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  Coriolis Players Guide 
  Compiled by James Melzer 
  v1.5.2 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Game mechanics out of combat 
  Skills 
  GENERAL SKILLS 
  DEXTERITY (Agility) The Dancer 
  FORCE (Strength) The Deckhand 
  INFILTRATION (Agility) The Faceless 
  MANIPULATION (Empathy) The Merchant 
  MELEE COMBAT (Strength) The Dancer 
  OBSERVATION (Wits) The Gambler 
  RANGED COMBAT (Agility) The Judge 
  SURVIVAL (Wits) The Traveler 
  ADVANCED SKILLS 
  COMMAND (Empathy) The Judge 
  CULTURE (Empathy) The Traveler 
  DATA DJINN (Wits) The Messenger 
  MEDICURGY (Wits) The Lady of Tears 
  MYSTIC POWERS (Empathy) The Faceless 
  PILOT (Agility) The Gambler 
  SCIENCE (Wits) The Messenger 
  TECHNOLOGY (Wits) The Messenger 
  Testing a skill 
  Roll 1d6 per attribute level + skill level (if relevant).  
  Need 1-2 “6s” for success. 3+ for crit. 
  Four things can result in modifiers (more dice): 
  1.
  Your gear (+1-3) 
  2.
  The difficulty of your action 
  3.
  Assistance from others (+1 ea) 
  4.
  Prayer and preparatory prayer 
  Command skill acts as assistance, and comes first. Each 6 acts as a +1 forward. 
  Talents 
  The full list appears later in this guide. 
  Use a talent. Some talents can only be used once per session, and a few give the 
  GM 1 DP. Check the full descriptions on p72.  
  
   
  Prayer 
  When testing a skill, pray to reroll all dice not showing 6s. This is instantaneous. 
  Give the GM 1 DP. 
  Preparatory Prayer 
  Prep challenges characters (and players) to predict the most important skill each 
  day. For example, a negotiator would pray to The Merchant if she has an 
  important meeting planned that morning. Common favorites include The Dancer 
  for melee or The Judge for ranged combat.  
   
  At the start of the session, pray to a specific icon for a +1 modifier to rerolls with 
  that icon any time during the session (i.e. one extra d6). 
   
  Pray in a chapel for a +2, instead. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Skill Test Probabilities 
  DICE  CHANCE 
  WITH PRAYER (reroll) 
  1 
  17% 
  29% 
  2 
  31% 
  50% 
  3 
  42% 
  64% 
  4 
  52% 
  74% 
  5 
  60% 
  81% 
  6 
  67% 
  87% 
  7 
  72% 
  90% 
  8 
  77% 
  93% 
  9 
  81% 
  95% 
  10
  84% 
  96% 
   
  
  Game mechanics in combat 
  Melee = Strength + Melee skill, if any. Ranged = Agility + Ranged skill, if any.  
  Actions (3AP/round) 
  SLOW ACTIONS (3 AP) 
  Firing an aimed shot 
  Firing full auto 
  Administering first aid 
  Tinkering with a gadget 
  Activating a mystical power 
  NORMAL ACTIONS (2 AP) 
  Attacking in close combat 
  Firing a normal shot 
  Reloading a weapon 
  Ramming with a vehicle 
  FAST ACTIONS (1 AP) 
  Sprinting a short distance (~10m) 
  Taking cover 
  Hitting the ground 
  Getting up off the ground 
  Drawing a weapon 
  Picking up an item 
  Parrying in close combat 
  Making an attack of opportunity in close combat 
  Making a quick shot 
  Going into overwatch 
  Getting into a vehicle 
  Starting a vehicle 
  Driving a vehicle 
  FREE ACTIONS (0 AP) 
  A free action is really no action at all. Most are 
  passive dice rolls. 
  Using your armor against an attack 
  Defending in an opposed roll 
  A quick shout to a comrade 
   
  INITIATIVE 
  Roll a D6 / break ties w D6 
  Some weapons mod your 
  initiative up or down.  
  PRAYER 
  Rules for prayer and 
  preparatory prayer apply in 
  combat.  
  OVERWATCH 
  For 1 AP, pick a direction and 
  ready a ranged attack. You 
  must bank the AP for the 
  attack (usually 2AP).  
  Fire at any time.  
   
  AUTOMATIC FIRE 
  Costs 3AP (not 2), -2 to hit 
  You can keep rolling one die 
  at a time until you get a one.  
   
  You can switch between 
  targets close to each other.  
   
  
  Reactions (before turn: borrow AP; after turn: save AP) 
  Defending in close combat (1AP roll sixes and chose an effect on p89) 
  Attacks of opportunity (1AP +2 melee attack as someone moves past or away) 
  Overwatch fire (see previous page) 
  Defend 
  Decrease Damage: You neutralize one of the enemy’s sixes. If she is left at no 
  sixes, the attack misses. This effect can be chosen multiple times. 
  Counterattack: You perform a counterattack, dealing Weapon Damage to the 
  attacker. You cannot spend additional sixes to increase the damage of your 
  counterattack. You can, however, spend extra sixes to inflict a critical injury, but 
  the Crit rating of your weapon is considered 1 step higher than normal. You can 
  spend further extra sixes to increase the severity of the critical injury. 
  Disarm: You disarm your enemy, but only after her attack has been resolved 
  normally. 
  Raise Initiative: Your initiative score is raised by 2, taking effect this turn if you 
  have not yet acted. Otherwise, the effect applies at the beginning of the next turn. 
  This effect can be chosen multiple times, for additional effect. 
  On a critical success (3 or more 6s) 
  Increase Damage: You inflict 1 extra 
  point of damage. This effect can be 
  chosen multiple times. 
  Critical Injury: You inflict a critical injury 
  on your enemy. This effect costs extra 
  sixes (beyond the first one) equal to 
  your weapon’s Crit Rating. By adding 
  even more sixes, you can increase the 
  severity of the critical injury. 
  Raise Initiative: You assume a better 
  position for your next attack. Your 
  initiative score is raised by 2, taking 
  effect at the beginning of the next turn. 
  This effect can be chosen multiple 
  times. 
  Disarm: Your enemy drops her weapon, 
  or some other hand-held item of your 
  choosing. Picking something up again is 
  a fast action. 
  CRIT OPTIONS IN MELEE 
  Strike Fear: You strike fear into your 
  enemy. She takes 1 point of stress 
  (page 92). This effect can be chosen 
  multiple times. 
  Grapple: You pin your enemy in a tight 
  clinch. See Grappling. 
  CRIT OPTIONS AT RANGE 
  Suppressive Fire: You force your enemy 
  to keep her head down. She suffers 1 
  point of stress (page 92). If you are 
  shooting full auto fire, she takes 1 
  additional point of stress. This effect 
  can be chosen multiple times. 
   
   
  
  Space Travel 
  Order of Combat 
  Each combatant does each phase in initiative order. (p162) 
  1 
  Order Phase 
  Captain ___________ 
  All captains choose their orders secretly, and 
  roll command. 
  2 
  Engineer Phase 
  Engineer __________ 
  The engineers distribute their ships’ EP, and 
  perform any necessary repairs. 
  3 
  Pilot Phase 
  Pilot ______________ 
  The pilots maneuver to get either closer to, or 
  farther away from, their enemy ship. 
  4 
  Sensor Phase 
  Operator __________ 
  The sensor operators lock targets, break locks 
  on their own ships, and perform data attacks. 
  5 
  Attack Phase 
  Gunner ___________ 
  The gunners fire their weapon systems, 
  including countermeasures. 
   
  Rules for prayer and preparatory prayer apply in space combat.  
   
   
   
  1. ORDER PHASE 
  PC and GM orders are written down and revealed at 
  the same time.  
  Roll COMMAND: 6s = bonuses to crew.  
  Repair! Grants a bonus to ship repairs (Phase 2). 
  Evade! Grants a bonus to evasive maneuvers (Phase 
  3), and to breaking an enemy lock-on (Phase 4). 
  Retreat! Grants a bonus to movement away from the 
  enemy ship (Phase 3). 
  Attack! Grants a bonus to movement towards an 
  enemy ship (Phase 3), and to all attacks (Phase 5) 
  2. ENGINEER PHASE 
  Distribute EP to roles: 
  Bonus for excess EP above 
  1 
  Roll Technology 
  See page 168 
   
   
  
   
   
  Portal Jumps 
  Options p139 
  Portal station’s clean jump calculation for 6k-10k 
  birr. Split it among a convoy. +3 to pilot portal test. 
  Trail a bulk hauler. Easy +1 pilot test to jump in 
  their wake. 
  Solo jump with -1 pilot test. Need science test 
  first: 4 hours, minus 1 per extra 6 rolled. 
  Blind jump with -3 pilot test and probably die.  
  Bonuses 
  Prayer and sacrifice before jump: +1 
  Chapel: +1 (stacks w prayer) 
  Anointed priest aboard: +2 (stacks w prayer 
  and/or chapel) 
  More 
  Sensor Rolls 
  1-2  Distance in CU and 
  current course 
  3+   Distance, class, course, 
  weapons 
  “Small crews” rules for 3 
  people 
  If pilot is also commander. No 
  cmdr bonuses and -2 to 
  everything. 
  If engineer is also sensor 
  operator, roll Data Djinn and 
  Technology as appropriate. 
  -2 to everything. 
   
   
   
   
  3. PILOT PHASE 
  Each additional action 
  after the first one gives a 
  -2 to all actions.  
  Roll Pilot 
  See page 168 
  4. SENSOR PHASE 
  Roll Data Djinn 
  See page 169 
  5. ATTACK PHASE 
  Roll Ranged Combat 
  See page 169 
   
   
  
  Advancement 
  At the end of each session, characters gain experience and reassess their 
  relationships and reputation. They can take new skills or talents.  
  EXPERIENCE POINTS 
  ❏
  Did you participate in the session? You get 1 XP just for attendance. 
  ❏
  Did you overcome a difficult challenge, to help your crew to reach its 
  current goal? 
  ❏
  Did you put yourself or your crew at risk because of your personal 
  problem? 
  ❏
  Did you learn something new about yourself or another PC? 
  ❏
  Did you sacrifice or risk something for your PC buddy? 
  ❏
  Did you act in accordance with your Icon? 
  LEARNING SKILLS AND TALENTS 
  ●
  Spend 5XP to “Take an advance” by learning a new talent or increasing a 
  skill by 1 (max is 5).  
  ●
  Learn a group talent when everyone spends 5XP to get it.  
  PC RELATIONSHIPS 
  After XP is handed out, you’re free to reassess relationships with other PCs. 
  CHANGING REPUTATION 
  At end of session, if your character did something publicly recognized as heroic +1 
  or dastardly -1, change your reputation. The GM can increase it by more than 1. It 
  can’t go below 0. 
   
   
  
   
  Talents 
  (Full descriptions start on page 72)  Using * marked talents generate 1DP for the GM.  
  GENERAL TALENTS 
  Blessing * 
  Combat Veteran 
  Defensive 
  Executioner 
  Exo Specialist 
  Faction Standing 
  Field Medicurg 
  Gearhead 
  Intimidating 
  Judge of Character * 
  Licensed 
  Machinegunner 
  Malicious 
  Nine Lives 
  Point Blank 
  Rapid Reload 
  Rugged 
  Seductive 
  Soothing 
  Sprinter 
  Talisman Maker 
  The Hassassin’s Thrust 
  Third Eye 
  Tough 
  Wealthy Family 
  Zero-G Training 
  CYBERNETIC 
  IMPLANTS 
  Must buy hardware 
   
  Accelerated Reflexes 
  Active Sensors 
  Body Armor 
  Built-In Weapon 
  Com Link 
  Cybernetic Muscles 
  Endo Skeleton 
  Language Modulator 
  Lie Detector 
  Passive Sensors 
  Servo Locks 
  Skin Electrodes 
  Targeting Scope 
  Voice Amplifier 
  Water Breathing 
  Weatherproof 
  BIONIC SCULPTS 
  Must buy hardware 
   
  Beautiful 
  Built-In Weapon 
  Intelligent 
  Morph 
  Nimble 
  Quick 
  Regenerate 
  MYSTICAL POWERS 
  Must have 1pt in the skill: 
  Mystic Powers 
   
  Artificer * 
  Clairvoyant * 
  Exorcist * 
  Intuition * 
  Mind Reader * 
  Mind Walker * 
  Prediction * 
  Premonition * 
  Stop * 
  Telekinesis * 
   
   
  
  World 
  History 
  Three waves of intergalactic colonization occurred via wormhole gates called 
  portals. The “Third Horizon”, as the final wave was called, lacked the easy 
  resources of the Second Horizon or the centuries of development of the First 
  Horizon.  
  The struggle of Third Horizon’s people hardened their culture and their 
  institutions. Militancy and zealotry helped them survive.  
  A hundred years ago, catastrophic Portal Wars cut off the “Third Horizon” cluster, 
  causing economic and cultural collapse, called The Long Night. The portals were 
  lost or deactivated.  
  The entire cluster was sliding into oblivion when an ancient colony ship arrived 
  unexpectedly, not by portal but after millennia of sub-light travel.  
  Through a series of events, the new colonists flooded the cluster, bringing new 
  energy, hope, and most of all commerce to every system. They unlocked the 
  portals, churning things up everywhere and reconnecting lost settlements.  
  As things were starting to stabilize… 
  A mysterious (perhaps non-human) faction called Emissaries numbering five 
  individuals made themselves known, demanded a seat on the Council of Factions 
  and revealed one of their members to be The Judge (one of the Icons).  
  Religious reactionaries (the Order) responded to the Emissary’s blasphemy by 
  closing certain borders and making demands, sparking an arms race among the 
  factions and serious talk of war.  
  A colony was attacked, and Zenithian rescuers found nothing but carnage and 
  death. The culprit remains unknown and everyone is on edge… 
   
   
  
  Factions 
  Zenithan 
  The Consortium - The ubiquitous commercial faction with several seats on the council.  
  ➢
  R&D group, The Foundation, reverse-engineered portal ops, enabling travel for 
  everyone. The fields of xeno- and portal archaeology receive huge backing from 
  the Foundation.  
  ➢
  The Colonial Agency, invests and leases heavy equipment to entrepreneurs. 
  Viewed by some as an evil parasite, by others as the best path to development. 
  Think World Bank with Halliburton ethics.  
  The Free League - In raw numbers, the largest faction. Part small business agency, part 
  trade union, it reaches further and deeper than The Consortium. Regular people pay 
  monthly dues and gain a citizenship of sorts, complete with education and legal 
  representation.  
  The Legion - Military faction composed of dozens or hundreds of independent mercenary 
  crews and privateers. May have secret bases. Works for the highest bidder, which is 
  usually the Consortium. 
  The Syndicate - Organized crime, with five families from Zenithian and Firstcome society.  
  The Zenithian Hegemony - A pair of competing hereditary groups, tracing their lineage to 
  the captain and crew of the Zenith. Perhaps the best (but not biggest) fleet, and best pilot 
  school. Elite, power hungry, but hopelessly stuck on bloodlines.  
  ➢
  Astûrban - part secret police, part intelligence agency, all court intrigue.  
  Firstcome 
  Ahlam’s Temple - Ancient, widely-respected Epicurean cult - half Buddhism, half 
  something more sinister. Courtesans, assassins, VR “proxies”, and mysticism.  
  The Draconites - Technically Zenithians, but traveled into the dark between the stars and 
  returned weird. Advanced tech. Nomadic. Powerful military and diplomacy, operating in 
  cells with little apparent coordination. Apprentice system. Only a single representative on 
  Coriolis, Mandragor Ho.  
  The Church of the Icons - New mega-church, with numerous missionary missions. Nine 
  sacred rites.  
  ➢
  Circle of Seekers is old-school, like mystical  Jesuits, like something out of Dune.  
  The Order of the Pariah - dominant military, political, and geographic faction. Known as the 
  Samaritans on Coriolis, where they run a hospital and schools. Known as the Martyrs 
  elsewhere, (The Martyr is what they call The Judge icon), and they are a huge army.  
  The Nomad Federation - Former Free League leaders, who weren’t satisfied with 
  representation there. Fleets of nomads/refugees displaced by other factions. All told, they 
  would make the single largest fleet, but are divided and scattered.  
   
  
  Icons & their calendar 
  (Each icon has their own month, called a segment) 
   
  ======= The Cyclade (New Year) =======  
  1. Messenger data, science, tech         // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You can make someone obey you, through careful words and actions, without 
  having to test manipulation. Can be used on both NPCs and PCs. Your wish must 
  be reasonable, you cannot, for example, force an NPC to act completely against 
  her own interests. 
  2. Dancer dexterity, melee
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You can evade an incoming attack, taking no damage. You can choose to activate 
  the talent after a successful attack roll, but before you roll any cover or armor dice. 
  3. Gambler observation, pilots
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You are incredibly lucky and can choose an automatic critical success on a skill 
  test of your choice. It counts as if you had rolled three sixes. If it is an advanced 
  skill, you still need a level of at least 1 in that skill to activate the talent. 
   
  ======= The Founding (Thanksgiving, but also judgement of evil.) =======  
  4. Deckhand force
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  If your ship drops to zero Hull Points or Energy Points, you can restore D6 points 
  of either kind instantly. This requires no action from you – it is the Icons 
  intervening on your behalf. 
  5. Merchant manipulation
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You can find a favorable loan enabling you to purchase an expensive object or a 
  ship module. The loan must then be paid back within the agreed upon timeframe. 
  6. Judge ranged, combat
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You deal an automatic critical injury when your attack hits, regardless of whether 
  the attack penetrated cover and armor. Any other effects from the attack are 
  resolved as usual. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  ======= The Pilgrimaria (Time to start a pilgrimage. A day to remember the dead.) =======  
  7. Traveler survival, culture
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You can ask the GM about a choice you have to make in the game. It has to be a 
  choice with only two options. The GM must then answer truthfully which of the 
  two is most beneficial to you, if that is at all possible to estimate. 
  8. Lady of Tears medicurgy
          // PC/NPC born with icon ______________ 
  You can get back up after having been broken by damage or stress, and are 
  immediately restored to 1 HP or MP (read more in Chapter 5). Alternatively, you 
  can choose to ignore the effects of a critical injury when you suffer one. 
  9. Faceless One infiltration, mystics  // PC/NPC born with icon 
  ______________ 
  Fate is on your side, giving you the benefit of getting to change a single, concrete 
  detail in a scene more to your favor. It must be something that has a cosmetic or 
  indirectly helpful effect – you cannot make an enemy disappear, but you can 
  decide that there is a knife within reach, or that a window has been left open. The 
  GM has final say on what is possible to accomplish with the talent. Remember, 
  you can only use the talent once per session. 
   
   
  Sacred Rites 
  The Mission 
  The Messenger 
  □ Once in life, during at least one segment. 
  The Life Bond 
  The Dancer 
  □ Once in life. 
  The Creed 
  The Gambler 
  Each year during the Cyclade. 
  The Blessing 
  The Deckhand 
  Each year during the Cyclade. 
  The Fast 
  The Merchant 
  From dawn to dusk during the segment of the 
  Merchant. 
  The Confession 
  The Judge 
  Each segment. 
  The Pilgrimage 
  The Traveler 
  □ Once in life. 
  The Alms-giving 
  The Lady of Tears 
  Each segment. 
  The Prayer 
  The Faceless One 
  Twice daily. 
   
   
  
  Darkness Points 
  Players’ actions generate darkness points, attracting the dark between the stars. 
  The GM spends these points to put obstacles in front of the players. 
  Gaining 
  General 
  Praying to the Icons (1 DP) – A PC prays to the icons for a reroll (page 55). 
  Activating an Artifact (? DPs) – A PC activates a mysterious artifact (page 344). 
  Darkness (? DPs) – The PCs visit places or experience events that are linked to 
  the Dark between the Stars (page 345). 
  Events 
  Kill Someone (3 DPs) – Other than enemies in combat. 
  Suffer Torture (2 DPs) 
  Torture Someone (3 DPs) 
  Traumatizing Event (? DPs) – This can be something very scary, unnatural or 
  degrading, or if the PCs perform an evil or immoral deed. 
  Talents and Powers 
  Activating a Mystic Power (? DPs) – A PC activates a mystic power (page 77). 
  Activating various Talents (1 DP) 
  ●
  Group Talents – A Friend in Every Port, Last Laugh, Quickest Route, 
  Survivors, Truth Seekers. (pg. 70) 
  ●
  General Talent – Blessing, Judge of Character (page 72) 
  ●
  Icon Talents – (page 71) 
  Travel 
  Space Travel (page 345) 
  ●
  Well-trafficked routes (1 DP/week) – These routes run between important 
  planets and systems. 
  ●
  Lonely routes (2 DPs/week) – These routes run between smaller stations 
  within a system or to distant systems. 
  ●
  Uncharted space (3 DPs/week) – Space travel farther than 5 AUs from a 
  known route. 
  Portal Jump (3 DP) – The PCs perform a portal jump without being in a stasis 
  (page 344). 
  Bad Stasis (1 DP) – A PC suffers bad stasis after a portal jump (page 344). 
   
  
  Spending Darkness Points 
  General (pages 56+) 
  Innocent in Danger (2 DP) – An innocent bystander is suddenly caught in the line 
  of fire and needs help.  
  Nature’s Wrath (1-3 DPs) – Something dangerous in the environment around the 
  PCs suddenly affects them. Cost depends upon the level of danger (page 346). 
  Non-Player Characters 
  Reactive Action In Combat (1 DP) – A NPC can now perform a reactive action in 
  combat (pages 84, 86).  
  Reinforcements (1-3 DP) – The enemy receives unexpected backup. The GM 
  decides the details. 
  Reloading (1 DP) – Normally, NPCs cannot reload their weapons for example 
  after automatic fire (page 346). 
  Reroll (1 DP) - A GM can reroll a skill roll for an NPC. 
  Take the Initiative (1-3 DPs) – An NPC breaks the turn order and reacts before 
  her slot in the turn. The GM chooses when (page 345). 
  The Power of Darkness (? DPs) – Certain talents or abilities can be activated by 
  NPCs or creatures using DP. More details in Chapter 14 (page 346). 
  Player Characters 
  A Dark Mind (1-3 DP) – A PC is suddenly stricken with a temporary dark 
  madness. More details in Chapter 14. 
  Empty Clip (1 DP) – A PC who is shooting runs out of ammo. The attack is not 
  affected, but the weapon must be reloaded after it (page 345). 
  Empty Refueled Cell (1 DP) – A refueled cell is unpredictable and can become 
  depleted (page 105). 
  Lost Possession (3 DP) – A PC has dropped an important possession. The GM 
  decides which. 
  Personal Problem (1 DP) – A PC’s personal problem (page 26) affects her in a 
  manner the GM chooses. 
  Weapon Jam (3 DPs) – A PC’s firearm jams as it fires. The attack is lost, and a roll 
  for Technology (a Slow action) is required to fix the weapon (page 346). 
  Player Characters’ Ship 
  Broken System (3 DPs) – A system onboard stops working. A Technology or 
  Data Djinn roll is required to repair it (page 346). 
  Overload (1 DP) – A system overloaded, either from neglected upkeep or a 
  temporary malfunction. The system stops working for 3 turns (see Chapter 7). 
  Ship Problem (2 DPs) – The ship’s problem is activated. Details are specified in 
  the list of problems (page 346). 
   
   
  
   
   
  Change log 
  1.5.1 
  Combat: Added default AP allocation and automatic fire rules 
  Talents: Marked which talents generate DP for the GM. 
   
  1.5.2 
  Talents: Further updates to qualify when DP is generated. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  This guide is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Paradox Interactive 
  AB. This guide is a supplement to the original Coriolis game, which therefore may use trademarks and 
  other intellectual property of Paradox Interactive AB.  
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Coriolis RPG (Year Zero Engine) [multi]/Coriolis - Players Guide [v1.5.2].pdf