How to Play Titan 4030

From Plasma Bolts to Moon Stones; What to Know When Rolling the Bones

In Titan 4030 players roll two six sided dice and compare the total combined value of both die against their most relevant Attribute, Skill, or a combination of Attribute and Technique. Rolling the dice occurs when a player is attempting to make a contested action or to engage with the world around their character in a substantial way. The goal is to roll a number which is equal to or lower than the associated Attribute, Skill or Technique. If successful then the character performs their intended course of action, otherwise if the roll is above the associated value the character does not succeed and the storyteller details what consequences occur.

The lowest possible score a player can roll is a 2, which is always a success and usually confers the player a substantial benefit in addition to the intended action similar to a critical success roll in games like Dungeons & Dragons or Shadowrun. If a player rolls the highest possible value, which is a 12, then they automatically fail their action and take an unanticipated penalty to actions in the scene as determined by the storyteller.

A game of Titan 4030 can be run as a single session adventure where the players are confronted with the sudden awareness of becoming fugitives on the station and their approaches to regaining safety. For some characters the crime they are accused of is not too dire as to require exile or death, and these folks may choose to resolve their charges non-violently. Other’s may refute the accusations and strive to prevent the crime they are charged with to clear their name. But for many who have been targeted by the Apriori Council the hyper-vigilant security force extends only two options, futile resistance or senseless death. The storyteller will ultimately determine when the story has ended, but players should expect their characters to flee or fight like hell to survive another day.

Attributes

There are four attributes in Titan 4030, which are:

Strength:

• A measurement of how physically capable the character is and how much they can endure. Actions which rely on a character to be strong or take a sizeable amount of endurance to be successful will usually require a Strength roll.

Dexterity:

• When a character needs to be swift, deft, or acrobatic then the player will likely need to roll Dexterity. Aiming attacks, avoiding getting hit, and traversing difficult terrain are examples of when Dexterity rolls would be expected.

Wits:

• Quick thinking and intelligence based actions will require Wits rolls, with some examples being planning a heist, charting a path to remain undetected across the station, and convincing a guard to look the other way when committing a petty crime.

Resolve:

• Tasks which require Mental fortitude and perseverance are where many Resolve rolls occur. Resisting a psionic attack, wielding psychic powers against enemies, and continuing a course of action which seems hopeless are all actions where Resolve rolls are the difference between survival and devastating loss.

Each of these Attributes can range in value from 1 to 10 for a character and are the standard way of resolving actions and conflicts that occur during the course of a story.

Attribute Roll Example

STORYTELLER: As you exit the club you spot an idling police cruiser hovering across the street with two brawny officers chatting with their backs facing you.

PLAYER: Hmm, well I know I want to avoid being seen and causing a scene. I want to try to sneak to the alley to the right of the club entrance and slip away in that direction.

STORYTELLER: Sounds good! Give me a Dexterity roll to avoid detection.

PLAYER: Okay! My Dexterity is 7, but I rolled an 8.

STORYTELLER: Ah, well, as you creep towards the alley a familiar voice reaches your ear: “Hey! You ain’t running out on your tab are ya Sammie? Be a whole world of trouble if that’s your inclination kid.” The club bouncer stands at the door looking towards you moments before the security enforcers across the street break into a sprint towards you.

PLAYER: I want to shout to the bouncer, “I’d never dream of it Benson!” Then I want to run off without paying the debt and hopefully not getting caught by the law.

Skills

Skills are created by players at character creation and can be any kind of applied knowledge or specialized discipline. This means a skill may be as focused as Spacecraft Piloting, Quadra-Quantum Computer Programming , and Bladed Metalcrafting. Or Skills may be more broadly defined as Firearms, Driving, and Hacking. No matter how narrow or broad in scope a Skill is, it may be used in favor of rolling an Attribute roll if the player feels it would be more appropriate for their character’s action.

Skill Roll Example

STORYTELLER: Okay, so your running down the alley with the club bouncer Benson close behind and two police officers closing the distance between both of you as you run as fast as you can. The alley is long and twisting but leaves few options for hiding or exiting before your pursuers catch up to you. What do you do?

PLAYER: I doubt I’m going to outrun them, and three against one is rough odds. Can I try to convince one of police to apprehend Benson while they are in pursuit?

STORYTELLER: Sure! Roll Wits to see if you can convince them that Benson is a bigger fish to fry then your future crime.

PLAYER: Actually, my Wits is only a 4, but I have the skill Streetwise at 7. Could I roll to see if I know of an actual crime Benson would be wanted for thats worse then my charges?

STORYTELLER: Oh yeah, definitely!

PLAYER: Nice! Rolled a 5.

STORYTELLER: Benson may be working as a club bouncer at the moment, but that’s just his way of keeping a low profile after a big score. Odds are he’s got a shipment of that new psychedelic known as Moonhex that was “lost” a few days ago from the docks. Any officer that brings in that kind of contraband is getting an easy promotion and double pay for the month.

PLAYER: Then I’m shouting, “Benson! Toss me your Moonhex man! They’re right on your tail!”

STORYTELLER: Benson has just enough time to recover from their shocked expression at being called out on what he believed was a flawless theft before being tackled to the ground by one of the two station security officers. They trade blows briefly before the officer gains the upper hand by using a shock baton to render Benson unconscious. You continue to flee from the other officer as they come within a few paces of grabbing you.

Techniques

Techniques are chosen at character creation and act as an abstract phrase to freely associate with a attribute roll so long as the player can explain the context behind using the technique in a scene. The context for what a technique can do is always up to the player and can change dramatically so long as the storyteller approves and the action a character is taking can in some way be described by the technique. Techniques can only be used in conjunction with attribute rolls, and cannot be combined with skill rolls.

Techniques List

• Batter Up
• Urban Guerilla
• Tech Wizardry
• Lights Out
• Smoke ‘Em
• Called Shot
• Faster! Faster!
• Ambidexterity
• Limber Limbs
• Studied the Blade
• In the Face!
• Big KO!
• Between the Lines
• Studied the Gun
• Pack Rat
• Bail!
• Frisky Fingers
• Wilder! Wilder!
• Rockabilly Blues
• The Look
• Lead Belly
• Cool It
• Clusterfuckery

Techniques Roll Example

STORYTELLER: The remaining security officer is just about to catch you, with their hand outstretched and practically inches away from grabbing your neck, how are you going to respond?

PLAYER: I can’t keep running, since they seem like they’ll outpace me. I haven’t tried going vertical yet, so lets do that! I want to use my Urban Guerilla technique to grab something along the side of a building and then quickly scale up the wall with the ease and dexterity of a primate attempting to do the same.

STORYTELLER: Sounds like a good application of that technique! I’ll allow you to add your levels in Urban Guerilla to your Dexterity for this roll.

PLAYER: Sweet! With 4 levels in that Technique and a 7 for Dexterity all I need to do is roll below a 11. And I rolled a five!

STORYTELLER: You quickly scale a nearby pipe just as the officer trips across the alley floor, his outstretched hands switching to brace for the impact of the fall. While you scamper up from footholds in alloy plating alongside the upper section of the building the security officer shakes his fists in futility from 50 feet below. With no signs of backup on the way, it seems like you’ve narrowly avoided capture and are once more able to roam the station undetected.