  You wake up each day with 3 Dragon Hold; you can spend this hold
  to breathe ﬁre, add your damage to an attack, to defend, and to ask
  the GM, “do I hear, smell, or feel the vibrations of someone hidden
  here?”. When you breathe ﬁre, you do 2d6+your level in damage,
  ignoring armor, to everyone in the path of your exhalation.
  When you can choose a Move and are a dragon, you can choose
  from these:
  STRESS REACTION
  When you meet a mortal’s gaze and hold it, they will remain trans-
  ﬁxed unless injured or directly imperiled. When you roar, mortals
  ﬂee or cower in terror unless they are made of very stern stuff.
  58
  
  ALWAYS A PRICE
  Choose a Wizard or Cleric spell of your level or lower (except for
  spells that animate the dead and any spells your GM explicitly dis-
  allows) for every odd level you possess and each odd level you
  reach hereafter.
  When you use dragon magic to cast a spell, spend one Dragon
  hold. The GM will tell you a cost, like a few drops of your blood, a
  year of your life, or the safety of an ally; if you accept, the spell is
  cast as intended. If it’s a spell that would require you to take a -1
  ongoing, reduce your max Dragon hold by 1 instead until it ends.
  BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM
  When you change from any other form to your dragon form, hold
  up to twice your max Dragon hold, but you can’t leave your dragon
  form voluntarily until you’ve spent all the hold you have over your
  usual max.
  WISDOM OF ANTIQUITY
  You have a very long memory. When you spout lore about the
  ancient past or the supernatural, you tell the GM the answer; if
  they claim your memory is faulty, mark XP.
  59
  
  THE ELEMENTAL
  The Elemental is one with an element, wielding it as an extension
  of themselves and suffering when in contact with its opposite.
  When you ﬁrst take Elemental Afﬁnity, you gain Elemental Bat-
  teries for free.
  ELEMENTAL AFFINITY
  You are tightly linked to a speciﬁc element, like water, ﬁre, ice, or
  air, or related set of elements, like nature, ﬂesh, or storms. Your
  element ﬂows in you and responds to your desires. You gain a
  mark of that element, like ﬁre-colored eyes, hair perpetually tou-
  sled by a breeze, the scent of salt, or eternal dirt under your nails.
  You have trouble with another element; choose it now. Mark a
  debility when you come in direct contact with or are surrounded
  by large quantities of this element.
  ELEMENTAL BATTERY
  When you spend time recharging your elemental batteries, roll+your
  manifest stat. On a hit, if you have no hold, hold 1 charge. On a 10+,
  hold +3. On a 7-9, just +1. You may hold up to your level+3. Spend
  one charge to negate a single consequence of an Elemental Move,
  or of Manifest Power if your element is directly involved.
  If you run out of elemental charges, mark all three debilities.
  When you can choose a Move and have an elemental afﬁnity, you
  can choose from these:
  ELEMENTAL IMMUNITY
  You can no longer die from your chosen element, and when near
  you, the element subtly acts to support and further your unspoken
  wishes – for example, the earth is soft under your feet when you
  travel, the waves never becalm you, ﬁre will not consume what
  you hold, tree branches move out of your way, or it thunders when
  you’re angry. When you defy danger incorporating your elemental
  afﬁnity, take +1 on the roll.
  60
  
  COMMAND ELEMENT
  When you command your element to perform a task it is capable
  of, spend one charge and roll+your manifest stat. On a 10+, the
  element obeys, to the best of its ability, honoring your intent. On
  a 7-9, choose if the result is not quite as effective as you wanted
  or not exactly what you wanted.
  ELEMENTAL FORM
  You can transform into a roughly you-sized unit of your element.
  When you do, roll+manifest stat; on a 10+, choose no consequences
  from Manifest Power. On a 7-9, the GM chooses one.
  61
  
  THE EMPATH
  The Empath is all about being in tune with the people around them.
  Their skills deal with spirit and ﬂesh–hearing and adjusting emo-
  tions, reﬂecting their own emotions on others, and healing or trans-
  ferring injuries.
  When you start as an empath or ﬁrst become one, choose two
  of the following for the price of one. Add Mania to the choices,
  replacing “Seeming” with “emotions”.
  EMPATHIC (WIS)
  You pick up emotions from those around you at all times. When
  you’re empathizing, intuiting motives, or trying to ﬁgure out what
  someone wants, take +1. When you spend a few moments within
  reach of someone, you can spout lore about them, in the context
  of how they are feeling now, using WIS instead of INT.
  When you focus your senses on someone within close range, you
  may ask their player, “what’s your deepest emotional need?” and
  “what’s your strongest desire right now?” and the player will an-
  swer truthfully, even if the character doesn’t know.
  DIAGNOSIS (WIS)
  If you’ve examined a normal member of their species, you can
  sense deviations from the standard, like blocked arteries, preg-
  nancy, poison, and disease, in the bodies of those you see. This
  usually requires a careful look, but sometimes you can just tell.
  When you act on this information, take a +1 forward.
  TRANSFERENCE (CON)
  Choose what state you convert injuries into, like hunger, tiredness,
  drunkeness, or pain, by default.
  When you touch someone and attempt to take away an injury or
  debility, roll+CON. On a hit, you succeed; you are now suffering
  the injury instead of them. You may choose one from Manifest to
  instead convert the injury to your chosen state over a few minutes.
  On a 10+, choose if it happens fast or if you don’t need to choose
  one from Manifest.
  62
  
  CURE DISEASE (CON)
  When you purge a toxin, poison, or disease with a touch, roll+WIS.
  On a 10+, the illness and its effects are cleared up as if the patient
  made a miraculous recovery. On a 7-9, choose if you mark a de-
  bility or if you suffer the original afﬂiction instead.
  INFLICT (WIS)
  When you take a few moments while touching someone to trans-
  fer an injury that you are suffering to them, roll+WIS. On a 10+,
  you do so. On a 7-9, also choose one from Manifest.
  63
  
  THE FAE
  The Fae is three intertwined paths: the Light Court, who are un-
  pleasantly manipulative, arrogant, and never what they seem, the
  Dark Court, who are literal monsters, the stuff of nightmares, and
  the poor stolen mortals known as Changelings.
  Choose one Court Move and a seeming for the cost of one Move.
  If you are a fae by blood, you have Cold Iron Allergy for free.
  COLD IRON ALLERGY
  When you’re surrounded by large quanties of iron, mark a debility
  that lasts until you aren’t. When you take max damage from an
  iron weapon, mark a debility; the wound is painful and slow to
  heal.
  LIGHT COURT (CHA)
  You were born into a Seelie Court; cruelty, manipulation, and wild
  magic are second nature to you. Choose one of these and take +1
  when your familiarity is useful.
  When you spend at least a half hour communing with nature,
  roll+CHA. On a 10+, hold 3 elan. On a 7-9, the GM will hold 1 as
  well; they may spend this hold to declare how your alien nature
  causes you problems.
  DARK COURT (CHA)
  You were born into an UnSeelie Court; cruelty, pain, and scheming
  are second nature to you. Choose one of these and take +1 when
  your familiarity is useful.
  Choose a monster or two that best represent your UnSeelie parent-
  age; you gain two of their Moves and a concealable physical mark
  that betrays your heritage, like tentacles, scaly patches, or extra
  eyes in off-putting places.
  When you use one of your monstrous moves, defy danger; the
  danger is that someone you didn’t intend to will get hurt.
  64
  
  COURTED
  You spent time in Faerie. Hours,
  years, centuries – time ﬂows
  differently there.
  You’re as
  familiar with Faerie as any-
  one who wasn’t actually born
  there, but someone or some-
  thing of Faerie wants you back.
  Take +1 when enduring injus-
  tice, feigning obedience, or es-
  caping from anything.
  SEEMING (WIS OR CHA)
  You have a Seeming, a normalized facade, that hides your true
  nature, like girl next door, friendly salesman, or helpful librarian.
  When mortals (and supernaturals who aren’t paying close atten-
  tion) look at you, that’s what they see, unless given serious cause
  to doubt.
  When you pass your Seeming off as truth against someone who
  might see through it, roll+WIS or +CHA. On a 10+, they don’t notice
  what you wish them not to or believe what you wish them to about
  you, your choice. On a 7-9, the GM will tell you what conﬁrmation
  they require.
  BROKEN SEEMING
  You have faerie magic clinging to you, and you can’t get out from
  under it. Choose a Seeming, like “old curmudgeon”, “demure wallﬂower”,
  or “adorable child”; this is who most mortals (and supernaturals
  who aren’t paying close attention) will think you are.
  Even if shown evidence to the contrary, they’ll rationalize it away,
  though they won’t forget things they already knew. You’re stuck
  with it. If you’re ever stripped of it in play permanently, replace
  this Move immediately with a new one.
  65
  
  When you are Fae and can choose a Move, you can choose from
  these.
  FAERIE MAGIC (WIS)
  Choose any two cantrips or rotes; you may spend one elan to use
  either. When faerie magic is used near you, roll+WIS. On a 10+,
  you learn that faerie enchantmant. On a 7-9, your understanding
  is ﬂawed; you take -1 to weave that enchantmant.
  WEAVE ENCHANTMENT (CHA)
  When you weave a faerie enchantment you’ve learned, spend 1
  elan and roll+CHA. On a 10+, it works. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • you put yourself in a spot
  • your Seeming falters or you attract unwanted notice
  • you take -1 to weave enchantment until you regain elan
  On a 12+, in addition to any other effects, you no longer have a
  ﬂawed understanding of it.
  PSYCHIC VAMPIRE
  You feed on an emotion, like ecstasy, pain, or fear; name it. When
  you should mark off a ration, as long as you’ve fed on that emotion
  within the past 24 hours, you don’t. Otherwise, tell the GM; they
  will offer you an opportunity to feed soon. If you take it, mark XP.
  If you don’t, take a -1 ongoing until you do.
  When you feed psychically on someone who is cooperating or
  helpless to resist, roll+CHA. On 10+, you only take what you need
  or you take everything they’ve got, your choice. On a 7-9, the GM
  will offer you a hard bargain, ugly choice, or worse outcome.
  MANIA
  When you turn your Seeming up to eleven to induce a speciﬁc
  emotion, roll+CHA. On a 10+, anyone looking at you feels that emo-
  tion strongly; they will act as you would expect them to act, given
  who they are. On a 7-9, the GM will offer you a hard bargain,
  ugly choice, or worse outcome. On a 12+, say how they are over-
  whelmed; if the GM disagrees, mark XP.
  66
  
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and are Fae, choose from these
  too:
  THROUGH THE HEDGE (WIS)
  You may slip into the ancient hedge maze that separates Faerie
  from the Real through any opening that separates two distinct
  places. When you do, roll+WIS. On a 10+, you step back out where
  you wish to be, you are not in a bad spot or late, and nothing fol-
  lowed you. On a 7-9, choose two.
  TRICKSTER
  You are no longer limited to a normalized facade with your Seem-
  ing; from a burning coal to a ragged beggar, your Seeming is un-
  der your command and you may opt to change it when you wish
  with a moment’s thought. However, it will be much less effective
  against anyone who sees you change, and you always retain a spe-
  ciﬁc mark of your true self.
  MONSTROUS CONTROL
  Choose two more moves from your monster parentage. You may
  choose “the move will not work at all” as the danger when using
  Dark Court.
  67
  
  THE GALATEA
  The Galatea, or Made, are fashioned from inanimate materials and
  given life through sorcery or sacriﬁce or accident. They hunger for
  mortality, and feed on its ephemera. In return, they are constantly
  reinventing themselves.
  When you take Made, you get Essence Siphon for free.
  MADE
  You weren’t born; you were built. You have two states; that of a
  soft, ﬂeshy mortal and your true form, an animated human-shaped
  substance. You may switch between them at will.
  Name the substance, like snow, corpses, clay, or stone, and de-
  scribe it. Choose one of the following beneﬁts for your mortal
  state and two for your true state.
  • you have one spell of your level or lower you can cast by
  spending essence
  • you take +1 when doing a speciﬁc activity, like ﬁst-ﬁghting,
  persuading, or spouting lore about a topic
  • you have +1 Armor or take -1 damage; name something that
  bypasses this
  And one drawback that applies in both states:
  • you require a speciﬁc substance in addition to essence to
  heal damage
  • people ﬁnd you off-putting; take -1 when this matters
  • you require a speciﬁc substance in addition to essence to
  switch from your true form to your mortal one
  ESSENCE SIPHON (WIS)
  As an animated construct, you don’t age, change, or heal naturally;
  you simply are. You rely on essence, an ephemeral substance that
  can be gained from a speciﬁc strong emotion. Choose one, like
  love, hate, rage, sorrow, or fear.
  When you siphon essence from a source within reach, roll+WIS.
  On a 10+, hold 3 essence. On a 7-9, hold 1. When you have no
  68
  
  essence left, you revert to your true state and may not return to
  your mortal one until you have at least one essence. You can hold
  essence equal to your level+WIS.
  Choose a speciﬁc time of day; if that time occurs and you have no
  essence, you deanimate for good. When you switch states, you can
  spend one essence to return your HP to full, to repair an injury, or
  to remove a debility.
  When you can choose a Move and are made, choose from these
  too:
  BASIC SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  Take another beneﬁt or the same beneﬁt but a different applica-
  tion from Made.
  IMPROVED SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  Take another beneﬁt or the same beneﬁt but a different applica-
  tion from Made.
  SHARE ESSENCE
  You can spend one essence to grant the beneﬁt of your made abil-
  ities to someone else for one Move, to heal them as you would
  heal yourself, or to use any other ability you can spend essence on
  in a similar fashion. If the granted beneﬁt requires you to have a
  speciﬁc substance on hand, you must.
  69
  
  THE GHOST
  The Ghost is just that, a disembodied spirit, a very stubborn dead
  person, with nothing left but emotion–those they still possess and
  those of the people who care about them.
  When you take Ghost, you get Emotional Anchor free. You have
  no gear except the spiritual versions of whatever you died with.
  GHOST (CON)
  You’re a ghost, with all that entails. You’re not corporeal, and can’t
  be seen, heard, or touched except by sensitives. Choose a tic or
  invent one:
  • each day, right when you died, you act out your death as if it
  were happening again
  • you confuse people with those you knew when alive
  • when materialized, sunlight reveals your true nature
  When you materialize physically, roll+CON. On a 10+, pick up to
  three: you can be heard, seen, or interact with the world as if you
  were mortal. On a 7-9, pick up to two.
  While you’re materialized, you can be hurt or damaged just as a
  living person is. However, you never draw a last breath; instead,
  you reform where the GM says, when they say.
  EMOTIONAL ANCHOR (CON)
  When someone feels a strong emotion, like love, fear, or regret,
  involving you, you know and may name them an anchor until that
  emotion is resolved or changes. You know when an anchor is in
  trouble or in turmoil, and can materialize for one without a roll; if
  you do, only they can see, hear, and touch you.
  When you cross the distance between you and an anchor in an
  instant, roll+CON. On a 10+, you’re there; choose if you’re fully or
  exclusively materialized, and how much. On a 7-9, the GM chooses
  if you’re materialized, and how much, and for how long.
  When you can choose a Move and are a ghost, choose from these
  too:
  70
  
  ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD (CHA)
  When you go looking for a ghost who can help you, tell the GM
  who it is and roll+CHA. On a 10+, you’re there and they can help.
  On a 7-9, you’re there, but either they’ve got other problems or
  they can’t help as much as you’d like, GM’s call.
  POLTERGEIST (WIS)
  You can move small objects, singly or in groups, with your mind.
  When you take a moment to focus your mind on manipulating
  the physical world, roll+WIS. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, just 1.
  Spend hold to:
  • move a single object up to the size of a chair, slowly
  • move a group of objects as if with your hands, slowly
  • if you’re moving an object or group of objects, do it fast enough
  to trigger volley
  POSSESSION (CON)
  When you attempt to take over someone’s physical body, roll+CON.
  On a 10+, you do it; their body is yours, choose one. On a 7-9,
  choose two.
  • they remember this as a dream or nightmare; otherwise it’s
  blank
  • take a 1d4 damage to act with coordination
  • you control only the hands, legs, or mouth, your choice
  • you have time for one Move before being forced out
  71
  
  THE HAUNTED
  Haunted by spirits, not always able to tell reality from the afterlife,
  and always at risk of possession, the Haunted can learn to wield
  their talents like a scalpel against the dead.
  When you take Medium, get Sea of Spirits or Open to Possession
  for free.
  MEDIUM (WIS)
  You can see and hear spirits as if they were living people, though
  not always reliably, and you always know when they’re around, in
  general. When you wake up after sleeping, roll+WIS. On a 10+,
  hold 3 numen. On 7-9, hold 1. You may spend numen to:
  • ask a spirit a question and get an honest answer
  • summon a spirit by name or get one’s attention
  • demand a spirit do a minor favor for you
  SEA OF SPIRITS
  When you confuse reality and the spirit world, explain how; choose
  one.
  • you learn something useful but unfortunate
  • you sidestep a real danger accidentally
  • it causes you a problem, embarrassment, or puts someone
  you’d rather not be in danger; mark XP
  OPEN TO POSSESSION (WIS)
  When you take a spirit into your body, gain Spirit hold equal to
  the better of your CON or WIS, plus 1. You learn what it wants and
  what it excelled at in life, if anything. Spend this hold to:
  • succeed at a task the spirit excelled at in life
  • ignore a compulsion or mind-affecting effect
  • heal yourself or someone else by 2d6
  • evict a spirit from your body
  When you run out of hold, the spirit attempts to take over to pur-
  sue its own business or leaves, GM’s choice.
  72
  
  When you can choose a Move and are haunted, choose from these
  too:
  LAY TO REST
  Spend numen to force a spirit you can see to materialize physically
  or to prevent them from dematerializing for a short while. You may
  also spend numen to ask the GM, “what must be done to lay this
  spirit to rest?” when you are in a spirit’s haunt. Take +1 ongoing
  while directly pursuing that goal, until you achieve it or ask about
  another spirit.
  WITH THE DEAD
  You gain Poltergeist and may use it as if you are a ghost. Choose
  one move from the Psychic path that blends with your medium
  abilities.
  OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE (WIS)
  When you leave your body while asleep or meditating, you gain Ghost
  and Emotional Anchor and lose access to any abilities that require a
  mortal body. If you have Open to Possession, exchange it for Possession.
  When you attempt to re-enter your body, roll+WIS. On a 10+, you suc-
  ceed; swap your moves back. On a 7-9, you succeed, but choose one:
  • something followed you back
  • take -1 to use your body until you sleep again
  • it was painful; take damage
  73
  
  THE HUNTER
  The Hunter is mortal, more or less, but usually so single-mindedly
  focused on hunting that they have long since lost all perspective,
  or worse. started to lose parts of the humanity they ﬁght for.
  When you choose Hunter, you get Well-Prepared for free.
  HUNTER
  You’ve been doing this for a while now, and you’ve got the trophies
  – and the scars – to show for it. When you run into a supernatural
  creature and think you can identify its type, choose one.
  • you know a plausible weakness of that type of creature
  • you know a way to ﬁnd or lure out a creature of that type;
  say what it costs you
  • you’ve never seen this before; mark XP if you conﬁdently de-
  clare a weakness anyway or if you admit your ignorance and
  it costs you
  WELL-PREPARED (WIS)
  When you need a speciﬁc item to use against a supernatural threat,
  roll+WIS. On a 10+, you’ve got it in a place that’s both close by and
  safe. On a 7-9, pick one of the two. On a 12+, you’ve got it with you
  now.
  When you can choose a Move, you may choose from these even
  if you aren’t a hunter:
  FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES (CHA)
  When you need a friendly face in a tense situation, roll+CHA. On
  a 10+, someone present is sympathetic to you, enough that they’ll
  stick their neck out on your behalf. On a 7-9, the GM will offer you
  a hard bargain or a worse outcome.
  74
  
  EXPLOIT WEAKNESS
  When you exploit a creature’s speciﬁc weakness, say how you do
  it and roll as for Defy Danger. On a 10+, all three. On a 7-9, choose
  one:
  • you deal your damage
  • you drive them back or out of position
  • they don’t counterattack
  On a 12+, they’re especially vulnerable for a moment.
  LOOK INTO THE ABYSS
  Choose a supernatural Move; you can use it as if you were that
  sort of creature. Talk to your GM about how this works and why
  you can do it. If you draw your last breath, on any result you can
  choose to come back as that type of creature, in addition to any
  other consequences.
  If you do, you lose this Move, replacing it with any Moves required
  by the new path.
  75
  
  THE LUCKY
  Where other paths give you more choices, the Lucky is all about
  surviving by accident and causing a lot of mischief in the process.
  When you take Lucky, you get Thief of Fate or Trouble Magnet for
  free.
  LUCKY
  When being lucky could help and you roll a miss, you can choose
  to mark a debility and treat the roll as a 7-9 instead. The GM may
  still choose to make a move as if you rolled a miss; if they do, mark
  XP.
  THIEF OF FATE (WIS)
  When you touch someone, bare skin to bare skin, even if you
  don’t intend harm, roll+WIS. On a 10+, hold 1 Fate. On a 7-9, hold
  1, and the GM will hold 1. You can have total Fate equal to your
  level+WIS. Spend it, when luck matters, to push a roll result up or
  down one step.
  The person you stole the luck from? Sometime soon, they’ll suffer
  some bad luck, and when they do, they’ll think of you.
  When you may choose a move and have Lucky, choose from these,
  too:
  FATED
  You’re ridiculously lucky, often escaping harm when it seems im-
  possible. Once per session, when you’d take damage or personal
  harm, choose either a piece of gear or an ally, then explain how
  something, like a lucky accident, clumsy maneuver, or improvised
  use, saved you. If you picked gear, it’s lost or broken. If you picked
  an ally, they take the consequences instead.
  BURNING THE CANDLE
  When luck can affect the outcome, you can add +1 to any roll for
  each d8 of HP damage you’re willing to take in the process. This
  counts as taking damage for the purposes of Fated.
  76
  
  SHARE THE LUCK
  When one of your Lucky abilities triggers, you can opt to shift the
  effects to someone else nearby. If you do, they reap all the bene-
  ﬁts, while you make all the choices and take any consequences, if
  any, that fall on the originator of the move.
  77
  
  THE MAGE
  The Mage is all about manipulating the universe, and about dis-
  covering what they will pay to do it. They’re also often caught
  between powerful forces.
  When you can choose a Move, you can choose one of these or
  Betwixt Heaven and Hell (even if you aren’t 6+).
  RITUAL*
  When you draw on a place or item of power to create a magical
  effect, tell the GM what you’re trying to achieve. Ritual effects are
  always possible, but the GM will give you at least one but possibly
  more of the following conditions:
  • it’s going to take days/weeks/months
  • you must do something to prepare
  • you’ll need help from someone
  • the best you can do is a lesser version
  • you and your allies will risk danger from something
  • you’ll need a speciﬁc material, item, or event
  SHAPE MAGIC (INT)
  When you attempt to achieve something with magic you could
  accomplish with mundane means, ask the GM how long it will
  take and roll+INT. On a 10+, you do it; choose a cost. On a 7-9, the
  GM will tell you how it costs more than expected, either in degree
  or type, or in collateral damage. You can abort a spell in progress
  by defying danger.
  • a triﬂing memory or a mild emotion towards someone
  • pain; take 1d4 damage or mark a debility
  • vitality; you’re a minute older than you should be
  78
  
  When you can choose a Move and are a mage, choose from these
  too:
  SOURCED MAGIC (INT)
  You can draw power from a source like intense experiences, lava,
  or sacriﬁces; choose one now. When you draw on a power source
  to recharge your magical batteries, ask the GM how much and
  how quickly, then roll+INT. On a 10+, hold that much Mana if you
  take the time. On a 7-9, also choose one from manifest. You can
  spend this hold to:
  • reduce the severity of the cost of Shaping Magic
  • count yourself as an item of power for a ritual
  • take +1 forward to defy danger or manifest power if you can
  explain how the power helps
  MAGICAL FOCUS
  You have a magical focus like a wand, staff, or piece of jewelry.
  When you have it, it grants you beneﬁts. Pick two:
  • you take +1 to shaping magic
  • it counts as an item of power for rituals
  • it can negate spell effects (but not spells cast directly)
  When you reach level 6, add the last option. If you lose your focus,
  you take a -1 to shape magic until you replace it.
  COUNTERSPELL (INT)
  When you counter an enemy’s spell aimed at you or someone
  near you, roll+INT. On a 10+, the caster suffers the effects instead.
  On a 7-9, the caster suffers the effects; choose one.
  • you (or the original target) suffer the effect too
  • you suffer a d4 of magical backlash
  • the spell ﬁzzles harmlessly; nobody suffers the effects
  79
  
  THE ORACLE
  The Oracle knows things, but fate is always pulling their chain.
  Their moves are all about knowing things, surprise appearances,
  and unexpected connnections.
  When you take Prophecy, you get Uncontrollable Visions, Thief of
  Fate, or Trouble Magnet for free.
  PROPHECY (WIS)
  You get visions, of the past and of the near future. This grants +1
  Armor that is not ignorable.
  When you focus your extra sense upon a person or situation,
  roll+WIS. On a 10+, ask one from this list or from discern reali-
  ties; the GM will give you an insightful answer, cryptically, with no
  more than seven words. On a 7-9, the GM will pick one to answer,
  and also introduce a complication as from Uncontrollable Visions.
  • how and when will this person die?
  • what will prevent this endeavor from succeeding?
  • what action can I take to get what I want here?
  UNCONTROLLABLE VISIONS (WIS)
  You suffer from strange, unpredictable visions, often at the worst
  possible moment. Describe how this usually looks from the out-
  side. When you feel an uncontrolled vision coming on, roll+WIS.
  On a 10+, choose if you avoid it for now or if you experience it as
  usual. On a 7-9, you experience it as if you were there; choose two.
  • you narrate it or act it out as if it were happening to you
  • you’re overwhelmed; the GM chooses if you ﬁght, ﬂee, or
  freeze
  • mark a debility; it will fade over time
  • you attract unwanted notice
  80
  
  TROUBLE MAGNET
  At the start of a session and when you ﬁrst wake up in the morn-
  ing, lose all hold from this move and roll+nothing. On a 10+, hold
  1 Trouble. On a 7-9, hold 1 and the GM also holds 1. On a 6-, hold
  1 and the GM holds 3. Either of you can spend Trouble to have a
  minor accident, coincidence, or unexpected meeting occur; if you
  spend it, it’s good for you, if the GM does, it’s probably not.
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and are an oracle, choose from
  these too:
  DOOMSAYER
  When you utter a prophecy while in combat with someone you
  feel strongly towards, you may answer one of your own questions
  as if you were the GM, and the GM will abide by it, sooner or later.
  WHERE I’M NEEDED (WIS)
  When you declare you foresaw where you needed to be and went
  there, roll+WIS. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. On a 6-, just
  the GM holds 1. Spend hold:
  • to be somewhere else you could be when you could be
  • to have exactly the right tool in hand when you do
  • to not be in trouble or a bad spot when you do
  81
  
  THE PSYCHIC
  The psychic is more a useful collection of pow-
  ers than a themed path, with a whole slew
  of different abilities ranging from empathy to
  telepathy to object reading.
  When you start as a psychic or ﬁrst become
  one, choose two of the following (also include
  Poltergeist) for the price of one.
  SECOND SIGHT
  You possess the Second Sight. Choose how this
  manifests, like you can see auras, hear voices,
  or simply feel things. When there’s something
  supernatural to be sensed present, you’ll usually
  sense it.
  Also choose a specialty like recognizing crea-
  tures with more than one shape, piercing seem-
  ings, or knowing when someone is alive or dead.
  You can just do this.
  PUSH (CHA)
  When you tell someone who can hear and
  understand your words to do something,
  roll+CHA. On a hit, they do it; choose one. On a
  7-9, choose two:
  • mark a debility; it will fade over time
  • you take -1 to use this move until you’ve
  slept
  • you attract unwanted notice
  82
  
  TELEPATHY (WIS OR INT)
  You can read surface thoughts of those who are near you and of-
  ten catch glimpses of other people’s thoughts without even try-
  ing. You may discern realities with the stat you’ve chosen for this
  Move by focusing your sixth sense on someone; the GM will an-
  swer questions in context of what you read from their current
  thoughts.
  When you send thoughts to others as if you were talking, if they’re
  naturally telepathic and receptive to the contact, you just do, just
  as if you were using your voice to communicate with them. Oth-
  erwise, roll+chosen stat. On a 10+, you convey your message un-
  ambiguously, with no extraneous information. On a 7-9, pick one
  from manifest.
  OBJECT READING (WIS)
  When you touch objects or people with your bare skin, you pick up
  impressions from the past. Any strong feeling, pain, or suffering
  might trigger one of your visions or overwhelm you.
  When you trigger a vision by touching an object or person with
  your bare skin, roll+WIS. On a 10+, choose if you ignore the vi-
  sion or get a useful impression. On a 7-9, you experience the im-
  pression as if it happened to you; choose one from Uncontrollable
  Visions.
  IDENTIFY
  When you take a moment to survey an area, person, or object for
  supernatural inﬂuences, roll+manifest stat. On a 10+, hold 3. On
  a 7–9, hold 1. Spend your hold as you continue to explore to ask
  these questions:
  • if there is a supernatural effect here, what activates it?
  • what does a supernatural effect do when activated?
  • what else supernatural is hidden here?
  83
  
  THE SCARRED
  The Scarred is mortal, but has an edge; the injuries they take give
  them supernatural powers.
  When you can choose a Move, you can choose one of these.
  SCAR COLLECTOR
  There’s something wrong with you; some warp or curse that mars
  your ﬂesh but grants you arcane beneﬁts. A scar grants you +1
  to defy danger against a creature similar to the one that caused
  it. You start with one minor scar, and one major scar, usable once
  per day, that grants you a move from a supernatural path or grants
  you a suitable spell from the Wizard or Cleric spell lists.
  Tell the GM how you acquired these scars (if it was not in play)
  and who you cared about that died in the process or as a result. If
  any of your scars are from a creature with a supernatural path and
  you roll a partial or miss on last breath, you can choose to come
  back as that type of creature. If you do, discuss with the GM which
  Moves you keep and which you replace.
  When you take an injury from a creature that might leave a no-
  table scar, roll+CON. On a 10+, you have a new minor scar. On a
  7-9, also mark a debility.
  When you can choose a Move and are scarred, you can choose
  from these:
  MAJOR SCARRING (CON)
  You can use your major scars once more each day. When you take
  a life-threatening, forceful, or messy injury from a creature that
  might leave a notable scar, roll+CON. On a 10+, you have a new
  major scar. On a 7-9, also mark a debility.
  MAP OF PAIN
  You can use your major scars one more time each day. Add “this
  reminds me of how I got that scar” to the trigger for your Signature
  Move.
  84
  
  OFF-SCREEN SCARRING
  Choose a creature, a new major scar, and a new minor scar. Tell
  the GM what or who you care about was lost in the process of
  gaining it and how it happened. They may make a counter-offer;
  if you accept, you gain the beneﬁts of this move, otherwise, choose
  a different move.
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and are scarred, you can choose
  this too:
  WHAT DOESN’T KILL ME
  You can use your major scars one more time each day. Also gain
  the beneﬁts of Off-Screen Scarring (for a second time if you al-
  ready have it) without needing to specify a loss.
  85
  
  THE SHAPESHIFTER
  The Shapeshifter is two related paths. The lycanthrope is your
  classic werewolf, with regeneration, allergies, and a tendency to
  lose control and eat their friends, while the protean is the trickster
  shapeshifter, hard to catch and harder to pin down, but regener-
  ation doesn’t come as easily.
  When you take Shapeshift, choose between In the Blood or Blocked,
  and between Protean or Minor Regeneration.
  SHAPESHIFT (WIS OR CON)
  Choose an animal form that is unique and speciﬁc (the one you
  would have if you had been born that creature), roughly your size
  or smaller, and that shares a distinguishing feature (like eye or hair
  color or a scar or tattoo) with your default form. You can shift into
  this form at will.
  While in another form, you have the abilities, moves, and instincts
  of that creature. You retain your human mind and use your own
  stats. Your natural weapons have the tag hand; choose one of pre-
  cise, messy, forceful, reach.
  Choose your shifting stat when you take this move. When you
  shift back into human form, roll+SHIFT. On a 10+, you accomplish
  it, no problem. On a 7-9, also choose one.
  • you can’t change form again right now
  • you retain a mark like oddly colored eyes, pointed ears, or
  sharp claws
  • you forget a nuance of civilization, like forks or personal space,
  or retain the creature’s instinct
  Any artifacts of a change last until you next take a long rest.
  IN THE BLOOD (SHIFT)
  You have heightened senses, but you also have a wild side, barely
  kept leashed. You have a bane, like silver, ﬁre, or obsidian, and a
  trigger, like the full moon rising, the touch of moonlight, a dunk
  in salt water, or extreme fear. Exposure to your trigger causes an
  involuntary tranformation into another form.
  86
  
  When the condition for involuntary transformation is true, roll+SHIFT.
  On a 10+, you transform but retain control, though you can’t shift
  back as long as the condition persists. On a 7-9, the GM will offer
  you a hard bargain, ugly choice, or worse outcome. On a 6-, you
  lose control; the GM will tell when you regain it.
  BLOCKED
  Choose two banes or triggers from In the Blood; when you’re ex-
  posed to either, you cannot shapeshift and you remain in whatever
  form you were in when the condition became true. Mark a debility
  that lasts as long as the condition persists.
  PROTEAN
  For each level you possess or gain after taking this move, choose
  a new alternate form. This form works exactly as the one granted
  by Shapeshift; choose a suitable weapon tag for the form when you
  ﬁrst use it.
  Your ﬂesh is highly malleable, but also resists permanent change.
  When you are targeted by effects that change you physically, treat
  the result of any roll to avert or subvert the physical change as if
  it were one step worse.
  If you become trapped in any shape, including your default, except
  by a bane, the GM will offer you an opportunity to escape soon.
  87
  
  When you are a Shapeshifter and can choose a Move, you can
  choose from these:
  HEALING SHIFT (SHIFT)
  When you shift into an alternate form and are injured, roll+SHIFT.
  On a hit, heal all injuries and regain all HP; take a cumulative -1 to
  all Shapeshifter Moves. On a 10+, the penalty is just to this Move.
  Clear any penalties after a long rest.
  PACKMATE
  You may designate up to four people as your packmates; as long
  as you treat them as such, the designation remains. All of you gain
  Telepathy, limited to each other but at any range (not just voice)
  you can detect each other, and may use Exploit Weakness when
  acting in concert.
  SPONTANEOUS FORM
  You may swap any alternate form you’ve used only a handful of
  times out for a new one with a few moments of concentration.
  88
  
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and are a shapeshifter, choose
  from these too:
  REGENERATE
  You have regeneration points equal to half your max HP. When
  you take damage, subtract half from the regeneration pool and half
  from HP; damage caused by a bane goes entirely to HP.
  When you take a moment to regroup while injured, you may move
  points to your HP from your regeneration pool. Regeneration points
  reﬁll after you take a few minutes to rest.
  If you already have Minor Regeneration, you may opt to replace it
  with Regenerate now. If so. choose another Move.
  HYBRID FORM
  You can shift into a hybrid form, with the beneﬁts of one of your
  animal forms and the advantages of opposable thumbs. Choose
  two:
  • it’s terrifying; take +1 when this matters
  • it’s well-suited to combat; add a new weapon tag
  • it’s obscenely strong; add +1 when strength matters
  SCENT OF FEAR
  When you hack and slash an enemy, your next attack against that foe deals
  +2d4 damage. Add a third option (or new tag) to your Hybrid Form.
  BIGGER AND WEIRDER
  You may choose monster or inhuman forms as one of your alternate forms,
  as long as they are a living creature and you’ve seen one, and you can now
  shift into forms as large as a dragon. When you choose a monstrous form,
  instead of choosing weapon tags, choose two of the monster’s tags.
  FULL PROTEAN
  You may select a human form as an alternate form. When you roll to
  shapeshift, choose one fewer consequence on a partial. You may also
  change the speciﬁc details of one of your forms on the ﬂy (though a dis-
  tinguishing mark remains) by choosing a consequence from Manifest.
  89
  
  META
  If you’re a supernatural, you may take any of these if you can ex-
  plain how they work with your powers to your GM. When a move
  refers to supernatural hold, you may replace “supernatural” with
  a type of hold one of your moves grants you or requires.
  FUEL (STAT)
  Choose a stat and an action, like sleeping for eight hours, meditat-
  ing through physical action, or opening your mind to the collective
  unconscious, when you take this Move. When you do this action,
  roll+stat. On a 10+, if you have no supernatural hold, hold 3; other-
  wise, add 2 hold. On a 7-9, if you have no supernatural hold, hold
  1, otherwise, add 1 hold.
  ABSORPTION (WIS)
  When you’re hit with a magical spell or effect, roll+WIS. On a 10+,
  gain 1 supernatural hold and take half damage or effect. On a 7-9,
  choose just one.
  HUMAN LIKE YOU
  You have a form that’s more or less human. You can switch into
  it when you wish; nobody who matters will be fooled for long, but
  mortals can’t tell the difference. You use your own stats and have
  all your own abilities except for those that require your natural
  form (GM’s call). Your human form is unique to you, as if you’d
  been born human.
  Choose two triggers, like the touch of cold iron or a strongly pre-
  sented cruciﬁx or being touched by sunlight; when this occurs,
  you revert to your natural form until it’s no longer true.
  BESEECH (CHA)
  When you beseech a powerful supernatural entity for assistance
  with a task, roll+CHA. On a 10+, the GM will tell you a cost, due
  later; if you accept, the aid is granted. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  90
  
  • the payment is due as soon as aid is rendered
  • they can provide almost but not quite what you ask
  • the entity is offended or annoyed, and won’t assist you again
  until appeased
  MINOR REGENERATION
  You’re tougher than a normal human and your wounds close up
  faster. When you drop below 3 HP and the damage was not caused
  by a bane, roll+CON. On a 10+, roll your base hp die plus CON and
  regain this in HP. On a 7-9, also choose if you mark a debility or
  lose this move until you’ve had time to heal naturally.
  TELEPORT
  Choose a spot within close range and spend supernatural hold to
  be there. If you teleport to a spot farther than that, spend one
  supernatural hold and roll+WIS. On a 10+, you are where you in-
  tended to be, you are not at a disadvantage or in a bad spot, and
  you’re not suffering a debility. On a 7-9, choose two.
  PORTABLE CHARM
  You may charge a token by wearing it next to your skin for a few
  hours. The ﬁrst time someone else touches it with their bare skin,
  it’s as if they’ve touched you or you’ve touched them.
  When you gain a level from 6-10 and qualify for meta moves,
  choose from these too.
  SHAKE IT OFF (STAT)
  When you shake off the side effects of one of your own super-
  natural abilities, roll+stat. If you do it…
  • …by being tough, +CON.
  • …by being emotionally strong or exerting willpower, +WIS.
  • …by being mentally tough or logical, +INT.
  On a hit, you don’t suffer the consequences right now; the GM will
  tell you when you’ll feel it again. On a 7-9, when they do, it will be
  worse than if you’d just let it run its course.
  91
  
  SUPPRESS
  By spending at least one supernatural hold, you can temporarily
  suppress one of your abilities – for up to an hour or so – or pre-
  vent someone from physically touching you skin to skin. You can
  also spend all your supernatural hold to suppress someone else’s
  abilities while you are touching them.
  AMPLIFY
  When you take a few moments to focus your supernatural power
  with intense concentration, you can achieve a level of power you
  might not otherwise be able to. Take +1 forward to using that su-
  pernatural power.
  NEW SHAPE
  If you have an alternate physical form, you may add a new one
  under the same conditions as the ﬁrst.
  BETWIXT HEAVEN AND HELL
  You have so many conﬂicting strings binding you that it’s hard for
  anyone to do you permanent harm. When you take this move, cre-
  ate with the GM two conﬂicting strings, like the love or hatred of
  powerful entities, magical effects or curses, or similar, that serve
  you as Entanglements.
  When you suffer lasting grievous harm, including drawing your
  last breath, tell the GM you’re invoking one of your strings. The
  GM will tell you how things turn out as best as you could expect,
  what injuries you suffer, and what it will cost you, now and later.
  TRIGGER
  When you touch someone and trigger a Move or ability that you
  or they possess, choose which of you is affected and any options,
  as if the target is taking it for the ﬁrst time if necessary, then
  roll+WIS. On a 10+, you choose who pays any costs and who takes
  any consequences. On a 7-9, pick one. The GM will pick the other
  and also pick one from Manifest.
  92
  
  93
  
  94
  
  THE VAMPIRE
  The vampire is the aging apex predator of the mortal world: strong,
  fast, and deadly, but with harsh weaknesses that look worse and
  worse as modern technology makes their advantages less useful
  and their peculiarities harder to hide.
  When you play a vampire, the GM will use your weaknesses and
  your hunger against you whenever possible. They’ll scale up chal-
  lenges, focusing on the things that can hurt you, not the ones you
  can shrug off.
  And, as always, they’ll ask, “what does this cost you?”.
  STARTING MOVES
  When you become a vampire, you gain these Moves. When you
  next take a Move, it must be your Bloodline Move.
  VAMPIRIC ADVANTAGES
  You’re a vampire, with all that entails. You don’t age; you might be
  returned to your prime or ﬁxed at the moment of your death. You
  have a supernatural sense of hearing and smell, especially when it
  comes to blood and heartbeats. You don’t breathe unless you want
  to. You regenerate, as long as your heart and spine are intact and
  you have a source of blood.
  Your bloodline is determined by that of the vampire who turned
  you into one (ask the GM if you’re not sure which it is). Gain the
  Signature Move of that archetype; if you already had it, roll two
  signature dice instead of one.
  When you are dying, with your heart and spine intact, roll+Blood
  held. On a 10+, you wake up at the next sunset with 1 Blood un-
  less you’re left out in the sun or something equally unfortunate
  happens. On a 7-9, the GM will offer you a hard bargain, worse
  outcome, or ugly choice.
  95
  
  VAMPIRIC WEAKNESSES (CON)
  You don’t show up in mirrors. Running water makes you sluggish
  and cold and will kill you if you spend too much time in it. Wood
  weapons and ﬁre hurt you as much as they hurt any mortal. And
  you’re allergic to sunlight and comatose (or nearly so) during the
  day.
  When you are exposed to direct sunlight or ﬁre, roll+CON. On a
  10+, you’re burned for 1d6 damage. On a 7-9, twice that. Track
  this damage separately; damage from the sun only heals when you
  spend Blood.
  VAMPIRIC THIRST (BLOOD)
  When you drink the blood of someone who is willing, or helpless
  to prevent it, roll+Blood held (max +3). On a 10+, hold 5 Blood and
  say if they live or die. On a 7-9, hold 3 Blood, and the GM will
  choose a complication from manifest. You can spend 1 Blood to:
  • say if they live or die from the feeding, right now
  • heal up any damage, other than sunlight or ﬁre
  • heal up any damage from sunlight or ﬁre
  • remove a debility
  • add 1 to a Manifest roll
  You can hold 5 Blood safely.
  You lose one Blood every sunset.
  When you run high or low on Blood, tell the GM; waking up hungry
  makes you dangerous.
  96
  
  FLEDGLING MOVES
  When you can choose a Move and are a vampire, you can choose
  one of these.
  VAMP OUT (CON)
  When you let your inner monster out physically, roll+CON. On a
  10+, you remain in control even as your face warps inhumanly and
  your hands grow sharp claws (hand, messy). On a 7-9, the GM will
  complicate things.
  BLOODBOND (WIS)
  When someone whose blood you have tasted recently drinks your
  blood, roll+WIS. On a 10+, you’re linked together in a two-way em-
  pathic bloodbond that will last a day or so. On a 7-9, you’re intox-
  icated for a few hours. Spend Blood, no matter how far apart you
  are, to:
  • communicate telepathically with them for a short time
  • prevent your own strong emotion from being shared or to
  ignore theirs
  • grant them one use of your Bloodline Move
  • heal them for 2d6 damage or one debility
  • overcome a loss of control or similar weakness
  • extend the duration of the bond for another day
  97
  
  TURN MORTAL (WIS)
  When someone whose blood you’ve tasted and who has tasted
  your blood dies, if you’re present, you may choose to roll+WIS. On
  a 10+, you guide or drag them to unlife, and have a bloodbond with
  them that lasts until one of you dies or breaks it. On a 7-9, the
  bloodbond is a normal one and will fade away unless maintained.
  FOG THE MIND
  When you feed on someone, you decide how much of the experi-
  ence they remember, and the speciﬁcs of it within the context of
  a shared intimacy. You can manipulate a mortal bondmate in the
  same way about any experience you’ve shared recently (not just
  feeding) by spending 1 Blood.
  TWO BLOODLINES
  Choose a second Bloodline Move; you qualify for it even without
  the appropriate bloodline.
  98
  
  MASTER MOVES
  When you can choose a Move from levels 6-10, you can choose
  from these if you are a vampire.
  GRACE
  When you roll 12+, you do the thing so well even other supernat-
  urals take note; the GM will give you a strong advantage in the
  ﬁction because of it.
  BLOOD FUEL
  Add “give yourself or a bondmate a Strong, Fast, Tough, or Hot die
  for one roll” to the list of things you can purchase with Blood. No
  one can use more than two Signature dice on any given roll, from
  any source.
  COTERIE
  When you have a coterie of vampires – three or more vampires
  turned by you or by a vampire you turned – living in one place with
  you, you no longer need to spend Blood to maintain any blood-
  bonds with them as long as they live with you.
  When you order a member of your coterie to do something dis-
  tasteful, dangerous, or against their wishes, roll+Blood held. On
  a 10+, they do it, although they may hold a grudge. On a 7-9, the
  GM will tell you one or more of the following: they argue or stall,
  subvert your intent, or demand a favor or special reward. You can
  spend one Blood per complication to negate it.
  CALCULATING
  When you hack and slash and could deal damage, you may opt to
  spend 1 Blood and take something (limb, position, held item, etc)
  from your foe instead.
  PLAYTHING
  When you use a mind-affecting ability, you can spend 1 Blood to
  convert a miss to a partial. You may also spend 1 Blood to use a
  power that only affects mortals on a fellow vampire.
  99
  
  TERRIFYING
  If you are holding 5 or more Blood, you can use your bloodline
  Move without spending any Blood.
  100
  
  BLOODLINE MOVES
  When you become a vampire, your next Move must be one of
  these.
  CELERITY
  If you’re of the Fast Bloodline, add “be somewhere, within near
  range that you can reach, right now” to the list of things you can
  spend Blood on.
  SPIDER CLIMB
  If you’re of the Genius Bloodline, add “climb a vertical surface like
  a spider” to the list of things you can spend Blood on.
  BEND BARS
  If you’re of the Strong Bloodline, add “bend something as hard and
  thick as rebar with your bare hands” to the list of things you can
  spend Blood on.
  READ MIND
  If you’re of the Wise Bloodline, add “read a nearby mortal’s thoughts”
  to the list of things you can spend Blood on.
  DOMINATE
  If you’re of the Charismatic Bloodline, add “force a mortal in your
  presence to carry out one simple command” to the list of things
  you can spend Blood on.
  ALREADY DEAD
  If you’re of the Tough Bloodline, add “shrug off the damage from a
  single hit” to the list of things you can spend Blood on.
  101
  
  MISCELLANEOUS & ADJACENT MOVES
  These Moves are usually granted and lost by circumstance and
  by ﬁction, and are not entirely positive; you should not normally
  spend a move choice on them.
  HUMAN SERVANT
  When you fully accept a bloodbond as a mortal, you may spend
  2HP to choose options from Bloodbond, except ones that extend
  the duration of the bond, with yourself or the vampire as the tar-
  get.
  You also age much more slowly than a full mortal, are tougher and
  more resilient, and heal faster, even from grievous wounds.
  INHUMAN SERVANT
  When you fully accept a bloodbond as a supernatural creature,
  you may spend supernatural hold as if it were Blood to choose op-
  tions from Bloodbond, with yourself or the vampire as the target.
  The vampire adds “trigger any Move you possess” to the options
  for Bloodbond; if they do, you make any rolls, but they make all the
  choices.
  VAMPIRE SURVIVOR
  You once belonged to a vampire. Name what you did for them;
  you take +1 ongoing when performing this service, or when know-
  ing how vampires operate is an advantage (+2 against your former
  master). Choose if you are Primed or a Relic.
  Name one vampiric ability that doesn’t work on you, for each you
  choose: your patron wants you back; you took something with
  you when you left; you know something about them that would
  destroy them.
  102
  
  FAILED TURN
  The Turning was twisted and incomplete, or maybe you’re still in
  the process of it. You gain Minor Regeneration (but it isn’t pretty),
  Vampiric Weaknesses, Vampiric Thirst, and your progenitor’s Blood-
  line Move.
  You may opt to choose Vampire Moves as if you were one, but you
  aren’t.
  RELIC
  You’ve been around a while. Tell the GM a modern thing you just
  can’t wrap your head around, and how you compensate for it.
  When you meet someone you used to know, roll+nothing. On a
  10+, you remember something useful about them and they either
  don’t remember you or remember you fondly. On a 7-9, it’s just
  something useful.
  PRIMED
  When you draw your last breath after tasting the blood of a vam-
  pire who has tasted your blood ﬁrst, you may come back as a vam-
  pire on any result.
  WEIRD BLOOD
  A quirk of ancestry or fate gives your blood odd properties. Choose
  one:
  • you have enough fae blood to intoxicate a vampire, possibly
  even incapacitate or kill one, if they consume enough of it
  • any vampire that can smell your extra delicious blood will
  prioritize drinking it, and, if possible, keeping you as a pet
  • your blood registers as nothing to a vampire and provides no
  Blood
  103
  
  Playing the Game
  
  THE IMPLIED SETTING
  UMF assumes a modern setting, just like the one outside your win-
  dow. Well, maybe if you lived in an action movie!
  This is a world of high-tech heists, car chases, and hard deals on
  the street, of fast living and dangerous bargains.
  It’s also a world where, if you want to see it, the supernatural seethes,
  just under the surface, waiting for a few good heroes to come along
  and try to kick it in the teeth.
  Check out Setting and Campaigns for campaign frameworks and
  modern adventure starters.
  BASIC MOVES
  You will recognize some of these from Dungeon World, but be sure
  to read them carefully as the DW moves have been tweaked, either
  in wording or in deﬁnition.
  The Basic Moves are Defy Danger, Defend, Discern Realities, Find
  Someone, Gain a Talent, Hack and Slash, Manifest Power, Spout
  Lore, and Volley.
  Lean hard on Defy Danger; this is the core Move of this game, right
  next to Manifest Power.
  105
  
  DEFY DANGER (VARIES)
  When you act despite an imminent threat or suffer a calamity,
  say how you deal with it and roll. If you do it…
  …by powering through, +STR
  …by getting out of the way or acting fast, +DEX
  …by enduring, +CON
  …with quick thinking, +INT
  …through mental fortitude, +WIS
  …using charm and social grace, +CHA
  On a 10+, you do what you set out to, and the threat doesn’t come
  to bear. On a 7–9, you stumble, hesitate, or ﬂinch: the GM will
  offer you a worse outcome, hard bargain, or ugly choice.
  If there’s danger inherent in what you narrate your character do-
  ing, that triggers Defy Danger, if no more speciﬁc Move triggers.
  The GM should try to make sure you’re both on the same page
  about what’s at stake and what’s achievable before you roll.
  Parley is out; Defy Danger is now the go-to Move for social situ-
  ations with an element of risk as well as for physical dangers. If a
  move grants leverage for Parley, instead take +1 on the Defy.
  If you miss, the danger comes to bear, and now you’ll either need
  to escalate to get what you want (draw a gun, threaten a punch or
  throw one, start making a scene) or try a new approach.
  Note that just like you can’t hack and slash a dragon with a tooth-
  pick, you can’t just ask the vampire king for his diary and expect
  to get it. It’s all in the stakes– the danger of such a request isn’t
  “he won’t hand his diary over”, it’s “he’ll be unamused and make an
  example out of me”.
  106
  
  DEFEND (CON)
  When you stand in defense of a person, item, or location under
  attack, roll+Con. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7–9, hold 1. So long as you
  stand in defense, when you or the thing you defend is attacked you
  may spend hold, 1 for 1, to choose an option:
  • redirect an attack from the thing you defend to yourself
  • halve the attack’s effect or damage
  • open up the attacker to an ally giving that ally +1 forward
  against the attacker
  • deal damage to the attacker equal to your level
  • make an opening for someone to escape an iminent threat
  See the section on Cover for more about using Defend in modern
  situations.
  FIND SOMEONE (CHA)
  When you go looking for someone who can help you, roll+CHA.
  On a 10+, you ﬁnd them and they’re open to negotiation. On a 7-9,
  they’re in trouble or dealing with a problem when you get there, or
  you have to settle for a lesser version like an assistant or protege.
  Use this move when you need information, help, gear, or similar,
  either to ﬁnd someone you already know (whether or not they’ve
  made an appearance in the ﬁction), or someone new.
  FOR THE GM: Remember to ask questions and use the answers.
  If the Field Scientist asks you, “do I know anyone from my college
  who is an expert in Egyptology?” feel free to ask them in return,
  “do you? Are you rivals for the same tenure?”.
  107
  
  GAIN A TALENT
  When you roll 12+ while Defying Danger, you may add a talent to
  your sheet that reﬂects the action you succeeded on. Ask the GM
  what that talent is.
  When you trigger a roll and a talent applies and would help, take
  +1 to the roll. You can only use one talent’s bonus on any given roll.
  A talent doesn’t change if a Move triggers; just because you have
  Talent [Lie Blatantly About Time] doesn’t mean you can convince
  someone who can see the sun that it’s midnight– it just means that
  if you’ve triggered a roll, like defy danger, and it happens to involve
  a bald-faced lie about time, you get a +1 to the roll.
  FOR THE GM: Talents allow you to codify narrow, speciﬁc things
  the character is good at for later reference, to reinforce the ﬁction,
  and they’re both prescriptive and descriptive. Talents should be
  interpreted in context of the ﬁction, and carefully. For example…
  …Talent [Exceptionally Risky Parkour] applies during a climb up
  crates and a leap for a ﬁre escape while being chased
  …Talent [Dodge the Bigger Guy] counts when sliding under the
  ogre’s swing (but not for hacking and slashing him)
  …Talent [Drive Too Fast] will help with making a hard left while
  going 80mph in the rain
  (MORE) STARTING TALENTS
  Blatant Lie, Bodies Don’t Faze Me, Charge Into Horrible Danger,
  Creative Writing, I Know You’re Not Human, Don’t Faint, Eat Junk,
  Extremely Risky Parkour, Make a Hasty but Graceful Exit, Saw <Mon-
  ster> Handiwork Before, Spot a Fake, Spot Trouble Brewing, Take
  a Punch, Tie Strong Knots
  108
  
  HACK AND SLASH (STR)
  When you attack an enemy in melee, roll+Str. On a 10+ you deal
  your damage to the enemy and avoid their attack. At your option,
  you may choose to do +1d6 damage but expose yourself to the en-
  emy’s attack. On a 7–9, you deal your damage to the enemy and
  the enemy makes an attack against you.
  Note that “makes an attack” means not just a literal attack, but any
  move the enemy can use in the context of the ﬁction.
  Also note that enemies do not stand still waiting to be hit in UMF
  any more than they do in DW– if you fail to deal with goblins two
  through ﬁve while stabbing goblin one, you’re going to get swarmed,
  bitten, and clawed, no matter what you roll on your hack and slash.
  109
  
  MANIFEST POWER (VARIES)
  When you use this Move for the ﬁrst time, choose a modiﬁer. You
  use this stat to manifest unless the GM tells you to use a different
  one for a speciﬁc roll.
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something consistent
  with your premise or established abilities, roll+STAT. On a 10+,
  you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM will choose one as well.
  • you attract unwanted notice
  • you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  • you get hurt
  • you lose a resource
  • you owe someone a debt
  • the outcome is worse than you hoped
  On a 12+, as 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now; the
  GM will create a niche move to reﬂect it.
  This is the Move that triggers when you have supernatural abilities
  and you’re trying to do something you should be able to do, given
  what you are, but that isn’t explicitly spelled out in the rules. It
  allows you to represent your premise, even if you don’t yet have
  advanced moves from your paths.
  “Bad news, those two werewolves have followed you out to the
  parking lot, and they’re joking about staking you out for the sun,”
  the GM says.
  “I’ve been a vampire for like two nights,” Charlie complains. “I’m
  going to go crazy on them, just vamp out.”
  “You don’t have that move yet, but that’s how you described Elliot
  when he lost control feeding earlier, right? So that’s part of your
  premise,” the GM says. “Sounds like Manifest Power.”
  A 10, and Charlie picks “lose a resource”. The GM nods. “As you
  teeter on the edge of control, you can feel you’re running through
  Blood way faster than you should be. What do you do?”
  110
  
  Remember to always use the most speciﬁc Move you’ve got!
  FOR THE GM: When you create a niche Move on a 12+, keep the
  ﬁction– what happened– and the intent– what the character wanted
  out of the situation– in mind.
  Niche Moves should be a better deal than just rolling manifest in
  some way, either because they’re slightly easier, have a better suc-
  cess condition, or grant explicit narrative control to the player.
  Use the advice in the Dungeon World Core book about making new
  Moves, and look at the Meta path in the Supernaturals playbook for
  power templates. Consider passives, or adding to one of the PC’s
  existing Moves. As a rule of thumb, choose a stat, then use one of
  these two patterns:
  PATTERN A
  On a 10+, the ability works as it did the ﬁrst time, ﬁctionally, with
  the same costs. On a 7-9, there will be a drawback like:
  • it’s weaker than expected, or of shorter duration
  • there’s a cost, or a higher cost than expected
  • there’ll be an unexpected side effect or ramiﬁcation
  • you’ll have to choose one from Manifest
  PATTERN B
  On a 7-9, the ability works as it did the ﬁrst time, ﬁctionally, with
  the same costs. On a 7-9, there will be an advantage, like:
  • the costs are lessened or waived
  • it will last longer than expected or
  • some drawback to it is reduced or negated
  Before you begin play, be sure to discuss with your table who will
  pick the consequences on a Manifest Power; it’s okay for a table
  to defer those choices in part or in whole to the GM if all players
  prefer.
  111
  
  SPOUT LORE (INT)
  When you consult your accumulated knowledge about something,
  roll+Int. On a 10+ the GM will tell you something interesting and
  useful about the subject relevant to your situation. On a 7–9 the
  GM will only tell you something interesting–it’s on you to make it
  useful. The GM might ask you how you know this.
  DISCERN REALITIES (WIS)
  When you closely study a situation or person, roll+Wis. On a 10+
  ask the GM 3 questions from the list below. On a 7–9 ask 1. Take
  +1 forward when acting on the answers.
  • what happened here recently?
  • what is about to happen?
  • what here is useful or valuable to me?
  • what here is not as it appears to be?
  VOLLEY (DEX)
  When you take aim and shoot at an enemy at range, roll+Dex. On
  a 10+ you have a clear shot–deal your damage. On a 7–9, choose
  one (whichever you choose you deal your damage):
  • you have to move to get the shot placing you in danger of the
  GM’s choice
  • you have to take what you can get: -1d6 damage
  • you have to take several shots, reducing your ammo by one.
  112
  
  MINOR MOVES
  Minor moves don’t come up as often as Basic Moves, but cover
  speciﬁc, fairly common situations in the ﬁction.
  ASSIST
  When you help someone else out when your signature die would
  apply, you can give them your signature die for that roll, in ad-
  dition to any other dice they roll. If they end up keeping it, they
  decide which of you takes the fallout.
  CELEBRATE
  When you return triumphant, survive an ordeal, or experience
  a milestone where society expects a party, and throw a party,
  roll+nothing. On a 10+, choose 3 (you can choose an option more
  than once). On a 7-9, choose 1. On a miss, still choose one, but
  things got really out of hand.
  • you befriend a useful NPC or become closer with someone
  • you hear rumors of an opportunity or gain useful information
  • you are not entangled or put into a compromising or dan-
  gerous position
  END OF SESSION
  At the end of a session, ask yourself if you resolved one or more
  Desires in your favor or signiﬁcantly explored any of your Entan-
  glements. If the answer’s yes to either of these, mark one XP. You
  can change them now, regardless, if the ﬁction supports it. Then
  answer, as a group, these questions; for each “yes” everyone marks
  XP.
  • did we discover something new and important about the world?
  • did we overcome a notable challenge or long-term goal?
  • did we change an aspect of the city in a lasting way?
  113
  
  FIRE POINT-BLANK (DEX)
  When you ﬁre a suitable weapon against someone in your face
  who has the will and means to hurt you, roll+DEX. On a 10+, you
  deal your damage. You may opt to do an additional 1d6 damage if
  you tell the GM to choose one. On a 7-9, deal your damage and
  the GM will choose one:
  • you empty your clip or the weapon jams
  • they counterattack or deal damage
  • they take something away from you
  This is the move for when Volley’s not personal enough, for when
  the enemy is right up in your face, claws swiping, and you manage
  to squeeze off a few desperate shots.
  SHOP (CHA)
  When you go to buy something with money in hand, if it’s some-
  thing readily available here, you can buy it at the price you’d ex-
  pect. If it’s something special, black market, or illegal, roll+CHA.
  On a 10+ you ﬁnd it at a fair price. On a 7-9, the GM will tell you
  if it’ll cost more than your current wealth can absorb, not quite
  right, or comes with complications (like being stolen or tracked).
  If you want magic or supernatural items, you’ll have to go ﬁnd
  them, and then convince their owners to part with them.
  USE TECHNOLOGY (INT)
  When you use an unfamiliar or protected technology, roll+INT.
  On a 10+, you use it as you intended. On a 7-9, it works, but there’s
  an unexpected side effect. Usually, if you spend a few hours get-
  ting comfortable with technology or roll 12+, it’s familiar to you.
  114
  
  START OF SESSION
  When you start a new session after your character has signif-
  icant downtime, say if you primarily focused on your mortal life
  and obligations or if you furthered your supernatural interests.
  If you chose mortal, the GM will tell you how one of your Entan-
  glements, Desires, or Dread became a problem. Choose one:
  • you handled it ﬁne, more or less; it won’t be an issue for now
  • it all went wrong and you’ll have to deal with the fallout; mark
  XP
  If you chose the supernatural, the GM will tell you how a super-
  natural contact or Entanglement ran into problems. Choose one:
  • you helped them out; they owe you one
  • you ignored it or it was a trap, your choice; mark XP
  If you mark XP, the GM chooses if the game starts in the middle of
  the event or if it happened off-screen. If the latter, they will offer
  you the choice between two things you might have lost; pick one.
  When you make this choice, be sure to give the GM as much con-
  text as you can.
  FOR THE GM: If a player’s choices seem interesting enough to
  spark a session, go for it! If more than one do, interweave them.
  If a player marks XP, be sure to inﬂict the costs, one way or another.
  And don’t forget to weave in the fallout, if there is any.
  115
  
  RECUPERATION MOVES
  MAKE CAMP
  When you settle in for a well-deserved rest, answer the GM’s
  questions about your location. Then each player (including the
  GM) may ask one of the following questions of another character
  in camp; that character’s player should answer honestly.
  • what does someone in camp do that is annoying or endearing?
  • who or what seems to be on your mind? How do you show it?
  • what do you reveal about yourself that I/we hadn’t realized before?
  The GM will decide what, if anything, happens in the next few
  hours, until you’re ready to move again.
  GET SOME REST
  When you’ve had an adequate meal and gotten at least a few hours
  of sleep, pick 1. If your rest was particularly comfortable, peaceful,
  or enjoyable, pick 1 more.
  • heal damage equal to half your maximum HP (rounded up)
  • expend 1 use of a resource to clear a debility, if it makes sense
  • take +1 forward
  RECOVER
  When you spend a few days resting in safety and comfort, re-
  store your HP to maximum and clear all your debilities. If you have
  suffered some serious injury, ask the GM how long it’ll take you to
  recover. If you’ve suffered a permanent disability, get with the GM
  and make a plan to deal with it.
  Make Camp, Get Some Rest, and Recover adapted from Revised Debilities.
  116
  
  GEAR
  Gear in UMF is more or less as it is in DW, with a few exceptions.
  UMF uses an abstracted wealth system based on common sense,
  or, failing that, a quick google of the cost of something in the mod-
  ern day.
  The existing Dungeon World wealth system can be dropped in, as
  long as you’re willing to google prices and convert.
  NEW WEAPON TAGS
  Point-blank: This item can be used to ﬁre point-blank without
  penalties. When you do, add the tag messy.
  Scatter-shot: When used at close range, add the tag messy.
  +Modiﬁer The item has an inherent modiﬁer between -1 and +3.
  When you use this item use its modiﬁer instead of your own.
  FIREARMS
  Firearms are common, but they tend to attract attention, even in
  the hands of those who have the authority to wield them.
  Pistol near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight
  Riﬂe far, ammo 3, 2 piercing, 2 weight
  Shotgun near, scatter-shot, point-blank, ammo 2, 2 weight
  The ammo listed is for enough ammo to load the weapon fully a
  couple of times, and not to be obviously packing or jingle when
  you walk.
  117
  
  SIMPLE MAGIC ITEMS
  These are the kinds of things a skilled practitioner can create for
  you, with the right ingredients, suitable payment, and enough time
  and incentive. There’s no mass production of magic here – every
  magic item bears the stamp of its creator and the methods used
  to create it.
  Magic Wand (+modiﬁer) The wand is imbued with a single spell
  of 3rd level or lower. The person holding it can cast this spell as
  if they are a 3rd level wizard or cleric. When they do, they mark
  a debility and roll the appropriate spell-casting move, using the
  wand’s modiﬁer insted of their own. If they mark all three debili-
  ties at the same time, the wand is completely discharged, for good.
  Healing Shot When you take a moment to pull out the stopper and
  chug the contents, this tiny ﬂask operates as a cure light wounds
  spell cast by a 1st level cleric. Such potions are always built on a
  shot of hard spirits.
  Contingency Ring Each ring has a trigger, like “if I fall more than
  ten feet” or “if I’m knocked out” and a spell that will be cast in-
  stantly in response to that trigger. Such rings are usually created
  with one charge, but two or three are not unheard of. Once used
  up, the ring is no longer magical.
  118
  
  UNIQUE MAGIC ITEMS
  Unique magic items are rare, named, and special; the possessor
  of one is usually a high proﬁle target for those who crave power.
  They are often legacy items or storied artifacts, or a divine gift tied
  to a physical form.
  In general, a unique magic item will grant a Move, under speciﬁc
  conditions, with speciﬁc drawbacks.
  Tyrﬁng (close, 2 weight, 3 piercing) The wielder of Tyrﬁng will ﬁnd
  it sharp and tough, and adds +2 to damage while wielding it. It is
  cursed to cause three great evils each time it ﬁnds a new wielder;
  when someone draws it for the ﬁrst time, the GM holds 3 against
  them. This hold may be spent any time Tyrﬁng is unsheathed in
  their hand to have it cause a great evil or sorrow.
  Aegis (0 weight, +1 armor) The Aegis is an embodiment of an ideal
  attached to a suitable symbol, like a badge representing justice, a
  gift from a slain friend representing retribution, or a weapon rep-
  resenting wrath. When worn or displayed prominently, the Aegis
  grants +1 armor. When held in one hand and presented as a shield,
  it expands into a distinctive shield that grants +2 armor. It cannot
  be disarmed or destroyed, only suppressed, as long as the bearer
  believes in the ideal.
  Caliburn’s Scabbard (1 weight) A ﬁne but well-used scabbard suit-
  able for a longsword. The one bearing it cannot die of blood loss.
  Any blade kept in it regularly gains +1 piercing for as long as it is
  paired with the scabbard.
  The Book of Night Without Moon (0 weight) The Book grants a +1
  ongoing against demons, and to perform rituals involving demons.
  Possessing it counts as a place of power for the purposes of Ritual.
  If you hit a demon with it, sum the dice instead of keeping the
  lowest, and if the dice match, double it.
  119
  
  Running the Game
  
  The ﬁrst thing you’ll want to do is read (or re-read) chapter 13 of
  the Dungeon World core book. The important stuff is recapped
  here, but you’ll ﬁnd a lot more examples and advice there, espe-
  cially if this is your ﬁrst powered by the apocalyse game.
  Running a modern game with Dungeon World isn’t that different
  from running the fantasy version. It just requires a bit of adjust-
  ment, of looking past the speciﬁc words to the intent, and a will-
  ingness to improvise– but you’re into Dungeon World, you’ve got
  that already!
  Describe the situation around the players at all times, honestly.
  This is your primary job, as the GM. Describe what the characters
  see, what their senses pick up, as concretely as you can, preferably
  from their perspectives.
  Exploit your prep.
  This doesn’t mean writing up thousands of
  pages of notes; it means knowing that vampires, and one very an-
  gry serpent demon, lair in the old sewers under the college. It
  means when the players explore those sewers, you keep that prep
  in mind, and when they roll a miss, you know why there’s an omi-
  nous hiss from the shadows, even if they don’t yet.
  Follow your rules, and act when Moves trigger. When the players
  look to you to see what happens next (it’s your turn in the conver-
  sation), they hand you a golden opportunity (they narrate doing
  something your prep says is exceptionally dangerous, or they ig-
  nore a threat), or they roll a 6-, consult your list of Moves and
  choose one that ﬁts the ﬁction as established.
  Make characters together. Be clear which supernatural paths are
  open to players, and which are off the table. As the players make
  their characters, consider what jumps out at you about the paths,
  themes, and other aspects of the character, and how you’ll com-
  plicate their premise in play. Ask lots of questions.
  121
  
  AGENDA
  Add intertwine the mundane and the fantastic to your agenda.
  Contrast the mundane world of taxes and trafﬁc and standing in
  line at the DMV with the fantastic one that lies beneath– whether
  that’s a world ﬁlled with diamond heists and double-crosses or one
  ﬁlled with vampires and werewolves, or both.
  PRINCIPLES
  Add everyone has an agenda; everyone wants something to your
  principles.
  This is part of “give every monster life” and “name every person”,
  but bigger, more complicated, and more human (even if the per-
  son in question is a monster). Give every NPC, monster or human,
  something they want that they haven’t already seized because for
  some reason they can’t.
  Use that to create situations where most people, even the undead
  or hungry ones, are willing to negotiate to get what they want. It’s
  what gives your fragile mortal heroes a ﬁghting chance.
  Add frame it like a movie or novel; skip the boring bits to your
  principles.
  If you frame a scene, something interesting should happen, some
  character development should occur, some ﬁendish plot should
  be revealed. If not, sum it up in a few words if necessary and skip
  to the next thing.
  But be sure to respect and listen to your players’ wishes if they’re
  not ready to move on to that next thing, within reason.
  122
  
  GM MOVES
  Add introduce, entangle, endanger, or harm an NPC to your moves.
  Don’t be afraid to introduce new or existing NPCs when they’re
  needed, to entangle them with the heroes, to put them in harm’s
  way, or to break them just to show the PCs how dangerous a threat
  is, to “think dangerous”. Use this to remind yourself that NPCs are
  tools for you to use with any of your other Moves.
  Add cut to a new scene to your moves.
  Use this to end a scene and pick up the next morning, say, or to
  condense a long talk into a few words and pick up immediately
  after. Don’t abuse this move; always “be a fan” of the characters.
  Add use or use up a thread, dread, desire, or entanglement to
  your moves.
  All four of these are resources, things you can do to challenge the
  character in question and to encourage a dramatic arc for them.
  Threads are motifs and hooks you’ve built together, all of you, at
  the table in play (as described further later in this chapter). Use
  them lavishly, to call back to earlier events, to recall themes to
  mind, to really drive a character’s changes and growth home.
  Don’t hesitate to use the information the player has handed you
  about their character; that they are afraid of something (their Dread),
  that they want something (their Desires), and that they relate to
  the people around them in a speciﬁc way (their Entanglements).
  Remember to “ask questions and use the answers”. Ask the player
  what it looks like when they transform. Ask the demon what they
  do to appease that greater demon who they owe a debt to. Ask the
  hunter how they got that scar, and who died when they did.
  Try to avoid asking questions that require a player to answer some-
  thing that a player’s character wouldn’t know or that require the
  players to challenge their own characters.
  123
  
  COMMON SITUATIONS
  Here’s how to handle some common situations more or less spe-
  ciﬁc to a modern setting, using the Basic and Minor Moves and
  some common sense.
  CAR CHASES
  Handle chases with Defy Danger; when your characters are be-
  ing chased, the danger’s being caught, and when they’re chasing
  someone else, it’s that their quarry will escape.
  Possible complications: fruit cart or taco truck crossing the road;
  an expensive car, double-parked; a ﬁre hydrant shooting water
  across the windshield; a tunnel ﬁlled with crawling commuters; a
  big pile of dirt from construction; a shopping cart, out of control.
  COVER
  When someone wants to take cover during a ﬁreﬁght, that’s prob-
  ably Defy Danger to get there. If they make it to good cover, the
  enemy can’t hit them immediately, but they can’t move or return
  ﬁre without exposing themselves to the risk inherent in Volley, De-
  fend, or Defy.
  Interpret “stand in defense” for Defend generously; use it if they’re
  trying to stay covered during that hail of bullets, or laying down
  cover ﬁre so someone can make a run for it.
  If the cover is ﬂawed, exploit that on complications and on misses.
  A rule of thumb is to treat partial cover as 1 Armor, major cover as
  2 Armor, but try to focus on exploiting, changing – or even having
  the other side negotiate – over whittling down HP.
  Possible complications: your cover’s being chewed up; your cover
  fails or is destroyed; you don’t quite make it unscathed; there’s not
  enough room for both of you; the enemy moves to get a clear shot;
  you drop something.
  124
  
  125
  
  DAMAGE
  UMF handles damage dealt by players a bit dif-
  ferently than standard Dungeon World does. A
  player no longer rolls damage on a successful at-
  tack, though monsters still do.
  After determining if an attack is a hit, the dam-
  age dealt is the lower of the two kept dice plus
  the appropriate stat modiﬁer.
  CONVERSION
  1d4
  +2
  1d6
  +3
  1d8
  +4
  1d10
  +5
  1d12
  +6
  If a Move or item grants bonus damage and you want to convert
  it to this system or to convert UMF Moves back to standard DW
  style, use this chart.
  DEBILITIES
  UMF assumes you’re using Revised Debilities by Jeremy Strand-
  berg (included in part, edited more than a little, here and under
  Recuperation Moves under CC-BY). Essentially, replace Dungeon
  World’s six debilities with three:
  • Weakened: fatigued, tired, sluggish, shaky, shocked. -1 on-
  going to STR and DEX.
  • Dazed: out of it; not thinking quickly or clearly; befuddled,
  shaken. -1 ongoing to INT and WIS.
  • Miserable: distressed, unwell, grumpy, weary, uncomfort-
  able, in pain. -1 ongoing to CON and CHA.
  Debilities last until they no longer make sense in the ﬁction or until
  a move (like Make Camp or Recover) says to clear them. Remember
  to use debilities ﬁctionally; the debilitated character might need
  to defy danger to accomplish some tasks, or might be prevented
  from doing them entirely.
  If you’re using standard debilities, be sure to mark two when a UMF
  Move says to mark one.
  For a much better explanation and design notes, go to the original
  source. Full url in Acknowledgements.
  126
  
  DYING
  Make that last breath personal. A dead relative offering a choice
  between peace or duty. A heavenly vision tainted by a sense some-
  thing’s unﬁnished. Death herself opening welcoming arms, with a
  skull’s grin.
  Offer mortal bargains for partials, like a psychological quirk, a lin-
  gering physical injury, or a debt. Look to the ﬁction when crafting
  supernatural bargains.
  On a miss, the rules say the PC has to die, but in UMF death–at
  least the ﬁrst time–is often just the beginning. When a PC dies as
  a result of drawing their last breath, consider that Move complete,
  even if they come back. And make it hard–the new vampire’s in
  thrall to a master, say, or the ghost is bound to someone they hate.
  Possible mundane bargains: they have a death wish; survivor’s guilt;
  they feel invincible; they’re anxious or paranoid; a scar; a chronic
  injury like a limp or double vision or memory loss.
  Possible supernatural bargains: lycanthropic infection; new oracu-
  lar powers; a bargain with a demon; primed for vampirism; existing
  power ampliﬁed to unbearable levels; existing power or method of
  revival leaves a visible mark.
  GUNPLAY
  Volley will come up frequently; be prepared with suitable compli-
  cations, impending dangers, and disasters. If a character shoots
  in melee, they’re almost certainly opening themselves up to an
  attack, requiring a Defy Danger, or they might just get smacked
  down.
  Possible complications: the gun misﬁres, jams, or overheats; some-
  thing’s damaged and the environment changes for the worse; some-
  one’s hit or bleeding out; a foe reveals better armor, weaponry, or
  position; a foe takes it to melee; you’re outﬂanked by a new foe.
  127
  
  OUTSTANDING WARRANTS
  Consider “a civilized place” to refer to a speciﬁc law enforcement
  jurisdiction. Who knows, on a miss during a gunﬁght you might
  just discover that one jurisdiction has reciprocity with another…
  PEOPLE
  Don’t get too attached to your NPCs. They’re not the protagonists
  of this story; at best, they’re extras, love interests, and sidekicks.
  But do make them real. Provide just a couple of simple but vivid
  details–spidery ﬁngers clutching an eagle-headed cane or a pa-
  tron’s insistence on a meal with every meeting–and your players
  will tell you who interests them, who you should focus on, by how
  they play.
  Consider including the NPCs in “be a fan of the characters” too.
  Sure, you’ll be harder on them than you’d ever be on a PC, down-
  right unfair as needed, but that’s what makes the audience sym-
  pathize with them–and gives the PCs a reason to hunt down those
  who wrong them.
  NPCs and Entanglements provide context. There’s no faster way
  to make it feel real than to set up situations where everyone wants
  something from someone else that they can’t have right now.
  128
  
  PLAYER VS. PLAYER
  UMF assumes the player characters are generally on the same team.
  If a PC decides to act against another, the one who declares action
  goes ﬁrst unless the ﬁction says otherwise. If a Move triggers, roll
  as usual, otherwise, treat the declared action as an open-ended
  GM Move and ask the other player, “what do you do?”.
  You can always talk to the players involved about how it should
  resolve instead, or just treat it as a “golden opportunity” to make
  a GM Move, and resolve it logically.
  SIGNATURE DICE
  Signature Moves have a trigger, just like any other move. Try to set
  the tone quickly for how generously you will interpret those trig-
  gers. Don’t be afraid to ask the player, “how are you doing that?”
  and “what does that look like?” or to say “no” if it’s a stretch.
  And don’t forget that you get to deliver an additional complication
  on a partial, if they keep their Signature die.
  THREADS
  Threads (motifs, callbacks, or hooks) are narrative currents run-
  ning through the story that will be interesting to be weave in again
  later. Anything that comes up in play can be a thread, as long as
  someone ﬁnds it intriguing enough to declare that it is.
  “Respect must be earned” is a thread. So is “stained glass frag-
  ments lying in snow”, and so is “who was that masked man?”. Dreads,
  Desires, and Entanglements are all threads.
  Whenever something strikes you as a valuable thread, write it down.
  Bring it back in later, when you see an appropriate moment to do
  so. The more threads you can weave in, the stronger your narra-
  tive will be, and the more satisfying the game.
  129
  
  WEALTH
  Wealth is an abstract measure of how much a character can afford
  to spend on something, right now (in credit, debit, or cash) and
  how easily they can get that cash in hand to spend.
  Starting characters are assumed to have enough wealth to buy a
  meal, keep their car in gas, throw a cheap party if needed, and
  satisfy their existing interest payments.
  They also have a source of income that more or less covers the
  above. Usually this is a steady job, but a pension or trust fund
  works too. Wealth, and sources of it, are resources, ones you can
  take away, threaten, or offer chances to improve or replace with
  supernatural ones that are far more lucrative– and messy.
  As long as a character has a source of income that covers their
  living expenses, they’re ﬁne, though you can and should use the
  implied ﬁction of being late for work or a partner who wonders what
  they really are.
  If they don’t have an income, bring pressure to bear when you have
  an opportunity to make a suitable move.
  130
  
  LOOT
  Handle loot (ﬁnite treasure and small windfalls won on adven-
  tures) on a case-by-case basis. Generally, loot opens doors or al-
  lows the character to buy something they otherwise couldn’t, or
  gives a bonus to Moves where ﬂashing around cash (or that kind
  of loot, in the case of art or jewelery or security chips) matters.
  Bonuses from loot can be ongoing or forward, depending on the
  situation. When a player opts to use a loot bonus, ask them the
  source and tell them how much it’s worth and if it’ll likely be used
  up, before they commit to using it.
  Remember that loot is a resource and subject to GM Moves. Mod-
  ern day loot, the kind you take off a guy you just killed who you
  know was a vampire but maybe doesn’t look so much like one now,
  isn’t easily transferrable, or it has serious strings attached, often
  of the legal variety.
  Don’t be afraid to ask your players, “hey, you killed him before you
  got his atm password, how are you going to get into his bank ac-
  count now?”. And if they do make a big score, ask them how they’re
  hiding it or laundering it.
  Otherwise, use common sense – if a character steals a million dol-
  lars, buying everyone lunch isn’t an issue in the ﬁction. The mob-
  ster who is owed that cash? That’s the issue that’s going to make
  for a good story.
  131
  
  CHALLENGING MORTALS
  You do this in the normal way; throw threats against them or their
  favorite people, whether that’s punks in a bar with pool cues or
  men in black with machine guns and amnesia wands or a vampire
  who wants a favor or a meal.
  So what’s a normal human going to do against a raging werewolf?
  Die, likely. Your players will have to be smart if they don’t want to
  end up dead or worse.
  They’ll have to do their research, prepare carefully, execute per-
  fectly. There are worse things than losing, and worse ways to end
  up than dead.
  And their Signature Move die? That’s a resource, one that you can
  take away. Always be watching for hard bargains that play to their
  archetypes and paths, to their character premise, and to the re-
  sources they’ve collected ﬁctionally as well as mechanically.
  132
  
  CHALLENGING THE SUPERNATURAL
  When they act, ask questions that explore the premise inherent
  in each path. Ask: What does that look like? How do you do that?
  What’s it cost you? Then use the answers.
  Let the player do the heavy lifting on how their supernatural na-
  ture impacts the world, and don’t feel like you need to make all
  dragons in the campaign green just because The Dragon is.
  THE ANGELIC
  The Angel is a powerful divine force trapped in a mortal body–they
  can do terrible, wondrous things, as long as they’re willing to suffer
  for it. When the Angel uses a spell, ask them how it impacts their
  mortal shell. Remind them they might die, or be exposed for what
  they are.
  Powerful forces earn powerful enemies.
  Nomen might seem hard to handle, but really, it’s as much a tool
  for you as it is for them.
  Where and how far doesn’t tell you safest or easiest, not unless you
  generously narrate it like that, of course. Ask them to word their
  request to their sixth sense and then stick to it.
  Speaking someone’s language is a powerful tool; you can speak the
  language of violence to thugs, the language of chivalry to knights,
  the language of love to lovers, the language of statistics to accoun-
  tants. Watch for bystanders to assume things about the PC that
  might not be true. Use an unexpected new Entanglement when
  someone they’ve spoken to takes things too far. Make a target de-
  mand they walk the walk since they can talk the talk.
  If the Angel is lucky, give them opportunities to use their nomen
  when luck might help them ameliorate or escape a miss or a par-
  tial. Make the misses where they might’ve used luck but passed
  on it worse, just by sheer coincidence. Show someone they know
  suffering a run of bad luck, but don’t tell them why.
  133
  
  On a miss or a partial, describe how they lose control of their di-
  vine power and get more than they asked for, or make a divine
  request of them, or offer them a choice between burning their
  mortal shell and accomplishing their goal.
  THE DEMONIC
  The Demon can change reality. Admittedly, it’s only in small, tem-
  porary, subtle ways, but still– they can change reality.
  So what’s the downside? They can only do it if they have a bar-
  gain, a deal with someone to do something, and in pursuit of that
  goal. And when that bargain is met, they’re less powerful until they
  strike another bargain.
  On a miss, describe the taint of evil, the feel of brimstone and ﬁre.
  Have the powerful supernatural creature they owe a debt to call
  that marker in. Take notes on the people they screw over and let
  live or who might be let out of hell just to hunt them down.
  THE DRAGON
  The Dragon’s biggest problem is that they’re a giant ﬁre-breathing
  lizard. If they don’t keep this fact quiet, plaster their reptilian mugs
  across the tabloids. Send government agents on routine investi-
  gations of strange sightings. Send a vengeful hunter willing to do
  anything to take them down.
  Remember that they’re large, and probably have relatives who want
  things, and what happened to their hoard, anyway?
  When a Dragon uses dragon magic, there’s always a price, an ephemeral
  cost. Be poetic with it, but be careful not to make the cost Pyrrhic
  unless the player is trying to solve all of their problems with magic.
  When a dragon misses, the world burns.
  134
  
  THE ELEMENTAL
  The Elemental is deﬁned by their element, one with it, and marked
  by it. Those who recognize the mark will seek out the Elemental’s
  power, and every Elemental has a weakness to another element.
  Note that even if they cannot be killed by their element, they can
  still be killed by the consequences. A storm elemental will not die
  from lightning, but they have no immunity to being crushed by a
  tree that falls because of a lightning strike.
  Watch for the Elemental to run low on their element, and offer
  tempting bargains to encourage them to skim closer to empty.
  THE EMPATH
  The Empath feels everything around them deeply; on partials and
  misses, mark miserable from sensory overload, or reveal an un-
  welcome truth, especially if it’s about someone they care about’s
  emotional or physical well-being.
  Note that the Empath doesn’t heal hit point damage without Man-
  ifesting the ability to do so.
  THE FAE
  The Seelie, UnSeelie, and Changelings each have their own prob-
  lems, mostly related to being aliens in the modern world.
  The Seelie are cruel and manipulative; never miss a chance to play
  up this reputation. Their magic is limited entirely be the enchant-
  ments they encounter; when you introduce a frog prince or a mag-
  ical rose or a dire sleeping curse, expect the Seelie to want to repli-
  cate it.
  The UnSeelie, on the other hand, are all about doing one or two
  things well, usually horriﬁc monster things. Hash out with the
  player in advance what their monster moves do and how it looks
  when they do it. Don’t be afraid to limit the scope of their monster
  moves; they can always manifest power to broaden them.
  135
  
  The Changeling is not as powerful as a true fae, but has access to
  all the same Moves. If they want to use Faerie magic, they’ll need
  a source of elan; taking Fuel or Absorption will cover it. Mostly,
  though, their drama is in being mortal but suddenly alien, in what
  they’ve lost in the meantime– and in what still wants them back.
  When a Fae misses, complicate their life with the difﬁculties of
  technology, old courtly reﬂexes, or the sickness of unexpected
  iron.
  THE GALATEA
  The Galatea is a construct; a chance to play with the meaning of
  “soul” and “human”.
  They rely directly on provoking emotions; without a steady source
  of their chosen emotion, the Galatea will quickly ﬁnd themselves
  balancing their need to spend essence to heal and remove debili-
  ties with their need not to die.
  Be generous with the essence, but remember the source has to be
  within reach.
  When the Galatea misses, remind them they’re not human. Shove
  their inanimate nature in their faces. Break something on their
  hard skin, or melt away part of their ﬂesh. Give a valued com-
  panion a glimpse of their true substance, or reveal a faux pas that
  everyone noticed.
  136
  
  THE GHOST
  The Ghost is dead. That’s their biggest problem, even if they’re
  effectively immortal, they’re static. Unchanging. Never miss an
  opportunity to remind them that they’ve got no future, that they’re
  just an echo of what once was.
  On a partial, reveal unwelcome truths. Tell them one of their an-
  chors is desperately in love with them, even though, or maybe be-
  cause, they’ve got no future. Have other ghosts who can’t manifest
  beg them for help.
  On a Manifest or Materialize miss, tell them they’re confused about
  what year it is, or that they’re ﬂickering like crazy, or that they
  think they’re still alive. Ask them what they still love and then put
  it in danger.
  When they “die” again, you choose when they reform and where;
  use this to drive the message home– your fate is already written.
  THE HAUNTED
  The Haunted sees dead people. They’re hardly ever truly alone and
  privacy is a luxury they are rarely afforded.
  Throw plenty of opportunities to confuse the living and the dead
  and be prepared with the complications that arise. How do they
  drive, when a ghost might walk across the road at any moment?
  How do they yell at that ghost that won’t leave them alone, when
  nobody else can see who they’re arguing with? How do they sleep,
  when their body might get up and walk around under another
  spirit’s control?
  On a miss, someone they care about thinks they’re asking for help
  or talking to them. A ghost steals their body and takes it for a
  joyride. They discover someone they’d rather not be dead is, and
  has been for a while.
  137
  
  THE HUNTER
  The Hunter is a mortal, but they’ve got their own demons. Put
  them up against creatures they can ﬁght physically sometimes,
  and up against ones they have to be clever against as often as you
  can.
  When you want to challenge the Hunter, put innocents in danger
  and ask them what they’ll do to protect those innocents, or what
  they’ll sacriﬁce to stop that danger.
  On misses or partials, offer them more supernatural gifts that will
  give them the power to succeed, right now. See how long it takes
  them to realize they’ve become what they once hunted…
  THE LUCKY
  The Lucky is just that, ridiculously lucky– and sometimes, ridicu-
  lously unlucky. Play up coincidences, and throw them into danger
  so wild it’s almost implausible. Reveal unwelcome truths and un-
  veil surprising coincidences as often as you can.
  Be sure to let your table know in advance that the Lucky can put
  them in harm’s way, and be generous with offering Defy Danger
  for a sacriﬁced ally. Sacriﬁced resources? Be mean with those.
  138
  
  THE MAGE
  The Mage is all about power. If they’re willing to sacriﬁce little
  bits of themselves to do it, they can accomplish anything that can
  be accomplished through mundane means (with enough time and
  effort), easily and in a matter of moments.
  When they take a new Move, talk to them about what that Move
  looks like in the ﬁction. Ask what paraphernalia they need, and
  what preparations they need to make, and always look for what
  it’ll cost them.
  THE ORACLE
  The Oracle is one of your best tools for getting information into
  the game. Throw unexpected visions at them whenever you feel
  like it, and especially when it’s inconvenient or they’re with some-
  one they’d rather not reveal their talents to.
  Be cryptic with the visions. Let your players point out that a vision
  has come to pass or been averted by asking them questions and
  turning the answers back on them. And note that it does not ask,
  “what’s the best action I can take to get what I want here?” only
  “what action”.
  On a miss, when they open their eyes, they’re in a dangerous spot.
  The headache’s crippling. The vision of the end of the world had
  them screaming details. They looked into a companion’s eyes and
  told them a terrible, terrible secret about themselves and those
  words can never be unsaid.
  139
  
  THE PSYCHIC
  The Psychic is all about knowing extra things on the spot. Un-
  like the Oracle, who has speciﬁc visions, the Psychic is constantly
  bombarded with extra sensations, stabs of other people’s memo-
  ries, and inexplicable facts.
  Torment them with unwelcome truths. Tell the object reader how
  that perfectly rare steak died. Tell the pusher how happy their vic-
  tim is to help out. Tell the telepath when they overhear something
  they’d rather not.
  THE SCARRED
  The Scarred is a utility class, intended for those who prefer to re-
  main mortal but want a bit of an edge. The Scarred’s weakness is
  that they can only use their scars a certain number of times per
  day, and once they’re out of uses, they’re just a mortal.
  Play up how their ﬂesh takes scars, how alien the scars are, and
  how using them hurts.
  THE SHAPESHIFTER
  The Shapeshifter is two intertwined paths, the animalistic Lycan-
  thrope and the ﬂuid Protean.
  Even in human form, the Lycanthrope has improved senses. Tell
  them things humans wouldn’t notice, like someone’s heart racing
  or the sudden stink of sweat when the bouncer’s afraid of them.
  Offer them incentives to transform whenever you can.
  Complicate their lives with the offer of success for a few moments
  of no self-control, of glorious destruction and unbridled savagery.
  Then when the dust has settled, show them the pain they’ve caused.
  The Protean has a wider range, but pays more for Regeneration if
  they want it. Their premise is all about retaining (or discovering)
  a sense of self, of choosing to face the music for your deeds when
  you can easily shift the blame to a different face.
  140
  
  141
  
  THE VAMPIRE
  Before allowing a player to play the Vampire, consider that it is
  a very limited playbook during the day. You may want to offer
  the player a second character to run during the day, or shift the
  campaign focus conveniently towards nighttime doings.
  Also consider that ﬁctionally, vampires have a thirst for blood that’s
  often used as a thinly veiled metaphor for sex with a heaping help-
  ing of violence. It’s a built-in prod towards messy dramatic sit-
  uations, but it can also lead to awkwardness and hurt feelings if
  everyone at the table is not all on the same page.
  This is a good time for a frank table talk about expectations, about
  retconning as necessary, and about open communication. If you’re
  not familiar with them, look up Lines and Veils and the X-Card.
  Above all, listen to your players, shaping your vision of the Vampire
  to match theirs.
  If that vision is the default UMF vampire:
  Make the Vampire defy danger to act during the day, when unnat-
  ural sleep is tugging at their limbs and making it hard to think or
  move. Remind them that running water is as lethal to them as a
  dip in a frozen pond is to a mortal; they’ll have to defy danger while
  immersed in it to act. Use a lucky blow from a wooden pool cue
  wielding punk to stagger them, or send a hunter who knows some
  of their weaknesses against them.
  And use their Hunger to push them, constantly; when they take
  damage, on a partial or a miss, describle how their body knits itself
  back together and they feel the stab of gnawing hunger. Describe
  how the smell of blood tempts them forward despite danger to
  self, to allies, or to goals. Describe how a friend’s wounds tempt
  savagery, and offer XP for a moment of weakness.
  Never miss an opportunity to remind them how thin the veneer of
  control is over the parasite within.
  142
  
  WE’RE ALL MONSTERS HERE
  So you want to run an all supernaturals campaign? Go for it! Just
  remember to take time for each player to discuss and elaborate
  their premise, to talk about and play up the premise of their char-
  acter’s supernatural side.
  Be cautious allowing The Vampire in unless everyone’s a vampire.
  The vampire is balanced against huge drawbacks, and if it’s always
  night time you might ﬁnd yourself with spotlight issues.
  Communication is your friend here; be upfront with your players
  and keep those lines open.
  143
  
  Setting & Campaigns
  
  UMF assumes you’re going for an action-heavy feel with a medium
  emphasis on drama and tv-style investigation, within a frame where
  the PCs are actively trying to make the world, if not better, at least
  a little safer.
  Consider what keeps the PCs together; are they monster hunters,
  unsanctioned but ignored as long as they don’t make too much
  trouble for the wrong people? Or do they work for a shadowy
  agency with an on-call clean-up crew? Build characters together.
  Modern games shine when you have a strong sense of place, of the
  real world ties that bind all of us to our favorite locations.
  Use what you know, but don’t feel you have to be limited by it.
  If you can, use a real world city, town, national park, or similar
  location that you’re familiar with, or one you can convincingly as-
  semble from the pieces of your own experiences.
  Use speciﬁcs, and look for opportunities to tie the characters in.
  They don’t go to a diner, they go to Mel’s, where the service stinks
  but the fries are to die for. They don’t drive to a church, they drive
  to the old church their grandma used to attend every Sunday. The
  call they get is from their sister’s ex, and he needs a favor or some
  very unhappy werewolves are going to break his kneecaps.
  Be ﬂexible with NPCs. Several of the playbooks have Moves that
  call in NPCs. When a player uses one, ask “how did you meet?” and
  “do you owe them or do they owe you?” and “are you entangled
  with them?”. If the PC wants to deﬁne them, encourage them to!
  Don’t be afraid to make up new Entanglements on the spot. And
  jot down motifs, threads, and hooks whenever they appear.
  145
  
  THOSE WHO HUNT MONSTERS
  “We aren’t ofﬁcial. We don’t have badges, or an HQ, or, hell, much
  of a clue. What we do have is the chance to ﬁght back, to make
  the world safer. And maybe to make a little money. Ammo ain’t
  cheap.”
  Ask each of your players one or more of the following.
  “Who did you lose when you entered this life? Why do you keep
  ﬁghting anyway?”
  “You fought something that almost beat you, once, and it’s still out
  there. What was it? Who died so you could live?”
  “What’s the scariest thing you’ve defeated? How sure are you it’s
  dead? Who did it take with it?”
  “What keeps you from going home? Who probably won’t be there
  if you do?”
  Choose one to start the campaign.
  It’s 3 am, cold and dark gray outside as sleet threatens, washed out
  and uneasy under the ﬂuorescent lights of the Smile-o-Mart. You’re
  contemplating the endless row of slushie machines when you hear
  someone from the registers bark out, “And the cash, man, now!”
  Rusty rails run down the middle of this old brick railway tunnel, full
  of a dry, musky scent that kicks your ﬂight or ﬁght instincts into
  overdrive. The darkness writhes as black scales gleam under the
  ﬂashlight, pouring endlessly out of the tunnel ahead, the serpent’s
  maw opening to reveal fangs as long as your forearm as it lunges.
  146
  
  You stand on the end of a pier under a moonless sky. A city looms,
  dark and empty. Where are you? Why are you here? Why are the
  shadows crawling towards you, gleaming with sharp edges and too
  many eyes?
  The swamp burps again, the stench of decaying plant matter mak-
  ing you brieﬂy dizzy. The glassy surface ripples outward from a
  point a few feet out, and then shatters upwards into the sky, sending
  a shower of ﬁlthy pungent water ﬂying everywhere. The creature
  hauling itself out is huge, the size of an elephant, and it crawls with
  dead things.
  Grafﬁti covers the cistern walls, and there’s dark water pooled at the
  bottom, but the dozen or so ﬁlthy sleeping bags on the high sides and
  the rotting trash tells you it doesn’t ever ﬂood high. There’s half a
  dozen vampires here, all hungry and strung out. “What the hell do
  you want?” one snarls at you, crouching.
  The smell of mildew, cheap detergent, and sun-cracked plastic greets
  you as you push open the door to the laundromat, the inside just as
  hot as the oppressive summer outside. The bell over the door tin-
  kles loud enough to draw the attention of the blonde girl you don’t
  know arguing with Mateo at the counter. “Oh, you’re here,” she says,
  looking at you with relief and trepidation. “We should go now.”
  The kitchen is quiet and dark, the light from your ﬂashlight picking
  up the dust motes that swirl in the draft from the now open door.
  There’s a ﬂicker of shadow where it shouldn’t be, over by the door to
  the cellar, like it wants you to come look.
  147
  
  The ﬁrst thing that hits you is the smell. Blood. Viscera. An odd reek
  that’s half-familiar, half-alien. The creature with its snout buried
  in the corpse’s abdomen is a hairless rat, human-sized, bipedal, with
  long, spindly limbs that end in sickle-like claws. Two more are tear-
  ing another corpse in half like a wishbone. The nearest one rocks
  back on its haunches, bloody snout snifﬁng the air.
  Dark things skitter into the shadows as the light pours out, illumi-
  nating the old rail tunnel. There’s a sign in a 40’s block print that
  declares “BETTER BE CAREFUL THAN SORRY” from across the tun-
  nel. You hear a voice, high and gentle, singing a sad song of aban-
  donment and loss, from somewhere up ahead, and then dark shapes
  erupt from the ﬂoor of the tunnel, shambling husks of the long-dead
  clawing their way out of the earth.
  The subterranean parking garage is thronging with fae. An ogre
  grunts at you from next to a dingy tent, as a pack of hobgoblins
  trots past, carrying something squirming in a sack. The center of
  the market is cordoned off, with what looks like a temporary live-
  stock auction. Most of the stock’s weird, or dangerous, but one cage
  catches your eye, a shivering lemur with desperate, all too human
  eyes. “$20? do I hear $20?”
  The smell of the lake cuts through the cold air like a wet dishrag. The
  street’s cracked and empty, a vacant lot and a squat wood building
  next to it without any signs but a half dozen motorcycles in front of
  it. Inside, there’s two big guys over playing pool. Four more guys at
  the bar, drinking while they play cards. The bartender, scarred and
  bald, pauses to give you an appraising look as everyone in the place
  turns to look at you.
  148
  
  MAJOR CRIMES UNIT
  “You’ll handle the weird ones. Cases where your, shall we say, ”unique“ tal-
  ents are an asset. Try not to attract too much notice. And please,
  don’t break any more laws than you have to.”
  Ask each of your players one or more of the following.
  “This job’s dangerous, the pay’s low, the respect negligible. What
  keeps you here?”
  “What sidelined your promising career? Why are you willing to
  babysit these guys?”
  “What crime did you commit? What’re they offering you to coop-
  erate?”
  “What secret are you hiding that would jeopardize something im-
  portant to you? Who here knows it?”
  Choose one to start the campaign.
  The dust settles after the quake, and you sit up, coughing; most of the
  tiny storage room under the subway has collapsed in rubble. “Can
  you hear me? Team–” The walkie-talkie at your belt crackles and
  goes silent.
  The crime scene spreads out below, blood painting the drifted snow
  with dark brown splatters. You turn as the icy wind coalesces into
  a dark cloud of razor-sharp silver icicles and howls across the roof
  towards you.
  The ﬁre’s spreading rapidly around the cheap motel room, and the
  man you’re here to retrieve’s still chained to the chair. He snarls,
  sharp fangs bared in primal terror, as the ﬂames begin to lick the
  ceiling overhead.
  149
  
  INVASION
  “We don’t know where they came from, or what they want, or why
  they’re here. They could be inside anyone. You’re still clean, you
  can ﬁght them.”
  Ask each of your players one or more of the following.
  “You can tell if someone’s infected. How do you know? Why can
  you tell?”
  “Someone you know is important and infected. Who is it?”
  “You can force them out of a host. How? What does it cost the
  host? What does it cost you?”
  “You were exposed. What happened? Are you infected? Is this a
  secret?”
  Choose one to start the campaign.
  “They’re already here,” Agent Garcia hisses, and the radio goes dead.
  The hall’s shrouded and dim, the doors off each side like holes into
  darkness. There’s a ﬂash of white, to your right, and then they erupt.
  The sun’s bright, the park green despite the chill of fall. The woman
  walking by glances at you out of the corner of her eye, pushing the
  stroller faster, as screaming kids chase each other around the play-
  ground. No. It’s empty, the illusions gone, the silence deafening as
  the white worms slither through the dead leaves towards you.
  The lab’s white, sterile, cold under the ﬂuorescent lights, and de-
  serted, the only sound the crunch of glass from the shattered win-
  dow to the observation room. And then you hear it, from the vents,
  a low rustle like something crawling through.
  150
  
  TRAPPED
  “Nothing ever happens in this podunk town, nothing worth talking
  about anyway. Folks leave. Sometimes they leave in the middle
  of the night. That’s just ducking rent or dodging the bondsman.
  There’s still a dozen of us sticking it out. Cold tonight, ain’t it?”
  Ask each of your players one or more of the following.
  “Your car was attacked on the way into town. How did you know
  you were in trouble? How did you get away?”
  “You know what it wants. Why haven’t you retrieved it yet?”
  “You prepared for this, of course you did. How? What did it cost
  you?”
  “Someone special to you is trapped somewhere in this town. Who
  are they?”
  Choose one to start the campaign.
  The dirt road rumbles, underfoot, as you make your way across it
  to the diner. You’re about twenty feet from the concrete when the
  ground behind you bulges, like something’s about to crawl out, and
  then erupts upwards in a fountain of rocks and dirt.
  The diner’s deserted at ﬁrst glance, the linoleum peeling over the
  concrete ﬂoor and the ceiling tiles stained. “Friend or foe?” the man
  calls, from behind a makeshift barricade. “Can you prove it?”
  The street’s empty under the wan moon, a burned out car to your left
  and a row of blank-eyed houses to your right. Something moves be-
  tween two of them, something twisted that skitters, with long sharp
  nails and too many joints, as the high-pitched keening gets louder.
  151
  
  MY BLOODY VALENTINE
  “You’re at this fancy party because you owe somebody, or some-
  body owes you. Maybe that’s cash, or blood, or revenge, or some-
  thing harder to deﬁne, but whatever it is, you’re here to ﬁnish it.”
  Ask each of your players one or more of the following.
  “Who here owes you something? What is it? Why haven’t you
  collected it yet?”
  “Someone you know is working tonight, with an eye on a big score.
  Who is it? What did they tell you to do?”
  “Tonight’s the night. What are you going to settle? What do you
  think it might cost you?”
  “You see an old rival in the crowd. Which of you screwed the other
  over last? How? Any scars?”
  Choose one to start the campaign.
  The band is loud, the brightly garbed guests dazzling. The prince
  waits, indolently lounging against the stair railing, watching as his
  most hated foe talks with his consort below. The crowd parts as his
  chief enforcer forges towards you, a grim look on her face.
  You know your quarry lies beyond that non-descript door next to
  the stairs, just behind the punchbowl, where a bored guard stands,
  watching the jeweled crowd intently.
  The night air is cool, carrying the scent of jasmine across the gardens
  to this cramped balcony. “I cannot afford to ignore your threats,” the
  woman in the sapphire serpent mask in the shadows says, obviously
  having mistaken you for someone else. “What price do you put on
  your silence?”
  152
  
  THE LONG CON
  “You’re all here because you’ve got skills, skills that society frowns
  on. Let’s see if we can put those skills to good use.”
  Ask each of your players one or more of the following.
  “What was your biggest score? Who took it from you?”
  “What legendary feat did you perform during a heist that everyone
  in certain circles knows about?”
  “You’re only in this for a purpose; what is it? What will you do
  when you accomplish it?”
  “You used to be ofﬁcial or on a payroll. Whose? Now you’re not.
  Why?”
  Choose one to start the campaign.
  The train rattles as it passes through a tunnel, the car you’re in dim-
  ming brieﬂy. You have four hours to retrieve the prototype before
  you reach the station. The woman across from you smiles thinly.
  “How much are you willing to pay?”
  The law ﬁrm’s lobby is quiet and well-lit, the receptionist’s desk oc-
  cupied, the door you need to get through to get to the prototype be-
  hind him. He’s discussing the day’s schedule with a young woman
  in a suit. They both look up as you enter.
  From up here, next to the door to the stairs, the people in the plaza
  below look like ants. The glass roof slopes up to the penthouse bal-
  cony, ﬁfty feet of slick glass between you and the prototype. The door
  behind you rattles as someone grabs the handle.
  153
  
  MISSIONS & CASES
  THE REVELATION
  The owner of Buchanan Construction is using projects around the
  city as a cover to search for lost artifacts. The dead stir under
  the muddy treads of bulldozers, the oracles’ dreams whisper of
  darkness, and a sealed gold box missing three gems has just been
  found at an archaeology dig.
  DANGER MOVES
  • reveal an untimely death that inconveniences Buchanan
  • introduce the box, by ally, enemy, or by news
  • introduce someone who knows about the gems, each carried
  by a Templar, all of whom died in the city
  • reveal that opening the box in an auspicious location awak-
  ens The Revelation’s power within the bearer
  • The Revelation bursts messily from the bearer
  MAJOR ACTORS
  William Buchanon (Corrupt Magnate) Cold eyes, impatient de-
  meanor. Terminal illness.
  Impulse achieve immortality
  Moves throw money at a problem; show up in a scene and
  bluster about deadlines; call in an expert
  The Templar (Ruthlessly Good Organization) Make a knight using
  the tables in the next chapter.
  Impulse save the world from darkness
  Moves act for the greater good; sacriﬁce something; reveal
  dangerous lore
  The Revelation (Primordial) Hungry, cold. Scrupulously fair.
  Impulse emerge from sleep; conquer death
  Moves (now) awaken the dead; communicate through visions;
  lower the temperature
  Moves (awakened) freeze something solid; swallow some-
  thing whole; offer life for a price.
  154
  
  Hooks: someone the PCs care about who was agitating against a
  development is missing; a cold case’s body has just been found in
  the mud of a site; an old friend of a PC’s calls them, in a panic, from
  the museum where they work but hangs up
  Location Moves: an unseasonable frost or snow; a dead ally re-
  turns, still dead but unaware of it; a bloody murder, last in a series
  of murders, all the victims oracles; a sealed gold box goes missing
  from the museum
  Scenes: an oracle’s shabby cottage, under siege; a run-down asy-
  lum scheduled for demolition, still occupied; in the old rail tunnels
  under the latest dig site; a dream of a dead loved one, corrupted
  MINOR ROLES
  Anna Forth (Assistant) Professional. Afraid. Dead.
  Impulse get out of this mess alive
  Moves provide access to a Buchanan; call a PC for help; be-
  tray her undead nature to the PCs
  Olivia Buchanan (Fed-Up Co-Owner) Determined, wealthy. Will-
  ing to gamble to get what she wants.
  Impulse salvage the business
  Moves ask a PC for help; insist on secrecy or at least privacy;
  loan security forces
  Otto Madai (Head of Security) Courageous, tough. Hates one of
  the Buchanans. Checkered past.
  Impulse protect the Buchanan he’s in love with
  Moves draw a weapon; put himself between his employer
  and trouble; call in an old favor that costs him
  Questions: Who does each Buchanan have in their pocket? Does
  the Templar have clay feet? What triggers The Revelation’s emer-
  gence from a host? What does The Revelation ultimately want?
  Motifs: what price immortality; your fate is already written; a
  desperate gamble for survival from a hopeless position; a prayer,
  hastily whispered but heartfelt
  155
  
  THE COURT OF ROSES
  Spring is in bloom, ﬂowers are in bloom, love is in bloom, it’s just
  blooming all over. The Seelie Court is returning after eighteen
  years away, calling home their lost lambs and retrieving their changeling
  children, preparing for a ritual to open wide the gates of Faerie ex-
  plosively in the heart of the city.
  DANGER MOVES
  • reveal a rash of disappearances among young adults
  • reveal a rare substance that is needed to open the gate
  • reveal a sacriﬁce required to open the gate on a massive scale
  • show signs of a turncoat in the UnSeelie ranks working for
  the Rose Queen
  • Gwen bargains for the city’s safety with her own obedience;
  the Queen twists the bargain
  • the Queen opens the gate, unleashing the primeval forest of
  Faerie across the city
  MAJOR ACTORS
  Gwen Black (Reluctant Night Terror) Capable. Cool. Stunning.
  Half-Seelie, half-UnSeelie. Neither.
  Impulse to feed on power or energy; to avoid Seelie or Un-
  Seelie agents
  Moves anticipate a need or action; drain power or energy;
  strike decisively
  Sibyl Black (Queen of the Rose Court) Willful, bitter, cruel. Sor-
  ceress.
  Impulse to get revenge; to retrieve her heir ﬁrst
  Moves weave a Faerie enchantment; paralyze with a glance;
  send knights to do her bidding; make a binding bargain
  UnSeelie Agent (Capitalist Democratic Organization) Make one
  or more using the tables in the next chapter.
  Impulse to protect the UnSeelie Court’s interests on the Real;
  to thwart the Rose Queen
  Moves use a minor magic item; use a grotesque power or
  mutation; offer a deal on behalf of the UnSeelie
  156
  
  Hooks: someone close to the PCs begs for help; a vision of nature
  destroying the city; an UnSeelie agent approaches the PCs to ask
  for assistance against the mad Rose Queen
  Location Moves: nature grows violently or wrong; someone’s emo-
  tions are swept up in a frenzy; a fae agent strikes or offers a bargain
  Scenes: investigating a pop-up rave for a missing teen; stumbling
  over Quinn being chased or beaten by a jealous rival; saving Darby
  from fae agents; confronting the Queen in the Botanical Gardens;
  the library, dusty, where a fae is hiding under an unknown Seem-
  ing; a wealthy UnSeelie party, asked to preserve the status quo
  MINOR ROLES
  Rowe Quinn (Resigned Gancanagh) Handsome, rakish, louche. Hope-
  less. Addictive.
  Impulse to feed on desire; to never go back to Faerie
  Moves reveal Faerie lore or the Queen’s secrets; say some-
  thing accurate but unkind; drain life with a touch; ﬁnd an
  opening to escape
  The Librarian (Ancient Fae)
  Impulse to learn something new
  Moves shift to a new Seeming; steal a memory; reveal a hard
  truth; make and hold to a bargain if pressed
  Darby Cavan (Fae-blooded Teen) Cynical, streetwise. Tough.
  Impulse to stay out of trouble; to survive another day
  Moves pocket something small and portable; get you an au-
  dience with a criminal, grifter, or ﬁxer; break Faerie magic or
  bargains with a sacriﬁce of blood
  Questions: What rare substance is needed to open the gate? What
  sacriﬁce? Which of the PC’s allies reveals a secret heritage or af-
  ﬁliation? Who crossed the Rose Queen in the ﬁrst place?
  Motifs: ﬂowers unnaturally in bloom; power always has a cost;
  once a monster, always a monster; humanity, fragile, hard-won, at
  risk
  157
  
  THE BLOODY WING
  Drunk college kids are going missing, turning up dead on the banks
  of the river, chalked up to tragic misadventure. The owner of the
  bar at the epicenter is starting to worry, and the guardians of the
  fallen angel who works there are falling apart, even as those who
  would claim an angel’s blood for selﬁsh purposes close in.
  DANGER MOVES
  • another body turns up, this one in the bar’s backyard, with
  obvious fang marks
  • Octavia makes an incriminating mistake in front of a PC
  • Math offers to share the secret of angel’s blood for aid aganst
  Octavia’s friends
  • a call for help; an angelic sacriﬁce has been kidnapped
  • someone explains the angel’s blood can restore life, with an
  equal sacriﬁce
  • someone drains the angel, ridding themselves of weaknesses
  MAJOR ACTORS
  Octavia (Roman Vampire) Vulnerable, lonely. Dangerous.
  Impulse to feed; to guard the angel
  Moves display signs of not feeding; betray her vampiric na-
  ture; move obscenely quickly but be exhausted after
  Jonathan Math (Self-centered Vampire) Greedy, obsessed. Cruel.
  Impulse to seize the angel; to possess Octavia
  Moves use Tough vampiric gifts; deﬂect and deny; convinc-
  ingly fake good motives
  Sariel “Sari” (Fallen Angel) Tends bar. Not damned, but not wel-
  come back, either.
  Impulse to encourage redemption
  Moves casually mention ancient history; mix up the drink
  you wanted before you ask; read an act off your soul
  Hooks: someone related to the PCs turns up dead, a victim of the
  rusalka; Octavia threatens Math in front of the PCs
  158
  
  Location Moves: a mortal drunk picks a ﬁght; a long-decayed,
  vampire bitten body surfaces; Math carries a trunk big enough to
  hold an unconscious person out to his car; Rivera follows one of
  the others, to their obvious annoyance
  Scenes: the muddy riverbank, the corpse frozen, the coroner ticked
  off; the bar, Friday night, glittering and loud; the back alley, where
  a vampire’s sweet-talking a future victim; out front, as Sari waits
  for a bus, shoulders hunched against the bitter wind
  MINOR ROLES
  The Cold Girl (Vengeful Rusalka) Murdered. Bitter. Lost.
  Impulse drown people like her killer
  Moves pull someone under; steal away warmth; disappear;
  reform until murder is avenged or bones are laid to rest
  Monique (Werewolf Bouncer) An artist. Dry sense of humor.
  Impulse to delight in savagery
  Moves shift into a wolf; hit something really hard; intimidate
  someone bigger than her
  Nick Rivera (Homicide Detective) Idealistic. Rough childhood.
  Impulse to solve this crime
  Moves reveal a clue but jump to the wrong conclusion; be
  targeted by a supernatural; reveal feelings for a bar employee
  Bel Smith (Reformed Succubus) Owns the place. Sexy as sin. Prac-
  tical. Worried.
  Impulse to protect her employees ﬁrst, the bar second
  Moves distract like an ex-lover; tempt like a lost love; remind
  of a dead emotion
  Questions: What does it mean to be fallen? Is redemption always
  possible? Will the angel be used up? Will she achieve control over
  her own fate? What will be sacriﬁced in the process?
  Motifs: a seedy bar that feels like home; an angel’s wing; an answer
  before the question’s asked; what price redemption?; can redemp-
  tion be seized or must it be earned?
  159
  
  Tables & Generators
  
  MAKING AN NPC
  Hair
  2
  White
  12 Gold brown
  3
  Platinum
  13 Auburn
  4
  Ash blonde
  14 Chestnut
  5
  Flaxen
  15 Copper
  6
  Bronze
  16 Flaming red
  7
  Red-gold
  17 Orange
  8
  Ginger
  18 Jet black
  9
  Honey
  19 Raven black
  10 Sandy brown
  20 Blue-black
  11 Brown
  Eyes
  2
  Violet
  12
  Smoky black
  3
  Gray
  13 Chestnut brown
  4
  Steel
  14 Red-brown
  5
  Blue/copper
  15 Dark green
  6
  Ice blue
  16 Pale green
  7
  Aquamarine
  17
  Green/gold
  8
  Midnight blue
  18 Catseye green
  9
  Hazel
  19 Topaz
  10 Dark brown
  20 Amber gold
  11
  Rich brown
  Age
  2 child
  3 teen
  4 young adult
  5 adult
  6 middle-aged
  7 old
  8 venerable
  Description
  1
  surly
  2
  attractive
  3
  beautiful
  4
  ugly
  5
  handsome
  6
  hideous
  7
  deformed
  8
  maimed
  9
  scarred
  10
  pleasant
  11
  kind
  12
  charming
  13
  unhappy
  14
  sensual
  15
  naive
  16
  friendly
  17
  unfriendly
  18
  wealthy
  19
  poor
  20 proﬂigate
  21
  miserly
  22
  miserable
  23
  pathetic
  24
  vicious
  25
  violent
  26 excitable
  27
  greedy
  28 compassionate
  29 selﬂess
  30 repressed
  31
  louche
  32 dissipated
  33 weak
  34 strong
  35 fearless
  36 fearful
  37
  haunted
  38 happy-go-lucky
  39 capable
  40 calm
  41
  insolent
  42
  regal
  43 stern
  44
  tempermental
  45
  mercurial
  46 enraged
  47
  angry
  48 infuriated
  49 sorrowful
  50 grief-stricken
  51
  depressed
  52
  optimistic
  53 passionate
  54
  free-spirited
  55
  intense
  56 obsessive
  57
  choleric
  58 stolid
  59 complacent
  60 arrogant
  61
  haughty
  62 bold
  63 reckless
  64 determined
  65 guarded
  66 paranoid
  67
  trusting
  68 untrustworthy
  69 tactless
  70
  disillusioned
  71
  graceful
  72
  outspoken
  73
  taciturn
  74
  reclusive
  75
  withdrawn
  76
  libertine
  77
  dissolute
  78
  energized
  79
  ennervated
  80 immortal
  81
  stolid
  82 ﬂorid
  83 terriﬁed
  84 terrorized
  85 traumatized
  86 cheerful
  87
  fanatical
  88 forceful
  89 experienced
  90 jaded
  91
  cynical
  92 educated
  93 manipulative
  94 mighty
  95 feared
  96 conscientious
  97
  morose
  98 creative
  99 exuberant
  100 agile
  161
  
  Connections
  01-02 is afraid for
  03-04 wants to impress
  05-06 wants the approval of
  07-08 wants the love of
  09-10 wants the forgiveness of
  11-12
  wants the understanding of
  13-14
  wants the respect of
  15-16
  opposes every goal of
  17-18
  is married to or devoted to
  19-20
  is close blood kin of
  21-22
  is distant blood kin of
  23-24
  hates but can’t escape from
  25-26 is in love with
  27-28
  is trying to ruin
  29-30 was childhood friends with
  31-32
  grew up with
  33-34 was childhood rivals with
  35-36 came to blows with
  37-38
  respects the opinion of
  39-40 disregards the value of
  41-42
  is afraid of
  43-44 worships
  45-46 seeks out the advice of
  47-48
  is a lover or friend of
  49-50 is married to or trapped by
  51-52
  wants to free
  53-54 puts up with
  55-56 watches out for
  57-58
  would be happier without
  59-60 has a passion for
  61-62
  despises
  63-64 would be richer if not for
  65-66 was saved from harm by
  67-68 was saved from dire peril by
  69-70 was saved from social ruin by
  71-72
  took a blow for
  73-74
  sacriﬁced for
  75-76
  is loyal to
  77-78
  is disloyal to
  79-80 is an ex of
  81-82
  is estranged from
  83-84 is resentful of
  85-86 is a crutch or linchpin for
  87-88 was uplifted because of
  89-90 appreciates but fears
  91-92
  would be worse off without
  93-94 would be worse off if not for
  95-96 ﬁnds them admirable
  97-98 ﬁnds them objectionable
  99-00 was humiliated by
  Purpose/Services
  1 healing
  2 damage
  3 info
  4 social
  5
  special gear
  6 magic
  7 expertise
  8 venue
  9 supplies
  10
  roll twice
  Power/Mutation (+ optional Outlook: target)
  1 melt
  2 transform 3 change
  4 rend
  5
  appendages/eyes
  6 absorb
  7 element
  8 drain
  9 magic
  10
  roll twice
  Mature [3,2], copper [6,9] hair, aquamarine [3,4] eyes, tactless [69] and out-
  spoken [72]. She was saved from social ruin by [68] someone. Her impulses
  are to take from her kin by force or guile [41,3] and to make things right for
  her kind [21,2]. She can provide supplies [9].
  Roll an Impulse and a Target. Roll two impulses for a good conﬂict.
  Target
  1
  everyone
  2
  kind
  3
  kin
  4
  enemy
  5
  hero
  6
  hero
  7
  hero
  8
  myself
  9
  heritage
  10
  anyone
  162
  
  Impulses
  01
  consume out of necessity
  02 consume out of greed
  03 trade gossip
  04 protect home
  05 make a new friend
  06 serve a master
  07
  preserve beauty
  08 have a polite chat
  09 maintain silence
  10
  consume endlessly
  11
  seduce ruin
  12
  procreate
  13
  lure ina trap
  14
  make a living
  15
  ﬁnd meaning in life
  16
  repair a great wrong
  17
  sacriﬁce suitable targets
  18
  stop the invaders
  19
  preserve life
  20 hoard shiny things
  21
  make things right
  22
  protect offspring
  23
  deceive for personal gain
  24
  create something creative
  25
  stop a greater evil
  26 gain an edge over
  27
  avoid passing on a curse
  28 watch over a ward
  29 learn about the world
  30 explore new places
  31
  fall in love
  32 conquer
  33 ensnare
  34 see the world burn
  35 ﬁnd excitement
  36 stir up mischief
  37
  earn freedom
  38 mend that which is broken
  39 test the limits of skill
  40 test someone’s mettle
  41
  take from by force or guile
  42
  discredit
  43 break free from
  44
  destroy out of malice
  45
  overthrow a ruler
  46 seduce for pleasure
  47
  secure their safety
  48 be entertained
  49 be ﬂattered and praised
  50 perfect a physical being
  51
  be a hero
  52
  seduce out of duty
  53 murder
  54
  increase weapons
  55
  ﬁnd a companion
  56 ﬁnd a cause
  57
  be the best at something
  58 feel alive
  59 shirk a duty
  60 love ’em and leave ’em
  61
  embarrass a rival
  62 seduce away from a cause
  63 scout out opportunities
  64 ﬁnd the truth
  65 ﬁnd true love
  66 destroy out of necessity
  67
  bully the weak
  68 live like a tyrant
  69 live like a king
  70
  taste a delicacy
  71
  perform a great deed
  72
  perform a masterwork
  73
  escape a prison
  74
  imprison someone
  75
  enjoy solitude
  76
  avoid others
  77
  learn how socialize
  78
  learn a secret
  79
  perform an appointed duty
  80 subvert an appointed duty
  81
  pass on a curse spitefully
  82 gain ridiculous wealth
  83 ruin someone more powerful
  84 seduce for wicked purposes
  85 steal from by trickery
  86 obtain someone’s loved one
  87
  create something of value
  88 pass on a curse, cure it
  89 seduce a cause/betrayal
  90 gain resources for tribe
  91
  placate object of worship
  92 learn of the outside world
  93 deceive for the greater good
  94 rebuild something destroyed
  95 avenge a petty slight
  96 avenge a great wrong
  97
  increase food stores
  98 get it to simply have it
  99 have a civilized chat
  100 the thrill of the forbidden
  163
  
  To determine the actor’s outlook, ﬁrst roll an Emotion, an Intensity, and
  then a Target.
  [2, 7, 23] She feels lingering anger towards adventure, and [14, 29, 6] quite
  a bit of curiosity towards secrets.
  Outlook
  emotion
  intensity
  target a
  target b
  01
  fury
  overwhelming
  chaos
  pain
  02
  anger
  ”
  order
  the intellectual
  03
  sorrow
  consuming
  right
  the emotional
  04
  grief
  ”
  wrong
  change
  05
  guilt
  driving
  skill
  status quo
  06
  remorse
  ”
  secrets
  duty
  07
  shame
  lingering
  status
  family
  08
  hatred
  ”
  honor
  survival
  09
  loathing
  intense
  power
  job
  10
  greed
  ”
  food
  hate
  11
  disdain
  strong
  freedom
  bargain
  12
  apathy
  ”
  sex
  lies
  13
  interest
  mild
  love
  the physical
  14
  curiosity
  ”
  world
  unsuitable person
  15
  worry
  weak
  lies
  inappropriate person
  16
  fear
  ”
  danger
  nearby person
  17
  terror
  passing
  pain
  far-away person
  18
  panic
  ”
  ghosts
  future
  19
  addiction
  twinge
  prophecy
  violence
  20
  desire
  ”
  wealth
  death
  21
  jealous
  faint
  price
  physical struggle
  22
  indulgent
  ”
  hunger
  emotional struggle
  23
  amused
  traces
  adventure
  mental struggle
  24
  happy
  ”
  love
  the divine
  25
  peace
  ﬂirting
  phobia
  heart
  26
  love
  past
  trauma
  illness
  27
  attraction
  ”
  society
  prize
  28
  boredom
  quite a bit
  friends
  award
  29
  delight
  ”
  lover
  history
  30
  disapproval
  a little
  self
  contest
  Remember that you are never bound by a result you don’t like or feel is
  nonsensical, either by itself or in context of your established ﬁction. If
  you want more choice, choose from the rolled result and the ones above
  and below it.
  164
  
  PLOTS AND EVENTS
  Events
  01-02 someone taking a bath
  03-04 a betrayal
  05-06 a wedding
  07-08 a murder
  09-10 a confessiona funeral
  11-12
  a meal between enemies
  13-14
  a romantic assignation
  15-16
  a natural disaster
  17-18
  an attempted poisoning
  19-20
  a ﬁre
  21-22
  a heart broken
  23-24
  a dramatic reveal
  25-26 revenge taken
  27-28
  a scandal breaking
  29-30 a trial
  31-32
  a pleasant surprise
  33-34 an unpleasant surprise
  35-36 a vicious attack
  37-38
  a ﬁght to the death
  39-40 a ﬁght for survival
  41-42
  someone is caught red-handed
  43-44 discovery of a long-lost relative
  45-46 the discovery of a long-lost ruin
  47-48
  discovery of a long-lost heir
  49-50 a bold move
  51-52
  the loss of innocence
  53-54 a secretive tryst
  55-56 a competition escalated
  57-58
  the destruction of a foe
  59-60 humiliation
  61-62
  gardening
  63-64 tending to the wounded
  65-66 an uncertain voyage
  67-68 a terrifying ride
  69-70 a ﬂight in the dark
  71-72
  an escalating argument
  73-74
  confusion between twins
  75-76
  ﬁerce inﬁghting
  77-78
  two brothers come to blows
  79-80 suspected inﬁdelity
  81-82
  a birthday celebration
  83-84 a murder in a locked room
  85-86 a hunting accident
  87-88 mistaken identity
  89-90 the return of a black sheep
  91-92
  watching an event unfold
  93-94 a covert ﬂirtation, a fancy event
  95-96 someone chasing someone else
  97-98 a hidden ace played
  99-10
  someone scolding someone else
  CATE WINTER
  The prodigal child has come home with a respectable hoard, a few
  scars, and a plan to dethrone her mother, the matriarch of the
  Winter clan. Cate never speaks of her adventures, but she sells
  ancient gold coins and odd artifacts cheap.
  The Winters are dragons, tactless, outspoken, and ﬁercely territo-
  rial. Cate has her eye on a speciﬁc statue in her mother’s hoard. A
  piece that belongs to someone who needs it a lot more than the old
  lizard does…
  165
  
  Threads & Motifs
  01
  the bigger they are, the harder they fall
  02
  an offer of help, and of forgiveness
  03
  a locket around the lover’s neck hides a secret
  04
  a ﬁre, turning ancient trees to ash, reveals horror
  05
  the prideful, humbled, to save another
  06
  judge, jury, and executioner
  07
  a history of hatred, overcome
  08
  ﬁve spiteful ghosts, plotting revenge
  09
  indulgence without temperance leads to ruin
  10
  six lords pass judgement on the seventh
  11
  a new life, nurtured as a parent would
  12
  a reckless choice leads to misfortune
  13
  it offers to be your friend, if you just let it inside
  14
  a knight, dying, offers his sword to a squire
  15
  a rufﬂed sea, wine dark under a brilliant sky
  16
  a soul, divided into parts, and hidden away
  17
  at least turnips won’t try to kill you
  18
  a swift river, engorged with rain, carrying something away
  19
  a spider’s web, gleaming in moonlight, on ﬁre
  20
  the way only opens with sacriﬁce
  21
  a dark cave, walls slick with moisture
  22
  silence is tacit approval
  23
  from a tiny acorn grows a mighty oak
  24
  a broken wing, sacriﬁced to save another
  25
  some loves shouldn’t conquer all
  26
  better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven
  27
  a cup, engraved with anthropomorphic animals, overfull
  28
  seven ravens circling a dying man in torn leather
  29
  make hay while the sun shines
  30
  uneasy lies the head that wears the crown
  31
  the line between love and obsession can be thin
  32
  a brass key in an unexpected place
  33
  a chance encounter leads to fortune
  34
  beauty is worth preserving
  35
  seven demons hunting seven sorcerers
  36
  a rod, broken in half, explosively
  37
  a deathless sleep, a cure sought
  38
  knowledge versus ignorance
  39
  great beauty hides great cruelty
  40
  a stained glass window, lit from behind by ﬁre
  41
  a lover, left to wonder
  42
  three crows, perched on a dead knight, quarreling about his eyes
  43
  what price peace?
  44
  twins, the same, but different
  45
  a larva becomes an adult
  46
  the ends justify the means
  47
  ﬁne clothing does not a gentleman make
  48
  to truly live, one must experience life
  49
  eight nobles convening to discuss war
  50
  wings, given up for love
  166
  
  Threads & Motifs
  51
  a gesture of pity, sowing a seed of disaster
  52
  every hero has clay feet
  53
  wings, given up for pride
  54
  four sullen ﬁres, one in each cardinal direction
  55
  a maiden, escaping on foot, from her ardent lover
  56
  cruelty for kindness’ sake
  57
  meddling rashly has unexpected consequences
  58
  a chance encounter leads to misfortune
  59
  a ritual combat, to the pain, but poisoned
  60
  ﬁve coins, spattered with blood, on a marble step
  61
  what price immortality?
  62
  the ends don’t justify the means
  63
  a slow transformation into another form
  64
  a magic circle, violated, empty now
  65
  what price vengeance?
  66
  a moment of weakness leads to misfortune
  67
  a rusalka, restless in her watery grave
  68
  a blow strikes true, unexpectedly
  69
  leaves crunching under booted feet
  70
  three ships sailing for home, laden with treasure
  71
  a gesture of kindness, sowing a seed of friendship
  72
  a spirit seen only in glimpses, in reﬂections
  73
  a merchant overcharges for cursed junk, but it has an unexpected value
  74
  a vast and empty plain
  75
  two magpies, ﬁghting over a bright gem
  76
  stasis, broken
  77
  two houses, at war, and in love
  78
  for want of a nail the kingdom was lost
  79
  a ﬂood, scouring corruption clean
  80
  a gesture of kindness, sowing a seed of disaster
  81
  a wraith, forgotten and alone, waits in the dark for redemption
  82
  a sword, forged in blood, wielded in despair
  83
  vengeance, leading to more vengeance
  84
  a locked chest in an unexpected place
  85
  pride goeth before a fall
  86
  the earth, heaving as it births horror
  87
  reckless experimentation leads to a plague
  88
  a choked out warning in the dark
  89
  food, freely offered, without expectation
  90
  a line drawn in the sand, a moment of hesitation
  91
  nature is beautiful and ﬁckle and indifferent to you
  92
  a shy smile, granted over a cautious attempt to cheer
  93
  it offers to take away your regrets, but you need those
  94
  one bird, soaring over a bloody, still battleﬁeld
  95
  a secret whispered between allies, overheard by a joker
  96
  a moment of hesitation leads to misfortune
  97
  two couples, dancing, stealing looks at each other
  98
  six faeries inspecting the damage
  99
  better to serve in heaven than rule in hell
  10
  immortality is a curse
  167
  
  You start with a nice place to live, like a room in your parents’
  mansion or a brownstone you share with other beautiful people, a
  car that’s on a two year lease or a lift service subscription, and a
  new cellphone in a distinctive case. Thinkaboutwhereyouliveand
  whatyoudrive,andwhatitsaysaboutyou.Ifoneofthesedoesn’t“fit”,
  crossitoutandreplaceitwithsomethingthatdoes.You also have:
  A bag with your necessaries (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Income: Service Job, Trust Fund, Dancer,
  A stylish leather jacket (1 armor, 1 weight)
  A sponsorship deal for a local business
  Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  Contact numbers for interesting people (5 uses, 0 weight)
  Choosetwo:
  Gear
  When being good-looking or having a
  forceful personality is an asset, roll an
  extra die of a different color and keep
  the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept
  your Hot die, the GM will tell you how
  someone’sregard haschanged ortrust
  has beenbroken, in addition to any
  other consequences.
  SMOKIN’ HOT
  {
  } Strength
  STR
  {
  }
  Max HP
  (6+Constitution)
  Curr
  HP
  {
  } To Level (Level + 7)
  Curr
  XP
  {
  } Dexterity
  DEX
  -1 weakened
  {
  } Intelligence
  INT
  {
  } Wisdom
  WIS
  -1 dazed
  {
  } Charisma
  CHA
  {
  } Constitution
  CON
  -1 miserable
  Assign these starting scores to your stats:
  +2 [16], +1 [15], +1 [13], 0 [12], 0 [9], -1 [8]
  Name
  Look
  Background
  Drive
  Dread
  Desires
  Veronica, Madison, Andre, Maddox, Dallas, a glamorous name,
  a stage name, a stuck-up name
  Eyes: Haughty, Sparkling, Bedroom,
  Hair: Stylish, On Trend, Classic,
  Clothing: Stylish, Flashy, Trendy,
  Body: Toned, Hot, Athletic,
  Child Star: Start with MinorPersonality.
  Crime Reporter: Choose a Dedicated Move.
  Grifter: Choose a Fast Move.
  Your Own:
  Other: Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Mortal: Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  the
  CHARISMATIC
  {
  }
  Max Load (9+STR)
  Current Load
  (
  Entanglements
  how I feel about it
  )
  person
  relationship
  Is/has/does thing that matters to me
  (
  )
  (
  )
  (
  )
  +1 Damage
  Pick one now:
  Talent
  +1 Damage
  And at 6th:
  Talent
  Manifest Power
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something
  consistent with your premise or established abilities,
  roll+STAT. On a 10+, you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM
  will choose one as well.
  you attract unwanted notice
  you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  you get hurt
  the outcome is worse than you hoped
  you owe someone a debt
  you lose a resource
  On a 12+, as 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now.
  The GM will create a niche move to reflect it.
  Heritage: Human,
  
  MINOR PERSONALITY (CHA)
  You’re famous in certain circles for something. Tell the GM what it
  is and what those circles are, like “youtube daredevil” or “friend of
  a reality tv star” or “local news anchor”.
  When you attempt to live up to your image, choose one:
  •you do it flawlessly; nobody watching this could believe you are
  anything but what you seem
  •you add a new aspect, skill, or degree to your image that wasn’t
  there before
  •you do something dangerous, foolish, or embarrassing to play to
  your image; whatever else happens, mark XP
  PRACTICED PERFORMER
  Add “perform to entertain, please, or thrill others” to the trigger
  for Smokin’Hot.
  RECKLESS INDIFFERENCE
  When you recklessly ignore danger or laugh in the face of
  adversity, you may roll+CHA instead of +CON.
  Whenyougainalevelfrom6-10,choosefromthesetoo:
  LOOK AT ME (CHA)
  When you demand one or more people’s attention, roll+CHA. On
  a 10+, they meet your gaze and hold it until distracted. On a 7-9,
  they look away after a moment.
  NO BROWN M&Ms (CHA)
  When you demand privacy or privilege based on your fame or
  infamy, roll+CHA. On a 10+, people are mildly annoyed,
  impressed, afraid, or astonished, but everyone accommodates
  you. On a 7-9, almost everyone does; choose who doesn’t:
  •someone who you’d really rather not see right now
  •someone who actually has authority but is unsure of you
  •someone who is reaching for their phone
  KNOW SOMEBODY
  You always know somebody who can get what you need or who
  knows someone else who does. When you roll to find someone,
  treat a miss as a bigger partial (you still mark XP).
  NAME TO A FACE (WIS)
  When you see someone’s face for the first time, roll+WIS. On a
  hit, the GM will tell you who they appear to be and what their
  reputation is. On a 10+, you know something they’ve done they
  wouldn’t want everyone to know. Tell the GM how you discovered
  this and if you think they’ll remember you.
  INSPIRE (CHA)
  When you do or say something inspiring in front of your allies,
  roll+CHA. On a hit, take 1 Inspiration to give to one of those
  present, who can spend it to add +1 to a roll by declaring how you
  inspired them. On a 10+, take +2 hold and divide it as you see fit.
  Only 1 Inspiration can be spent per roll.
  NOT THE FACE
  You’re skilled at taking hits where you want to. When the GM
  declares that you’ll take a specific injury to a body part, tell them
  how you manage to take it in different location of your choosing.
  If they veto this change, mark XP.
  PEOPLE PERSON
  Add “when you use your words when action would be easier and
  safer” as a new trigger for Smokin’Hot.
  MAGNIFICENT ORATOR
  When you trigger Inspire, you gain +1 hold, even on a miss, and the
  bonus from spending Inspiration increases to +2.
  BLATANT LIAR (CHA)
  When you lie boldly to someone’s face, you take a +1 forward to
  negotiate with them as long as you maintain the lie. On a 10+,
  they won’t question it unless it becomes an obvious lie.
  THE BIRDS OUT OF THE TREES
  When you use fast-talk, bluffing, or cajoling to get your way, on
  any roll result you may choose one:
  •someone present's regard or feelings are changed
  •you learn a secret or gain an advantage against the target
  •an opportunity appears or disappears
  AIR OF AUTHORITY
  You may or may not have the authority to bargain for a million
  dollars in small, unmarked bills, to perform heart surgery, or to
  teach a class on physics, but if you confidently state you do, most
  people will believe you. If they’re suspicious of your claims, take +1
  ongoing to bluff about what you can and cannot do.
  FACADE (CHA)
  When you pretend to be someone you’re not, roll+CHA. Take +1 if
  any two are true: you’re in the right place, you’re dressed the part,
  you’re carrying the right equipment.
  On a hit, they believe you are who you are pretending to be unless
  given serious cause to doubt. On a 7-9, they’re suspicious enough
  to go looking for confirmation or find you unexpectedly
  interesting, GM’s choice.
  COLD READ (CHA)
  You can convince people that you have special insight or psychic
  powers through psychological tricks. When you exploit someone
  psychologically or emotionally, roll+CHA. On a 10+, they believe
  what you’ve told or shown them, and trust you until you prove
  false. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  • they’ll catch on before too long or someone else catches on now
  •they act immediately and rashly, thinking you want them to
  •they demand proof or assurances before they believe you
  The Charismatic Path
  The Manipulator Path
  The Celebrity Path
  Fill out your Name, Look, and Drive.
  Allocate your stats.
  Choose your gear, and write down your Load.
  Choose your background Move and two Starting Moves
  from this or any other playbook.
  Pick a Dread and two Desires.
  Choose one Bond per PC and at least one Entanglement.
  Making a Character
  
  You start with a shabby place to live, like a small apartment lit by a
  neon sign or a by-the-week motel room, a car that’s packed with
  old case files or prone to engine trouble, and an unremarkable
  cellphone. Thinkaboutwhereyouliveandwhatyoudrive,andwhatit
  saysaboutyou.Ifoneofthesedoesn’t“fit”,crossitoutandreplaceitwith
  somethingthatdoes.Youalsohave:
  Bug out bag (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Income: Consultant, Finder, Bartender,
  A reinforced trenchcoat (1 armor, 1 weight)
  A field kit in your trunk (5 uses, 2 weight)
  Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  Shotgun (near, scatter-shot, ammo 2, 2 weight)
  Choosetwo:
  Gear
  Choose if you are seasoned, savvy, or
  empathetic. When this is an asset, roll
  an extra die of a different color and
  keep the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve
  kept your Wise die, the GM will tell
  you how someone's accidentally hurt
  or led astray, in addition to any other
  consequences.
  DEEP WISDOM
  {
  } Strength
  STR
  {
  }
  Max HP
  (8+Constitution)
  Curr
  HP
  {
  } To Level (Level + 7)
  Curr
  XP
  {
  } Dexterity
  DEX
  -1 weakened
  {
  } Intelligence
  INT
  {
  } Wisdom
  WIS
  -1 dazed
  {
  } Charisma
  CHA
  {
  } Constitution
  CON
  -1 miserable
  Assign these star ng scores to your stats:
  +2 [16], +1 [15], +1 [13], 0 [12], 0 [9], -1 [8]
  Name
  Look
  Background
  Drive
  Dread
  Desires
  Mercy, Constantine, Lincoln, Honor, Hero, a virtue name, a
  strong name, a hero's name
  Eyes: Haunted, Tired, Warm,
  Hair: Rumpled, Professional, Short,
  Clothing: Neat, Rumpled, Casual,
  Body: Plump, Rangy, Athletic,
  Law Enforcement: Start with InvestigativeSpecialist.
  Mercenary: Choose a Strong Move.
  Boxer: Choose a Tough Move.
  Your Own:
  Other: Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Mortal: Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  the
  dedicated
  {
  }
  Max Load (10+STR)
  Current Load
  (
  Entanglements
  how I feel about it
  )
  person
  relationship
  Is/has/does thing that matters to me
  (
  )
  (
  )
  (
  )
  +1 Damage
  Pick one now:
  Talent
  +1 Damage
  And at 6th:
  Talent
  Manifest Power
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something
  consistent with your premise or established abilities,
  roll+STAT. On a 10+, you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM
  will choose one as well.
  you attract unwanted notice
  you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  you get hurt
  the outcome is worse than you hoped
  you owe someone a debt
  you lose a resource
  On a 12+, as 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now.
  The GM will create a niche move to reflect it.
  Heritage: Human,
  
  COMMUNITY MEMBER
  Name a social group or neighborhood. When you first encounter a
  creature, location, person, or item important to that group (GM’s
  call), tell the GM something useful and interesting you know
  about it because you’re from around here. If the GM disagrees,
  mark XP.
  FOR A CAUSE
  You have a community cause or goal you’re particularly passionate
  about, like “restore the old library” or “settle this turf war”. Take +1
  ongoing when you pursue it if determination helps. You can
  change this goal with a few hours of soul searching or by
  completing it.
  FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD
  You might have made it good, or just out, but you’re still from
  around here. Choose a mark of the community, like an accent,
  idiom, or token style of dress; you can turn it on and off. You take +1
  ongoing to deal with community members who recognize you,
  and they’ll open up to you in ways they wouldn’t to an outsider.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  ROLE MODEL
  People know you have integrity and find you comforting to be
  around. When you have an honest, meaningful talk with
  someone, they hold 1 Morale and you hold 1 Morale. You, or they,
  can spend Morale later to add +1 or -2 to a roll they make, even if
  you’re not present.
  COMMUNITY ICON
  You are a pillar of your community, well-known and respected.
  People come to you for advice and to settle conflicts, and will
  generally abide by your decisions. Choose two.
  •you may have a second non-conflicting goal from ForaCause
  •you each hold 2 when you use RoleModel
  •choose another social group for the purposes of Community
  Member. If you have FromtheNeighborhood, choose marks for each
  of your new groups; you take +2 instead of +1 when using a mark.
  A FRIEND TO ALL (WIS)
  You have a group of people who call you friend and give you
  advice, aid, or information. At the start of a session, roll+WIS. On a
  10+, hold 3 Friendship. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, hold 1; the GM
  also holds 1 they can spend to have the group complicate your life.
  Spend 1 Friendship to call in a favor from the group that won’t cost
  them much. Spend 3 to get them to inconvenience themselves
  greatly or put themselves in danger.
  TACTICIAN
  When you can use terrain or environmental conditions to your
  benefit, you gain +1 to attack or defend.
  WHAT EVIL LURKS
  You know people, how they think, how they lie to others and to
  themselves, and why. When you use discern to study a person or a
  group of people, add “what’s the loudest emotional subtext here?”
  and “what do you want out of this situation?” to the list.
  FORTUNE COOKIE
  Choose an additional trigger for DeepWisdom, from the existing
  triggers or one of the following:
  •you act in anticipation of someone else’s incipient hostile action
  •you act to prevent or delay someone from making the kind of
  mistakes that you’ve made in the past
  STOIC
  You never give yourself away with an involuntary reaction if you’re
  in pain or startled. When confronted with pain, fear, or loss of
  control, even of magical origin, take +1 ongoing to remain in
  control of yourself or to resist being compelled.
  MOSTLY HARMLESS
  You are often underestimated or discounted as a threat, even by
  those who should know better. When you strike at or react to
  someone who has underestimated you, take +1 forward.
  INVESTIGATIVE SPECIALIST (WIS)
  Pick a specialty like profiling, forensics, or pathology. When you
  use your specialty to investigate a crime, roll+WIS. On a 10+, gain
  a major clue that points you towards someone you must see or a
  place you should go. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  •you attract unwanted attention
  •you can’t prove what you’ve found
  •it’ll take longer than expected to pursue the lead
  EXPERT WITNESS
  You always know someone who can help you with advice, aid, or
  information. When you go looking for an expert who can help
  you, pick one after rolling to FindSomeone:
  •they owe you a favor and will honor it
  •you have or know something they will be very interested in
  •the roll result counts as a 10+
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  TOUGH-MINDED (WIS)
  You’ve seen it all before, or just about. When you are affected by
  horror, fear, or mental compulsion, roll+WIS. On a 10+, you shake
  it off. On a 7-9, also choose one.
  •you act under the charm, but catch yourself quickly
  •it drives you to your knees or leaves you off balance
  •the enemy leaves a hook in you
  If you have Stoic, you may add “you use your Stoic bonus on a roll
  and fail” to the trigger for this move.
  CRUSADER
  Choose an additional trigger for DeepWisdom, from the existing
  triggers or one of the following:
  •you act in defense of someone else
  •you act to prevent a crime or miscarriage of justice
  SAW IT COMING (WIS)
  When a shocking betrayal, ambush, or similar surprise is
  revealed, ask the GM how early you anticipated it, and then
  explain how you prepared, with as much preparation as you could
  reasonably have achieved in secret, in the given time, and
  roll+WIS. On a 10+, the enemy is blindsided; also choose who takes
  +1 ongoing, you or an ally. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  •a sacrifice of something of value to you
  •a d6 of damage or a debility, right now
  •the aid of a co-conspirator, who demanded a high price
  If the GM vetoes your preparation, mark XP instead.
  The Dedicated Path
  The Investigator Path
  The Organizer Path
  Fill out your Name, Look, and Drive.
  Allocate your stats.
  Choose your gear, and write down your Load.
  Choose your background Move and two Starting Moves
  from this or any other playbook.
  Pick a Dread and two Desires.
  Choose one Bond per PC and at least one Entanglement.
  Making a Character
  
  You start with a modest place to live, like a small apartment over a
  restaurant or a bungalow in a quiet neighborhood, a non-descript
  car that runs well and won’t attract notice, and an unremarkable
  cellphone. Thinkaboutwhereyouliveandwhatyoudrive,andwhatit
  saysaboutyou.Ifoneofthesedoesn’t“fit”,crossitoutandreplaceitwith
  somethingthatdoes.Youalsohave:
  Useful stuff in pockets (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Income: Athlete, Larceny, Retail,
  Padded jacket (1 armor, 1 weight)
  Climbing gear in the trunk (5 uses, 2 weight)
  Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  Rifle (far, ammo 3, 2 piercing, 2 weight)
  Choosetwo:
  Gear
  When being fast’s an asset, you can
  roll a die of a different color and keep
  the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept
  your Fast die, the GM will tell you
  something you lose your grasp on or
  controlofintheprocess,inadditionto
  any other consequences.
  LIGHTNING
  REFLEXES
  {
  } Strength
  STR
  {
  }
  Max HP
  (6+Constitution)
  Curr
  HP
  {
  } To Level (Level + 7)
  Curr
  XP
  {
  } Dexterity
  DEX
  -1 weakened
  {
  } Intelligence
  INT
  {
  } Wisdom
  WIS
  -1 dazed
  {
  } Charisma
  CHA
  {
  } Constitution
  CON
  -1 miserable
  Assign these starting scores to your stats:
  +2 [16], +1 [15], +1 [13], 0 [12], 0 [9], -1 [8]
  Name
  Look
  Background
  Drive
  Dread
  Desires
  Nick, Dominique, Trix, Scout, Marlowe, a short name, a
  mysterious name, a fake name
  Eyes: Sharp, Calculating, Icy,
  Hair: Practical, Unremarkable, Styled,
  Clothing: Practical, Dark,Pocketed,
  Body: Lithe, Lean, Flexible,
  Petty Criminal: Start with HardtoPinDown.
  Agent: Choose a Dedicated Move.
  Athlete: Choose a Strong or Tough Move.
  Your Own:
  Other: Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Mortal: Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  the
  FAST
  {
  }
  Max Load (9+STR)
  Current Load
  (
  Entanglements
  how I feel about it
  )
  person
  relationship
  Is/has/does thing that matters to me
  (
  )
  (
  )
  (
  )
  +1 Damage
  Pick one now:
  Talent
  +1 Damage
  And at 6th:
  Talent
  Manifest Power
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something
  consistent with your premise or established abilities,
  roll+STAT. On a 10+, you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM
  will choose one as well.
  you attract unwanted notice
  you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  you get hurt
  the outcome is worse than you hoped
  you owe someone a debt
  you lose a resource
  On a 12+, at 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now.
  The GM will create a niche move to reflect it.
  Heritage: Human,
  
  WINGS OFF A FLY (DEX)
  When you take a few moments to carefully aim and then shoot
  at a specific spot on an enemy in range, name your target and
  roll+DEX. On a 10+, you do your damage and they suffer an
  appropriate injury. On a 7-9, it’s only a temporary hinderance;
  also choose one from the 7-9 options for Volley.
  SEASONED GUNFIGHTER
  When you defend in a firefight, hold +1 no matter the result. You
  may spend hold to completely negate the damage instead of
  halving it.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  FROM THE HIP
  When you use Wings Off a Fly you no longer need to take a few
  moments to aim carefully; just aiming carefully is sufficient.
  HAND-EYE COORDINATION
  You can apply your Fast die to tasks requiring good hand-eye
  coordination. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Fast die, the GM will tell
  you how you weren’t quite as accurate as you intended, in addition
  to any other consequences.
  GUN KATA
  When you defy danger using DEX while wielding a gun, in
  addition to any other consequences, on a 10+, choose two. On a 7-
  9, just one.
  •deal damage to any targets you can hit
  •deal damage to one target you can hit
  •dive behind cover or go into hiding, as plausible
  FACE IN THE CROWD
  You have a knack for going unnoticed, whether it’s blending into
  a crowd or moving quietly while taking advantage of terrain.
  Unless you attack or otherwise draw attention to yourself, you go
  unnoticed by NPCs if it’s at all plausible for you to.
  SUDDEN STRIKE
  When you attack someone up close who doesn’t see it coming,
  roll+DEX. On a hit, choose two. On a 10+, choose one more.
  •deal damage as usual
  •you move away before they can retaliate
  •ignore armor
  •inflict a temporarily crippling wound that prevents them from
  raising an alarm or escaping
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  LIKE A BAD PENNY (DEX)
  When you fade into the background, roll+DEX. On a 10+, hold
  2 Sneak. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend this hold:
  •to be somewhere else you plausibly could be when you could be
  •to not be in trouble or a bad spot when you do
  FINE MOTOR SKILLS
  You can apply your Fast die to tasks requiring fine manipulation or
  precise handling. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept your Fast die, the GM will
  tell you how you weren’t quite as precise or delicate as you
  intended, in addition to any other consequences.
  GRAB
  When you hack and slash and could deal damage, you can opt to
  take something visibly held, worn, or carried from your foe
  instead.
  FAST SCAN
  You can discern realities with a glance; you no longer have to
  closely study a situation to trigger the move. If you use this, the
  GM holds 1 they can spend to tell you how one of your impressions
  was inaccurate or misleading.
  HARD TO PIN DOWN (DEX)
  Add “Where’s an opening for me to escape this situation? If none,
  how can I make one?” to DiscernRealities. Even on a miss, the GM
  will answer these for you.
  When you use an opening to escape a dangerous situation,
  roll+DEX. On a 10+, you’re gone. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  •you leave something behind; the GM says what
  •you get hurt in the process
  •you owe someone a favor for your escape
  DODGE AND PARRY
  You can use DEX instead of CON to Defend.
  EVASIVE
  As long as you can see an attack coming, you have +1 armor. If an
  effect is untargeted (like a splash or explosion) take +1 to defy
  against it.
  ESCAPE ARTIST
  You have a tendency to end up tied up and a lot of practice getting
  out of it. Take +1 when you’re escaping, attempting to fit into or
  through a space a little too small for you, or trying to talk someone
  into setting you free.
  ON MY CREW
  When you spend some time training an ally, name one or more
  Moves from this path you know and ask them to roll+DEX. On a
  10+, they hold 1 plus your DEX Training and may spend it to use
  one of those Moves as if they had it. On a 7-9, they hold just 1.
  The Fast Path
  The Rogue Path
  The Gunslinger Path
  Fill out your Name, Look, and Drive.
  Allocate your stats.
  Choose your gear, and write down your Load.
  Choose your background Move and two Starting Moves
  from this or any other playbook.
  Pick a Dread and two Desires.
  Choose one Bond per PC and at least one Entanglement.
  Making a Character
  
  You start with a modest place to live, like a small apartment off
  campus or a dorm you’re supposed to be chaperoning, a car that’s
  packed with papers you probably should get around to grading,
  and an unremarkable cellphone. Thinkaboutwhereyouliveand
  whatyoudrive,andwhatitsaysaboutyou.Ifoneofthesedoesn’t“fit”,
  crossitoutandreplaceitwithsomethingthatdoes.Youalsohave:
  Pocket of junk (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Income: Teaching, Help Desk, Patents,
  Walking stick (close, two-handed, 1 weight)
  A field kit in your trunk (5 uses, 2 weight)
  Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  A subscription to an academic journal database
  {
  }
  Max Load (7+STR)
  Current Load
  Choosetwo:
  Gear
  (
  When being smart’s an asset, you can
  roll a die of a different color and keep
  the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept
  your Smart die, the GM will tell you a
  flawinyourplanorsomethingequally
  unwelcome you’ve discovered in the
  process, in addition to any other
  consequences.
  SMART AS A WHIP
  {
  } Strength
  STR
  {
  }
  Max HP
  (6+Constitution)
  Curr
  HP
  {
  } To Level (Level + 7)
  Curr
  XP
  {
  } Dexterity
  DEX
  -1 weakened
  {
  } Intelligence
  INT
  {
  } Wisdom
  WIS
  -1 dazed
  {
  } Charisma
  CHA
  {
  } Constitution
  CON
  -1 miserable
  Assign these star�ng scores to your stats:
  +2 [16], +1 [15], +1 [13], 0 [12], 0 [9], -1 [8]
  Name
  Look
  Background
  Drive
  Dread
  Desires
  Dexter, Ruth, Alvin, Dara, a smart name, a stuffy name, an old
  name
  Eyes: Serious, Spectacled, Assessing,
  Hair: Shaggy, Ponytail, Unstylish,
  Clothing: Button-down, Tweed, Uniform,
  Body: Lankly, Toned, Flabby,
  On Staff: Start with IvoryTower.
  Criminologist: Choose a Dedicated Move you qualify for.
  Rough Childhood: Choose a Fast or Tough Move.
  Your Own:
  +1 Damage
  Pick one now:
  Talent
  Entanglements
  how I feel about it
  )
  person
  relationship
  Other: Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Mortal: Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  Is/has/does thing that matters to me
  (
  )
  (
  )
  (
  )
  +1 Damage
  And at 6th:
  Talent
  Manifest Power
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something
  consistent with your premise or established abilities,
  roll+STAT. On a 10+, you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM
  will choose one as well.
  you attract unwanted notice
  you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  you get hurt
  the outcome is worse than you hoped
  you owe someone a debt
  you lose a resource
  On a 12+, at 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now.
  The GM will create a niche move to reflect it.
  the
  GENIUS
  Heritage: Human,
  
  TEMPORARY POLYMATH
  Name three narrow subjects, like Ancient Chinese Art, Aircraft
  Physics, or Slavic Folklore; you’ve recently spent way too much
  time reading up on them on the internet and you possess a wealth
  of second-hand and theoretical knowledge. When this knowledge
  would come in handy, take +1. When you binge on a new topic, you
  may replace one of your existing ones.
  GOOGLE IT (INT)
  When you do an in-depth search of the internet on a specific
  topic, roll+INT. On a 10+, you find a useful piece of information
  and make a useful contact. On a 7-9, pick one.
  DATA SPIDER
  You have a program that monitors the internet for the answer to a
  specific question that can be found or pieced together from
  available data, like “where are the vampires smuggling heroin into
  the city” or “is anyone showing undue interest in Egyptian
  artifacts”.
  When you take a few hours to set up a query, say how you receive
  notices; the next time two dice match, on any roll, by any player,
  you’ll get an alert with the information, though it might not be as
  complete as it could be. Choose if your spider keeps running on the
  same query or not.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  ELECTRIC SHEEP
  Your search engine from TrickedOutLab is now actual artificial
  intelligence, or at least close enough most people can’t tell the
  difference. Describe how you communicate with it and its
  personality, then name three Moves it can help you with. When it
  does, you can treat the result as one step higher. When you do, the
  GM may make a Move related to your AI.
  REPROGRAM (INT)
  When you reveal how you reprogrammed a computer to serve
  your immediate purpose, explain how you gained access and
  name one task, of seven words or less, then roll+INT. On a 10+, it’s
  done, exactly as you intended. On a 7-9, you left traces behind; the
  GM will tell you who suffered as a result.
  FIELD WORK
  You’ve been on at least a few expeditions. When you reflect on
  your past experiences that were similar to the one you currently
  face, pick one.
  •it was dangerous; take +1 forward to act on the experience
  •it was embarrassing; if you share it, everyone else takes +1
  forward for morale
  •you’ve never been in a situation like this; mark XP if you freeze
  up, freak out, or panic
  CHEMICAL WIZARDRY (INT)
  When you closely study a substance or its effects, and you have
  tools and time, tell the GM what antidote, toxin, or cure you’re
  trying to create and roll+INT. On a 10+, you create it, enough for
  one person. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  •it’ll have side effects or will only work on any given creature once
  •it can’t be mass-produced
  On a 12+, you eke out up to a half-dozen doses.
  HANDS ON EXPERIENCE (INT)
  When you take something supernatural apart with an eye to
  figuring it out, roll+INT. On a 10+, you get a good idea of the
  strengths and weaknesses it possesses that can be determined in
  this fashion. On a 7-9, also choose one:
  •it wasn’t as dead as you thought
  •you’re exposed to something unpleasant
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  RENOWNED EXPERT
  When you roll to find someonewho is a recognized expert in an
  academic field, you use INT and treat a miss as a partial.
  When you offer your services as a renowned expert in your field,
  take +1 ongoing to demonstrate your knowledge for the target if
  they accept; mark XP if they don’t.
  JURYRIG
  You can dispense with time or tools when synthesizing, taking
  something apart, or putting it together; if you are without both,
  choose an option from Manifest on any result but a 10+.
  TRICKED OUT LAB
  You have a lab or base where you can work on your interests in
  relative peace and quiet. Pick two:
  •a research library with two areas of focus; +1 to research them
  •a huge pile of junk; you can always find a spare part that’ll work
  •a search engine you’ve programmed yourself; it’s not AI but it’s
  close. Take +1 when you search the internet for information.
  INVESTIGATE (INT)
  When you investigateamysteryusinglogicordeduction, roll+INT.
  On a 10+, learn a vital clue. On a 7-9, you attract unwanted attention.
  DEGREE
  Name a subject; you’ve got a degree or similar in it. When this is
  relevant, roll 1d8+1d6 instead of 2d6. If the d6 is the higher of the
  two, the GM will introduce an extra complication.
  SPECIALIZED
  Name a sub-field for each degree you have; when you roll Degree in
  that sub-field(s), both dice are d8s. Use the second for
  determining any extra complications.
  MINOR IN AWESOME
  When you dredge up immediately relevant knowledge from a
  book you’ve surely read or a class you must have taken, ask the
  GM for a Talent. This Talent is yours until you use this move again.
  IVORY TOWER
  You have a degree; if you also have Degree, you have two. Choose
  an ally from this list or similar:
  •a mentor in your field. Cost: you behave as they expect
  •a devoted protege. Cost: your tutelage
  •a collection of grad students who run errands for you. Cost:
  letters of recommendation
  This ally is a standard hireling. If you lose access to the academic
  world, replace this Move with a new one.
  The Genius Path
  The Field Scientist Path
  The Hacker Path
  Fill out your Name, Look, and Drive.
  Allocate your stats.
  Choose your gear, and write down your Load.
  Choose your background Move and two Starting Moves
  from this or any other playbook.
  Pick a Dread and two Desires.
  Choose one Bond per PC and at least one Entanglement.
  Making a Character
  
  You start with a modest place to live, like a small apartment over a
  gym or a warehouse that you’re converting in your spare time, a
  car or pickup truck that’s seen better days, and an unremarkable
  cellphone. Thinkaboutwhereyouliveandwhatyoudrive,andwhatit
  saysaboutyou.Ifoneofthesedoesn’t“fit”,crossitoutandreplaceitwith
  somethingthatdoes.Youalsohave:
  Carried useful stuff (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Income: Menial Labor, Pension, Bodyguard,
  A beat up leather jacket (1 armor, 1 weight)
  A sword (close, +1 damage, 1 weight)
  Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  Rifle (far, ammo 3, 2 piercing, 2 weight)
  Choosetwo:
  Gear
  When being strong’s an asset, roll an
  extra die of a different color and keep
  the best two. On a 7-9, if you’ve kept
  your Strong die, the GM will tell you
  something you break or damage in
  the process, in addition to any other
  consequences.
  STRONG AS AN OX
  {
  } Strength
  STR
  {
  }
  Max HP
  (8+Constitution)
  Curr
  HP
  {
  } To Level (Level + 7)
  Curr
  XP
  {
  } Dexterity
  DEX
  -1 weakened
  {
  } Intelligence
  INT
  {
  } Wisdom
  WIS
  -1 dazed
  {
  } Charisma
  CHA
  {
  } Constitution
  CON
  -1 miserable
  Assign these starting scores to your stats:
  +2 [16], +1 [15], +1 [13], 0 [12], 0 [9], -1 [8]
  Name
  Look
  Drive
  Dread
  Desires
  Bill, Joe, Marcy, Roxie, a short name, a hard name, a tough name
  Other: Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Mortal: Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  the
  Strong
  {
  }
  Max Load (12+STR)
  Current Load
  (
  Entanglements
  how I feel about it
  )
  person
  relationship
  Is/has/does thing that matters to me
  (
  )
  (
  )
  (
  )
  +1 Damage
  Pick one now:
  Talent
  +1 Damage
  And at 6th:
  Talent
  Manifest Power
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something
  consistent with your premise or established abilities,
  roll+STAT. On a 10+, you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM
  will choose one as well.
  you attract unwanted notice
  you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  you get hurt
  the outcome is worse than you hoped
  you owe someone a debt
  you lose a resource
  On a 12+, as 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now.
  The GM will create a niche move to reflect it.
  Background
  Eyes: Haunted, Cold, Withdrawn,
  Hair: Cropped, Ponytail, Regulation,
  Clothing: Practical, Durable, Uniform,
  Body: Muscled, Hard, Strong,
  Soldier: Start with Reputation.
  Cop: Choose a Dedicated Move.
  Bouncer: Choose a Tough Move.
  Your Own:
  Heritage: Human,
  
  SPORT
  Choose two of these sports or discuss a new one with your GM.
  When you defy danger and your sports experience would help,
  take +1.
  •parkour or free-running
  •climbing, free and on harness
  •swimming
  •a team sport like hockey, soccer, or football
  CLIMACTIC KICK
  When you’re engaged in a physical conflict or competition, you
  may declare a hit as a miss and hold 2 Kick. You can spend 1 Kick
  during this conflict to adjust a roll result upwards by one step.
  When you use this move again, the new hold replaces the old.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  EYE OF THE TIGER
  When you use ClimacticKick, you may spend 2 Kickto declare that
  the roll, no matter what it is, is actually a 12+. Do not mark XP if so.
  SEMI-PRO
  Choose a narrow aspect of your chosen sport, like “running across
  rooftops” or “catching flying objects about the size of a baseball”.
  When you defy danger involving this aspect, treat a miss as a
  bigger partial (you still mark XP as usual).
  TEAM PLAYER
  Choose any two Moves you know when you take this move. You can
  share their benefits with your team, as long as you work together
  and can justify how it works.
  When you use one of your Team Moves, name yourself or another
  member of the group the Team Leader. They make any rolls and
  choose who takes any consequences.
  When you pick your Moves, the GM will either accept your choice
  or offer you a modification. If you can’t agree, you can’t take Team
  Player right now.
  REPUTATION
  You have a reputation in combat; choose honorable, merciful,
  ruthless, relentless, or similar. When this reputation would help,
  take +1. If you contravene this reputation and people find out,
  swap this reputation for the opposite or ask the GM for one.
  AROUND THE BLOCK
  Nobody gets this far without making friends and enemies. When
  you remember something useful to the situation at hand that
  someone once told you, choose one:
  •a mentor, friend, enemy, or ex-lover told you; name them and
  describe it, then take +1 forward to act on it
  •it’s flawed, inaccurate, or flat out wrong; name the source and
  the circumstances and mark XP if you act on it anyway
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  HIT WHERE IT HURTS (STR)
  When you take some time to study an object or structure, you
  may ask the GM “where’s a weak spot I can apply strength and
  what’ll happen if I do?”. If you follow through, roll+STR. On a 10+,
  choose three. On a 7-9, choose two.
  •it doesn’t take a very long time
  •nothing of value you’d prefer not to be is damaged
  •it doesn’t make an inordinate amount of noise
  •you can fix the thing again without a lot of effort
  RELENTLESS
  When you successfully deal damage to an enemy, deal +1 damage,
  cumulative, against that foe for the rest of the fight.
  HONED (WIS)
  When you spend time caring for your bound weapon, roll+WIS.
  On a 10+, hold 3 Hone. On a 7-9, just 1. Spend Hone one-for-one
  when you fight with your bound weapon to:
  •do an extra d6 damage or ignore armor
  •not be exposed on a 7+ roll, even if you opt for extra damage
  •double any bonus damage from Relentless, for one strike
  BOUND WEAPON
  You know how to use an exotic melee weapon most people don’t,
  and yours is special. Maybe it’s forged from part of your soul or
  maybe it’s just really, really old. You start out with it, and, should it
  ever be lost, you know how to replace it. Tell the GM what it is and
  how you acquired it, and the GM will tell you if there will be any
  complications to carrying it openly and, if it comes up, what kind of
  effort it’ll take to replace it.
  Use the Fighter’s signatureweaponto build yours.
  SLEDGEHAMMER
  When you do damage where strength matters, add +1d4;
  increase this to +2d4 at level 6.
  GOOD SPORT (STR)
  When you engage someone in a contest of strength, roll+STR. On
  a 10+, you win; take +1 ongoing to negotiate with them or anyone
  impressed by the win, or to press your advantage. On a 7-9, you
  break something you’d rather not have in the process.
  HITS LIKE A MACK TRUCK
  If you can apply your strength to an attack, you can make it forceful,
  but if you do, you’re always exposed to the enemy’s attack, even on
  a 10+ (you still get bonus damage as if you’d chosen it, if so).
  TACTICAL RETREAT
  When you retreat from a threat that you’ve realized you cannot
  defeat right now, roll+STR. On a 10+, you escape and learn of a
  weakness you can exploit later. On a 7-9, also suffer further harm
  or lose something of value.
  FLEX
  Choose a Move you know and tell the GM that you now use STR
  when rolling it. If the GM disagrees, mark XP and choose a
  different Move.
  The Strong Path
  The Weapon Expert Path
  The Athlete Path
  Fill out your Name, Look, and Drive.
  Allocate your stats.
  Choose your gear, and write down your Load.
  Choose your background Move and two Starting Moves
  from this or any other playbook.
  Pick a Dread and two Desires.
  Choose one Bond per PC and at least one Entanglement.
  Making a Character
  
  You start with a meager place to live, like a couch at a friend’s
  place or a tiny shed behind your uncle’s repair shop, a vintage car
  that’s tricked out, and a beat up cellphone.Thinkaboutwhereyou
  liveandwhatyoudrive,andwhatitsaysaboutyou.Ifoneofthese
  doesn’t“fit”,crossitoutandreplaceitwithsomethingthatdoes.Youalso
  have:
  An EDC/bug out bag (5 uses, 1 weight)
  Income: Odd Jobs, Disability, Bouncer,
  A part-time gig you can use to talk your way into somewhere
  A trunk full of spare parts (5 uses, 2 weight)
  Pistol (near, point-blank, ammo 3, 1 piercing, 1 weight)
  Shotgun (near, scatter-shot, ammo 2, 2 weight)
  Choosetwo:
  Gear
  Choose how you’re especially tough:
  emotionally, mentally, or physically.
  When this is an asset, roll an extra die
  of a different color and keep the best
  two.Ona7-9,ifyou’vekeptyourTough
  die, the GM will tell you something
  that’s lost to you or broken in the
  process, in addition to any other
  consequences.
  TOUGH AS NAILS
  {
  } Strength
  STR
  {
  }
  Max HP
  (10+Constitution)
  Curr
  HP
  {
  } To Level (Level + 7)
  Curr
  XP
  {
  } Dexterity
  DEX
  -1 weakened
  {
  } Intelligence
  INT
  {
  } Wisdom
  WIS
  -1 dazed
  {
  } Charisma
  CHA
  {
  } Constitution
  CON
  -1 miserable
  Assign these starting scores to your stats:
  +2 [16], +1 [15], +1 [13], 0 [12], 0 [9], -1 [8]
  Name
  Look
  Drive
  Dread
  Desires
  Hoss, Cutter, Indiana, Lucky, Punch, a descriptive name, a tough
  name, a gang name
  Other: Prioritize the supernatural or your other life.
  Mortal: Prioritize the mortal world or your mortal life.
  the
  Tough
  {
  }
  Max Load (10+STR)
  Current Load
  (
  Entanglements
  how I feel about it
  )
  person
  relationship
  Is/has/does thing that matters to me
  (
  )
  (
  )
  (
  )
  +1 Damage
  Pick one now:
  Talent
  +1 Damage
  And at 6th:
  Talent
  Manifest Power
  When you use extraordinary powers to do something
  consistent with your premise or established abilities,
  roll+STAT. On a 10+, you do it; choose one. On a 7-9, the GM
  will choose one as well.
  you attract unwanted notice
  you cause collateral damage or an unintended injury
  you get hurt
  the outcome is worse than you hoped
  you owe someone a debt
  you lose a resource
  On a 12+, at 10+, and the power is part of your repertoire now.
  The GM will create a niche move to reflect it.
  Background
  Eyes: Hard, Cold, Weary,
  Hair: Bald, Long, Unkempt,
  Clothing: Practical, Casual, Ripped,
  Body: Big, Hard, Athletic,
  Foster Kid: Start with Unbreakable.
  Poet: Choose a Charismatic Move.
  Gang: Choose a Strong Move.
  Your Own:
  Heritage: Human,
  
  COOL SCAR
  You’ve got a wicked looking scar; describe it and how you got it, if it
  didn’t happen on screen. Choose one:
  •a type of creature is afraid of you because of it
  •a type of creature is impressed or awed by it
  When you show off your scar to a group of people, they’ll pay
  attention to the story you spin.
  SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS
  Choose one of the following. You take +1 to defy danger against a
  danger caused by that source.
  •magic that affects you in one of the following areas: physically,
  emotionally, or mentally (pick one now)
  •movement, like rushing past someone or falling off a wet rooftop
  •trickery, subterfuge, or lies
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  ON THE CHIN
  When you defy danger with a bonus granted by SchoolofHard
  Knocks,you may mark a debility to succeed as if you rolled a 10+.
  COOL RIDE
  Designate a vehicle as your wheels. When you get in it, hold 3 Cool.
  Spend Cool while you’re in your vehicle:
  •to gain SchoolofHardKnocks with the source “risk of harm to my
  vehicle or someone in it”.
  •to purchase defend options when defending your vehicle or a
  passenger in it
  •to count as hold for any other Move, as long as the GM okays it
  If your vehicle is lost to you, you may choose a new vehicle after a
  suitable period of mourning and some time to tinker.
  VOICE OF EXPERIENCE
  Add one more pick to your SchoolofHardKnocks and upgrade the
  benefits to a +2. When you defy danger against any source, on a
  12+, you turn the danger back on itself; the GM will say how.
  SIZE THEM UP
  When you face a foe or group of foes, choose:
  •you know how much damage they can dish out
  •you can tell how much damage they can take
  •tell the GM you know both, but you misjudged them in one way;
  mark XP if you wade in anyway
  NOT AS BAD AS IT LOOKED
  You can spend 1 Grit from Unbreakable to declare an injury was less
  severe than it seemed; when you do, also regain a d6 of HP for
  every two levels you possess.
  When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these too:
  THE BEST AT WHAT I DO
  Choose another Move you know. When you use that Move in
  combat, you get two benefits, chosen by the GM now.
  •you get one bonus hold for it or it costs one hold less than usual
  •you can use it once per combat without rolling for it or as if you’d
  rolled a 10+
  •you roll it with +1, and +2 damage or double damage
  The GM may offer you a different option or decline to choose any;
  if you can’t agree, choose another Move instead of this one.
  THE BEST DEFENSE
  When you wade in to a melee without concern for your own
  safety, add an additional +1d4 damage each time you deal it, but
  take a -1 ongoing to defy danger during the conflict.
  DISH IT OUT
  If you’re circled by a group of foes, when you hack and slash, if you
  deal damage, you can choose to do your damage twice as long as
  the total damage is divided up between at least two of them. If
  you’re fighting a horde or similar abstraction, instead do an
  additional 1d6 damage.
  UNBREAKABLE
  Choose one area you’re especially tough in, like emotionally,
  physically, or mentally. When your HP reaches max, hold 3 Grit,
  losing any you already had. You can spend one Grit to halve an
  attack’s effect or damage if you can explain how being tough in
  that area would help.
  TAKE A BEATING (CON)
  When you take a beating from someone with no pressing reason
  to kill you, roll+CON. On a hit, they’ll just dump you somewhere
  inconvenient or leave you. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend
  hold to choose:
  •it wasn’t as bad as it looked; regain 2d6 HP (can choose more
  than once)
  •they dropped something of use or let something slip they
  shouldn’t have
  •they respect you now or think you’re dead/out, your choice
  WEATHER THE STORM
  When you take damage from or suffer an effect that affects your
  Unbreakable or ToughasNails area, mark a debility not to.
  UNSTOPPABLE
  If you have Unbreakable and no hold remaining from it, take +1
  ongoing to CON, and roll+CON if you take your last breath.
  THE WALL
  When you defend you always get +1 hold, even on a 6-. When you
  defy danger while defending, take +1, and add "regain 1d6 HP" to
  the list of options for Defend.
  I GET BACK UP AGAIN
  If you have Unbreakable and you take damage you don’t reduce
  with Unbreakable, you gain +1 Grit, up to a total of 3.
  The Tough Path
  The Bruiser Path
  The Daredevil Path
  Fill out your Name, Look, and Drive.
  Allocate your stats.
  Choose your gear, and write down your Load.
  Choose your background Move and two Starting Moves
  from this or any other playbook.
  Pick a Dread and two Desires.
  Choose one Bond per PC and at least one Entanglement.
  Making a Character
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeon World/Urband Modern Fantasy/Urban Modern Fantasy - Core Rulebook v1.pdf