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Release: Mar 27, 2018 Please support official Genesys and Mass Effect products!
CHAPTER 1 - WELCOME ABOARD
Thanks for trying out the SINGULARITY mod. This is
an amateur fan project that we created to run our
own campaigns, but also wanted to share with the
Genesys community. We’re excited to hear your
playtest feedback and are open to suggestions.
The project is still in an early phase, and we’ve still
got a ways to go before we’re ready to call it
finished, but we hope this early version of our mod
helps you get started running adventures in this
awesome universe.
Although we do not intend to make money or infringe
on copyright in any way, we wanted to go the extra
mile to minimize any appearance of personal benefit
from this project. Therefore, we have decided to
release this supplement anonymously.
If we ever decide to release an original game of our
own, we’ll make ourselves known in other ways. For
now, we just hope you enjoy our mod.
The SINGULARITY Team
HOUSE RULES
We tried to keep our house rules from getting too
bloated so that you could use as much of the core
Genesys book as you can.
Below are some key things that have changed.
 SINGULARITY separates Hacking and SysOps as
per Genesys pg 59. In our game, Hacking not only
includes offensive computer actions, but it is
also the skill that Tech Specialists will rely on
when casting their Powers. SysOps works as per
the standard rules, but will also be your key skill
for operating computers, programming
constructs, or when defending against most
Tech Specialist powers (in the event of an
opposed rolls).
 SINGULARITY offers players three different ways
to access “Magical” abilities. Some deviate
significantly from the core Genesys rules
because we felt that we could give them a flavor
that was more reflective of their Mass Effect
Themes. Be ready for some exceptions to the
rules when you get to these. We’ve done our best
to keep their power balance similar to Genesys
2 | Chapter 1 - Welcome Aboard
Core.
 In SINGULARITY, the Driving skill covers the
operation of any vehicle within a planet’s
atmosphere, whether it has the capability to be
airborne or not. Even shuttles that can fly into
space use Driving when in atmo. Vacuums are
where things get a little trickier. That’s when
players should be using the Piloting skill. Either
way, once a vessel gets over Silhouette 3,
players should probably be using Operating.
 SINGULARITY ditches the Riding skill, as it didn’t
feel thematic to the universe. Checks to interact
with animals should be handled through a
combination of Survival, Knowledge (Life
Science), and Coordination.
 We’ve expanded the Knowledge skill into 6
branches of knowledge. A description of these
new skills will follow the complete skill list.
Knowledge skills may seem similar to skills that
already exist in Genesys (The uses Knowledge-
Underworld may seem similar to the uses of
Streetwise) but players should expect training in
this skills to represent a deeper understanding of
the fields they cover. A trained xenobiologist
who can identify the genus and species of every
plant and animal on a planet should be able to
help the party’s survivalist safely traverse the
hostile environment.
 We’ve added new weapon qualities to help
represent the unique equipment found in Mass
Effect.
CHAPTER 2 - SKILLS
You won’t select your skills until later, but all the
following chapters will make references to the skills
we’ve included in our mod, so let’s cover them now.
Below, you’ll find the complete skill list for
SINGULARITY. We’ve italicized the ones that we
added, and descriptions of these can be found in the
rest of this chapter.
Biotics (WIL)
The Biotics skill represents a character’s ability to
manipulate mass effect fields using the element
zero nodules embedded in their body tissues. Biotic
individuals can knock enemies over from a distance,
lift them into the air, generate gravitational vortices
to tear obstacles or enemies apart, or create
protective barriers.
This skill is a Power Skill and functions very similarly
to Genesys Core’s Magic skills.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to install a biotic implant.
Use Medicine instead.
 Your character wants to restore the Strain they
suffered to cast a Power. A good biotic still
needs Cool or Discipline.
Hacking (INT)
As delineated in Genesys pg 59, we have split the
Computers skill into Hacking and SysOps. In
SINGULARITY, Hacking not only covers offensive
computer actions, but it is also the skill that allows
characters to cast in-combat Tech powers like
Sabotage, Incinerate, and Tactical Cloak.
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character is attempting to gain access to
any computer system that considers them
suspicious or hostile. That can be a locked door,
a password-protected control panel, or a VI that
is asking for administrative privileges.

Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to pick up an enemy with
biotic telekinesis and suspend him in midair.
 Your character wants to warp the molecular
structure of an enemy’s armor plating.
 Your character wants to create a protective
dome around his allies.
 Your character wants to overload a shield
generator from afar.
 Your character wants to reprogram an enemy
sentry turret’s Friend/Foe system.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character has stolen an enemy
commander’s passcode and needs to search their

Skill List
General Skills Social Skills Combat Knowledge Skills Power Skills
Astrocartography (INT) Perception (CUN) Charm (PRE) Brawl (BRN) Brokers Biotics (WIL)
Athletics (BRN) Piloting (AGI) Coercion (WIL) Melee (BRN) Life Science Hacking (INT)
Cool (PRE) Resilience (BRN) Deception (CUN) Ranged (Light) (AGI) Physical Science
Coordination (AGI) Skullduggery (CUN) Leadership (PRE) Ranged (Heavy) (AGI) Social Science

Discipline (WIL) Stealth (AGI) Negotiation (PRE) Gunnery (AGI) Underworld

Driving (AGI) Streetwise (CUN) Warfare
Mechanics (INT) Survival (CUN)

Medicine (INT) SysOps (INT)

Operating (INT) Vigilance (WIL)

Chapter 2 - Skills | 3
 personal computer for information. Since the
database does not consider you an intruder, that
would just be SysOps.
 Your character has successfully bypassed the
firewall of a financial firm, and needs to navigate
the corporation’s vast intranet to get to the
folder he wants. Again, even though your
character is “Hacking”, once the firewall is down,
you are just using the same database that an
authorized bank employee would use. That is
SysOps. Depending on the information you need
to find, it could also call for a Knowledge or
Perception check.
 Your character wants to hijack an enemy vehicle
and doesn't have the key. If you are bypassing
the onboard computer entirely and just hotwiring
the vehicle, your GM might call for Skullduggery or
Mechanics instead.
Knowledge (Brokers)
Knowledge(Brokers) is a measure of your character’s
knowledge about powerful people and institutions of
the Mass Effect universe. Having a high rating in this
skill means that you’ve got access to the names,
dossiers, and even rumors surrounding corporate
CEOs, government diplomats, and trendy socialites.
You know the name of the likely swing vote on a
critical resolution on the Citadel Council, who’s got
leverage on them, and who’s about to profit big if
they meet an untimely demise.
This is your go-to skill for knowledge of current
events, market fluctuations, corporate mergers,
political scandals, influencers, movers, shakers, and
trendsetters.
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to walk into the boardroom
already knowing everyone’s names, backgrounds,
and maybe even motivations and fears, for the
purposes of social encounter against a titan of
industry.
 Your character wants to know the likely
candidates behind a political conspiracy so they
can figure out who is really pulling the strings.
 Your GM wants to quickly resolve an encounter
requiring knowledge of bureaucracy, without
initiating a social encounter with a specific NPC.
4 | Chapter 2 - Skills
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to threaten a politician
with blackmail. The act of piecing together the
incriminating evidence may have been Knowledge
(Brokers), but delivering the threat and getting
the politician to comply is Coercion.
 Your character wants to track down an elusive
crimelord. That would be a combination of
Knowledge(Underworld) and Streetwise. The
Knowledge(Brokers) skill is ideally used for
discovering information about people who are “On
-the-grid”. It deals with people in suits and
uniforms. It won’t help you find an outlaw who
has made efforts to take refuge on Omega,
although it could help get you the name of the
head C-Sec investigator assigned to the case.
Knowledge(Brokers) would also help you uncover
a white collar criminal who interacts with legal
markets enough to be known in those circles.
 Your character wants to track down an ordinary
civilian or a rare item in a crowded city. Most of
the information gathered through Knowledge
(Brokers) is acquired from afar through a
computer screen. The act of getting on the
ground and interacting with the denizens of a
city is still covered by Streetwise, and locating
specific items is still Negotiation.
Knowledge (Life Science)
Knowledge(Life Science) measures your character’s
higher-order understanding of fields like Biology,
Ecology, Zoology, Botany, Environmental Science,
Organic Chemistry, and Anatomy.
Where Medicine is more narrowly concerned with the
practical problem of healing wounds and treating
poisons and diseases, Life Science covers the
greater questions surrounding organic life in our
universe.
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to analyze the fossil record
to track the evolutionary ancestry of a newly
discovered species.
 Your character wants to determine whether an
animal is likely to be male or female, young or old,
predator or prey, warm or cold blooded,
venomous, etc…
 Your character wants to know if the atmospheric
composition of a distant planet might support
organic life.
 Your character finds a claw or tooth and wants to
take an educated guess about what kind of
creature it came from.
 Your character wants to test the soil quality of a
planet to see if it is good enough to support a
colony that will rely on subsistence agriculture.
 Your character wants to estimate the large-scale
effect of deploying medical treatment. For
example, a salarian scientist might rely on a
Medicine roll to create a genetic plague that
makes it harder for a species to reproduce. But
the Knowledge(LifeSci) roll is what he would use
to determine just how it will affect population
growth ratios, or how to best deploy it as an
airborne pathogen to maximize exposure across
an entire planet. Purely hypothetically, of course.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to convince a Varren that
he is the alpha male. While a Knowledge(LifeSci)
roll might give your character the information
that Varren behave according to a pack
hierarchy, the actual in-the-moment interaction
with the animal is handled by Survival.
 Your character wants to identify the origin of an
ancient stone tablet. Knowledge(LifeSci) does
not cover cultural artifacts of ancient
civilizations. For that, you’ll need Knowledge
(Social Sciences).
 Your character needs to traverse a hostile
tropical environment. Survival and Knowledge
(LifeSci) work in tandem with each other, but
they are not necessarily substitutes. Think of
Knowledge(LifeSci) as the key skill you’d need to
play David Attenborough or Charles Darwin,
Survival as the key skill you’d need to play Bear
Grylls or Les Stroud, and a bit of both skills if you
want to be Steve Irwin or Jane Goodall.
What about Riding?
Mass Effect is not a story that features a lot of
animal riding, but should you choose to feature it in
your game, the best advice we can give is to handle it
through a combination of Knowledge(LifeSci),
Survival, and Coordination.
Take horses, for example.
A Knowledge(Life Science) skill check would test
your knowledge regarding things like how to breed
horses, what foods are best for their health, and how
to treat horse-specific diseases.
Survival will test your ability to track one down in the
wild by following scents or prints, as well as your
ability to interact with it on a social level, establish
trust, and give it commands.
Coordination will test your ability to keep your
balance and stay on its back while it’s galloping
through rough terrain.
Knowledge (Physical Science)
Knowledge(PhysSci) represents your character’s
expertise in both theoretical and applied disciplines
involving Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, and Earth
Science.
Knowledge in this field can be used to supplement
the character’s ability to execute skills like
Astrocartography and Mechanics.
It is also the key skill used to study Element Zero,
mass effect fields, and its associated physical
abnormalities (not its medical ones).
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to identify an unknown
chemical or radioactive isotope. A Knowledge
(PhysSci) roll might tell you that you’ve identified
a new kind of metal on a distant moon. That
information could be worth something to the
right buyer, or it could give you the ability to
construct something unique with the Mechanics
skill.
 Your character needs to identify if an earthquake
on a planet’s surface is natural or artificial in
origin.
 Your character needs to calculate the trajectory
of an object that has been hurled by a force of
several thousand newtons. Certain Biotic Powers
rely on a character’s knowledge of Physics to get
the most out of their effects.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character needs to calculate a tricky FTL
Chapter 2 - Skills | 5
 jump through an asteroid field, or set a course for
an uncharted system. That’s Astrocartography.
However, Knowledge (Phys) can absolutely be
used to add contextual information about the
destination (“Planets orbiting certain types of
stars are more likely to contain Palladium
deposits”).
 Your character needs to “McGyver” an improvised
explosive device. The actual execution of
constructing and engineering the device should
be a Mechanics roll. However, Knowledge
(PhysSci) might be useful in calculating just how
explosive the device is going to be, how to
prevent damage to something (or someone) you
want to preserve intact, or how to target a
vulnerable spot to set off a chain reaction that
brings down an entire enemy base .
 Your character wants to determine whether a
chemical secreted by an unidentified reptile is
poisonous. That should be a Knowledge (Life
Sciences) roll, and diagnosing and treating the
poison would be Medicine. Knowledge(PhysSci)
might tell you if the chemical is acidic enough to
burn through flesh or armor though.
When to use Astrocartography?
The line between Astrocartography and Knowledge
(Physical Science) is a tricky one. The challenge of
identifying an anomaly in outer space seems like it
could easily fall into either category. The best advice
we can give is to think of these skills in terms of
marine navigation.
Magellan did not need to know about the chemical
composition of seawater, about geothermal vents on
the ocean floor, or about the chemical composition of
the stars he used for navigation.
But he did need to know how to recognize
constellations to find true north, what kind of
conditions make the ocean dangerous to travel, and
how to handle his ship in the shifting tides and
currents.
Likewise, Astrocartography is specifically the study
of space as it relates to places, routes, and safe
traversal, while Knowledge(PhysSci) contextualizes
this knowledge with additional information about the
phenomena your character might encounter there.
Astrocartography will tell you how to avoid traveling
6 | Chapter 2 - Skills
near a collapsing star that is pulsating with magnetic
disruptions. Knowledge(PhysSci) will tell you what is
causing the star to collapse in the first place.
Knowledge (Social Sciences)
Knowledge(Social Sciences) covers a wide swath of
fields that we might call the Humanities. It is used to
approximate the character’s formal learning in the
fields of, Architecture, Arts, Music, Folklore, Religion,
Sociology, Anthro/Xenopology, History, Demography,
Linguistics, Museum Studies, Preservation,
Psychology, Philosophy, Law, and basically any other
“Academic” skill that isn’t covered by the other
Knowledges.
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character is trying to decipher an ancient
language by reading a stone tablet, or identify
which civilization built a shrine or monument.
 Your character wants to determine whether a
museum artifact is a forgery, or whether an
artifact found in the field has cultural
significance or is just a piece of junk.
 Your character wants to recall an important
historical or sociological fact about a species or
culture before attempting to make direct social
contact with them.
 Your character wants to observe a sapient
culture to determine what kinds of values,
morals, and emotions are most important to
them.
 Your character wants to determine whether a
person has broken the letter of the law.
 Your character wants to learn more about the
symbolism behind a poem or song.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character needs to perform a piece of music
to entertain an audience. Knowledge(SocSci) can
tell you which composer created a famous work
of music, but Charm is more appropriate when it
comes to delivering a pleasing performance.
 Your character wants to deliver psychiatric
treatment to address a mental illness.
Knowledge(SocSci) can tell you why a particular
ailment is more prevalent in a particular culture,
but direct treatment should be done under the
 supervision of a professional with the Medicine
skill.
 Your character wants to tap their knowledge of
philosophy and law to deliver a convincing legal
argument in favor of a crew member. While the
Knowledge (SocSci) skill can help your character
construct the formal legal defense, ultimately,
the oral argument should be delivered via one of
the social skills such as Charm or Leadership.
Knowledge (Underworld)
Knowledge (Underworld) is your character’s
knowledge of crime lords, criminal organizations,
rogue mercenary companies, and black markets.
The Knowledge(Underworld) skill can be used to
determine which sectors of space might make the
best hideouts for pirates, or to learn the name and
location of a Blood Pack lieutenant.
There is some overlap between Knowledge
(Underworld) and (Brokers). Both skills could be
interchangeably used to get information on a
particular NPC or organization, but the kind of
information that gets returned would be different.
Knowledge(Brokers) would tell you that Cerberus
recently struck a deal to obtain research data from
ExoGeni researchers on Feros. Meanwhile,
Knowledge (Underworld) might tell you that rumors
are floating around pirate circles, claiming that
Cerberus scientists were seen smuggling suspicious
cargo out of the system right under ExoGeni’s nose.
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character needs to decide which planet is
most likely to have a thriving market for a drug
like Red Sand.
 Your character needs to know what kind of rag-
tag crew of misfits to hire, in order to conduct an
elaborate heist and steal an artifact from a
secure vault.
 Your character is examining a forensic scene and
the killers left a “calling card” - a symbol carved
on the victim’s chest. Knowledge (Underworld)
would help your character recall or search a police
database to reveal which organization is known
for using that particular symbol.
 Your character suspects that a recent bill
granted tax exemptions for a shell corporation
that’s being used in a Citadel diplomat’s money
laundering scheme. Your character wants to
track the flow of money through the underworld
to find out what crime is being obscured.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character has landed in the city, and needs
to locate a fence who is willing to buy a stolen
item. This should be handled with a Streetwise
check.
 Your character wants to approach criminals and
start up a conversation without appearing like an
outsider or threat. This should also be
Streetwise.
 Your character is examining a forensic scene and
the killers left a “calling card” - a symbol carved
on the victim’s chest. Your character wants to
canvas the area, and gain the trust of the locals
to see if anyone has seen that symbol before.
That is also Streetwise.
 Your character suspects that a recent bill
granted tax exemptions for a shell corporation
that’s being used in a Citadel diplomat’s money
laundering scheme. Your character wants to find
out which Citadel diplomat was responsible for
getting the bill passed. Discovering the crime
might require Knowledge (Underworld), but
piecing together how it ties into the legimate
sectors would be Knowledge (Brokers).
Knowledge(Warfare)
Knowledge(Warfare) represents the character’s
familiarity with all things war: Guns, ammo, armor,
warships, tactics, fleets, military contractors, and
soldier lingo. With Knowledge(Warfare) your
character can recognize the brand of an assault rifle
by the sound of its blast. He knows how to
efficiently deploy ammo in the field. He can
recognize the make and model of an enemy corvette
and tell you how many crew it holds. Your character
has a solid grasp of military history, and while he may
not know the all the subtle politics behind why two
armies are fighting, he can tell just by looking at their
numbers and deployment formations which one has
the upper hand.
Many of the powers made accessible by the Combat
Mastery talent rely on Knowledge(Warfare) to
enhance their effects.
Chapter 2 - Skills | 7
Your Character Should Use This Skill If…
 Your character needs to assess an enemy’s
supply lines or architecture to determine if their
base is vulnerable to a siege. Perception might
tell you that the base’s doors are shielded by an
anti-energy forcefield. Knowledge(Warfare) will
tell you where you’re most likely to find the
generator to shut it down.
 Your character has multiple routes by which they
can approach an enemy, and wants to determine
which is likely to be less defended.
 Your character wants to enhance his Combat
Mastery powers and gain access to more Squad
Ammo types.
Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If…
 Your character wants to deliver a stirring speech
to their troops as they prepare to hold the line
against overwhelming odds. That would be
Leadership.
 Your character needs to defend against an
enemy ambush. Vigilance still covers your
character’s ability to passively perceive incoming
threats. But Knowledge(Warfare) might tell you
that the box canyon you see a few miles ahead
would be a likely place for your party to be
ambushed.
 Your character wants to lead an enemy general
into a trap on the battlefield. Deception is still
key for communicating with your adversary, but
Warfare might tell you whether the general has a
reputation for being gullible or clever.

8 | Chapter 2 - Skills
CHAPTER 3 - CHARACTER CREATION
Players should begin creating characters according
to the rules found on Genesys pg 33. We’ll let you
know what you need to know along the way.
Step 1: Determine Background
We’re assuming that both GMs and players are
familiar with Mass Effect, so this one is on you.
Step 2: Select a Species
We’ve provided stats for many of the species found
in the Mass Effect Universe. See Chapter 4 for a
complete listing of your options.
Our species were balanced around the Genesys Core
rulebook, with some additional guidance from
studying the species found in the various Star Wars
supplements.
We tried our best to capture only the most defining
features of each race while giving players the
freedom to also play outliers, so you might see fewer
Characteristics at 3 and 1 than you’d expect. Feel
free to modify these as you see fit.
Heritage Talents
Each species in SINGULARITY has access to a
Heritage talent. Heritage Talents reflect the fact
that not every member of a species possesses these
special abilities, but their cultures and natural biology
make them a bit easier to attain.
Heritage Talents may be taken for free, whenever a
character is eligible to take a Tier 2 talent, however
they still occupy a slot on the character’s Talent
Pyramid. So while a Volus may pick up Counteroffer
at no cost immediately after buying the two
prerequisite Tier 1 talents, he will need to build up two
more Tier 1 talents before buying a second Tier 2
talent.
Step 3: Choose a Career
Mass Effect is a wide universe that allows
characters to define themselves how they wish. We
recommend GMs simply allow their players to create
their own Careers by picking their eight Career skills
and 4 Rank 1 Skill Trainings. For more information,
see the rules found in Genesys pg 41, and proceed to
Chapter 3 - Character Creation |
Step 4. Make sure to take into account any species
bonuses here.
To further define their career, characters may begin
with one free Deluxe Toolkit from the equipment
section, or two free basic toolkits.
Step 4: Invest Experience Points
You may spend experience points, as per the core
rulebook, on Characteristics, ranks in skills, or
talents.
Most talents from the Genesys rule book are
available in SINGULARITY, but we’ve created some
additional talents of our own to bring into the game.
You can find a master list of all the talents in Chapter
5 of this mod. Chapters 6-8 will detail the three
types of special powers that your character may
access through investment in the Biotics skill, or the
Offensive Tech and Combat Mastery talent lines.
Step 5: Determine Derived
Attributes
After you’ve completed the previous steps, you are
ready to determine your character’s derived
attributes: wound threshold, strain threshold,
defense, and Soak value. See Genesys pg 45 for
more information on how to generate these.
Step 6: Determine Motivation
See Genesys pg 51.
Step 7: Choose Gear, Appearance,
and Personality
Take some time to determine what your character
looks like, and what is visually distinguishing or
unique about your character.
All the weapons, gear, and armor available for
SINGULARITY are listed in Chapter 9.
Each PC starts the game with personal gear and
weaponry worth 2500 credits. If you prefer to play a
character that travels light, your character can begin
the game with only 500 credits and 10 additional
experience.
9
CHAPTER 4 - SPECIES
ASARI
1 2 2 2 2 3
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower
The asari were the first species to discover the
Citadel. When the salarians arrived, it was the asari
who proposed the establishment of the Citadel
Council to maintain peace throughout the galaxy.
Since then, the asari have served as the mediators
and centrists of the Council.
An all-female race, the asari reproduce through a
form of parthenogenesis. Each asari can attune her
nervous system to that of another individual of any
gender, and of any species, to reproduce. This
capability has led to unseemly and inaccurate rumors
about asari promiscuity.
This unique means of reproduction is the reason asari
are talented biotics. Their evolved ability to
consciously control nerve impulses is very similar to
biotic training. Asari believe that their offspring
acquire the best qualities of the "father" from the
melded genes, but evidence is anecdotal.
Asari can live for over 1,000 years, passing through
three stages of life. In the Maiden stage, they
wander restlessly, seeking new knowledge and
experience. When the Matron stage begins, they
'meld' with interesting partners to produce their
offspring. This ends when they reach the Matriarch
stage, where they assume the roles of leaders and
councilors.
Because of their long life span, asari tend to have a
'long view' not common in other races. When they
encounter a new species or situation, the asari are
more comfortable with an extended period of
passive observation and study than immediate
action. They are unfazed that some of their
investments or decisions may not pay off for
decades or centuries. Matriarchs can seem to make
incomprehensible decisions, but their insight is
evident when their carefully-laid plans come to
fruition. In interstellar relations, this long view
manifests in an unspoken policy of centrism. The
10
Presence
asari instinctively seek to maintain stable balances
of economic, political, and military power.
Traditionally, asari spread their influence through
cultural domination and intellectual superiority. They
invite new species of advanced development to join
the galactic community, knowing that their ideals
and beliefs will inevitably influence the existing
culture.
Asari Special Abilities
 Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 85
 Genetic Exchange: The characteristics shown
above (1/2/2/2/2/3) are for an asari Pureblood,
or any asari who was not strongly influenced by
‘paternal’ genetics (the partner need not be
male). Before you create an asari character, you
may instead choose to inherit characteristics
from your asari’s father species. If so, begin with
a score of 2 in every characteristic, then, choose
one species other than asari. From that species’
characteristic scores, choose one score lower
than a 2, and one score higher than a 2. Your
asari gains a rating of 1 in the lower
characteristic, and a rating of 3 in the higher
characteristic. If you choose a human father, all
your characteristics start at 2, and you begin
with 10 additional exp.
 Skill Training: Asari begin the game with 1 rank in
Biotics. They still may not train Biotics above
rank 2 during character creation.
 Natural Biotics: At character creation, choose
one Biotic power that your character excels at.
 When casting that power, the first special effect
added to the power increases the difficulty of
the power by one less ◆ than it would normally
would. The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast
by the asari is also increased by +3. This effect
cannot be combined with the bonuses of a biotic
amp. However, they may equip a biotic amp, and
choose which bonus (either the amp, or Natural
Biotic) to benefit from for the rest of the turn.
 Meld: Melding is a process by which asari can
create a state of synchronicity between their
nervous system and that of a partner. Melding
allows participants to share thoughts, emotions,
and experiences. It is commonly a part of asari
reproduction, but it need not be. As a maneuver
available while melding with a partner, an asari
character may spend 2 strain to communicate
sensory information to her partner. The
experience can be intense, allowing the asari to
gain a certain influence over the target, while
revealing something in return. During the meld,
she gains a bonus ◆ to her next social skill check
towards the partner. Her partner gains a bonus ◆
to their next Perception check towards her.
 Species Ability: Asari biology and the phases that
comprise their lifespan have a strong influence
on the way an asari approaches a challenge. At
Character Creation, choose one ability that you
feel best fits your asari.
 Maiden - Curious Dilettante: Once per
session, your character may spend a
Story Point as an incidental. If they do so,
during the next check they make during
that turn, you count their ranks in the skill
being used as equal to their Presence.
 Matron - Forceful Personality: Once per
session, your character may spend a
Story Point as an incidental. If they do so,
during the next skill check they make
during that turn, your character doubles
the strain they inflict or the strain they
heal (you choose before making the
check).
 Matriarch - Masterful Instruction: Once
per session, the character may spend a
Story Point as an incidental. If she does
so, she may choose any one character in
the current encounter that she would like
to mentor, and one skill that she
possesses. For the remainder of the
encounter, her student may count as
having ranks in that skill equal to (but no
higher than) the ranks possessed by the
Matriarch. This ability cannot be used to
grant ranks in a skill that the student
could not feasibly attain, such as giving
ranks in the Biotics skill to a character
that does not already have at least one
rank in it.
 Ardat Yakshi - Enthrall: Once per session,
as an action, the character may make an
opposed (Charm vs Cool) or (Coerce vs
Discipline) Check against one NPC of the
character’s choice in the current
encounter. If successful, the NPC
becomes either an enamored admirer, or a
terrified thrall of the Ardat Yakshi,
depending on whether Charm or Coerce
was used. The exact effects of this vary
depending on the NPC and the situation.
They can include drastically decreasing
the difficulty of Social Interaction skill
checks that the character makes
towards the NPC. It can include the
devotee being willing to perform minor or
even significant favors for the character,
or the devotee even becoming a
reoccurring ally in the narrative. This
action may not target synthetics, and at
the GM’s discretion, this action may not
be able to target certain NPCs whose
adversarial nature is vital to the plot, or
NPCs whose biology or preferences would
prevent them from being subject to
seduction by an asari.
 Heritage Talent: Due to their unique method of
reproduction, an asari’s personality and traits is
often influenced by the species of their “father”.
If an asari character chooses to take a Heritage
Talent, they may choose one of the talents
below, or pick the talent corresponding to the
species of her mother’s mate.
 Asari Pureblood: Inspiring Rhetoric
 Father’s Species: May choose the
Heritage Talent belonging to any species
that can mate with an asari.
Chapter 4 - Species | 11
BATARIAN
2 2 2 3 2 1
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

A race of four-eyed bipeds native to the world

of Khar'shan, the batarians are a disreputable
species that chose to isolate itself from the rest of
the galaxy. The Terminus Systems are infested with
batarian pirate gangs and slaving rings, fueling the
stereotype of the batarian thug. It should be noted
that these criminals do not represent average
 Species Ability - Call Their Bluff: A batarians’s
citizens, who are forbidden to leave batarian space
four eyes allow them to better scrutinize the
by their ubiquitous and paranoid government.
intentions of those they interact with. Once per
Despite several disagreements with the Citadel and encounter, when a batarian is the target of a
simmering hostility toward humans, most batarians Charm, Deception, or Negotiation check, the
prefer profitable pursuits such as drug running and difficulty of the check is upgraded for their
slave grabs to out-and-out warfare. They have a opponent.
reputation for being shrewd businessmen and
 Distrusted: Batarians are stereotyped negatively
merchants, though in more lawless regions of the
among most societies other than their own.
galaxy like Omega, negotiations with a batarian are
batarians add ■ to Charm, Deception, Leadership,
likely to be conducted at gunpoint.
and Negotiation checks they make towards non-
Batarians place an extremely high value on social batarians, but they add ■ to Coercion checks
caste and appearance, and overstepping one's place they make.
is frowned upon. Effective caste status can be
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
bought on an ongoing basis like a subscription
instead of purchasing one, you may select Hard
service, allowing the buyer to worm their way into
Knock Life as your Heritage Talent.
the elite circles of batarian society given enough
funds. Casting aspersions on the monetary worth of
a social better is considered a serious insult.
Batarians strongly believe that species with fewer
than four eyes are less intelligent; they often gain
the upper hand in interspecies arguments because
other races find it difficult to know which eyes to
focus on when speaking to them.

Batarian Special Abilities

 Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 105exp
 Skill Training: Batarians begin the game with 1
rank in Coercion, Negotiation, Knowledge
(Underworld), or Skullduggery. They still may not
train this skill above rank 2 during character
creation.

12 | Chapter 4 - Species
DRELL
2 2 2 2 3 1
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

Two centuries ago, the hanar helped 375,000

members of the drell race migrate to the hanar
homeworld, Kahje, to escape the environmental
extermination that had claimed the remaining 11
billion drell.
Nearly all drell demonstrate tremendous loyalty to
their famously reclusive saviors. The intimacy of during character creation.
their relationship, expressed in a formal sociopolitical  Species Ability - Eiditic Memory: At any time, a
alliance called the Compact, also results in extremely drell may perfectly recall any memory that he has
close personal relations in which some drell actually formed or witnessed, or share it with a member
learn hanar Soul names. While most drell reside on of a willing organic species. If the character's
Kahje, some assist hanar off-world as envoys, controlling player does not remember the
researchers, co-investors, wayfarers, assassins or specifics of the fact the player wishes to have
otherwise, eager to help their saviors. For a century, the character recall, the game master should
galactic wisdom has held that behind any high- remind him of the relevant facts.
ranking hanar hides a resourceful and fanatically
devoted drell.  Environmental Adaptation: When making skill
checks, drell remove a ■ imposed by hot or dry
The omnivorous, reptilian drell possess an average environmental conditions.
life span of 85 galactic standard years. One unique
characteristic of the Drell is the hyoid bone in their  It’s not the heat...: Without protective gear, drell
throats, which allows them to inflate their throats suffer a ■ when making skill checks in
and produce vocal sounds outside of the human atmospheres with high humidity.
range. Would-be assassins have noted that these  Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
two features make drell extremely hard to strangle instead of purchasing one, you may select
or suffocate. Heightened Awareness as your Heritage Talent.
Because the drell ancestors emerged from arid, rocky
deserts, the humid, ocean-covered hanar homeworld
of Kahje proved tolerable only when the drell stayed
inside a climate-controlled dome city. Due to this
huge disparity in the two species' homeworld
environments, the leading cause of death among
drells on Kahje is a bacterial lung disease called
Kepral's Syndrome.

Drell Special Abilities

 Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 100 exp
 Skill Training: Drell begin the game with 1 rank in
Perception, Discipline, Coordination, or Survival.
They still may not train this skill above rank 2

Chapter 4 - Species | 13
ELCOR
3 1* 2 2 2 2
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
The elcor are a Citadel species native to the high-
gravity world Dekuuna. They are massive creatures,
standing on four muscular legs for increased
stability. Elcor move slowly, an evolved response to
an environment where a fall can be lethal. This has
colored their psychology, making them deliberate and
conservative.
Elcor evolved on a high-gravity world, making them
slow, but incredibly strong. Their large, heavy bodies
are incapable of moving quickly, but they possess a
rather imposing stature and immense strength, as
well as thick, tough skin. They move using all four
limbs to support and balance their massive bodies.
Given their method of communication, they likely
have highly-attuned olfactory senses.
Elcor "lips" are multiple vertical slats situated in what
is normally the location of the mouth in other races.
Despite the peculiar arrangement, these "lips" are
capable of holding on to protruding objects like cigars
with no effort.
Elcor speech is ponderous and monotone. Among
themselves, scent, slight movements, and
subvocalized infrasound convey shades of meaning
that make a human smile seem as subtle as a
fireworks display. Since their subtlety can lead to
misunderstandings with other species, the elcor
often go out of their way to clarify when they are
being sarcastic, amused, or angry.
Elcor Special Abilities
 Wound Threshold: 13 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 95exp
 Slow Reflexes: Elcor may not spend EXP at
character creation to increase their Agility
characteristic.
 Ponderous: Elcor may never spend more than 1
maneuver to move per turn. This limitation
overrides bonuses from any other items or
powers.
14 | Chapter 4 - Species
 Massive: Elcor are considered Silhouette 2
creatures and gain a +1 bonus to Soak.
 High Gravity Adaptation: Elcor may remove ■ ■ of
penalties imposed by high-gravity environments.
 Skill Training: Elcor begin the game with 1 rank in
Resilience, Cool, or Discipline. They still may not
train this skill above rank 2 during character
creation.
 Species Ability - Focus: Once per encounter, Elcor
may spend a maneuver to Focus. Focusing
provides the elcor with a ■ on their next skill
check. If the elcor spends two consecutive
maneuvers Focusing, they gain ■■ on their next
skill check. Elcor only gain the benefit of Focus if
they remain in their current position and do not
perform any additional maneuvers or actions
before the skill check. Any damage taken that
exceeds the elcor’s soak also negates the
benefit of Focusing. Elcor may not receive the
benefits of an Assist maneuver in the same
check. Just let them think.
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
instead of purchasing one, you may select
Defensive Stance as your Heritage Talent.
 Mounted Weaponry: Instead of holding them with
their large and clumsy hands, elcor may wield
ranged weapons by attaching them to a mount
on their backs. See the Elcor Weapon Mount
entry in the Armor Attachments section.
 Living Tank: When using a mounted weapon, the
elcor can spend a number of maneuvers to brace
himself in preparation prepare for the recoil. For
each round spent preparing this way, reduce the
gun’s Cumbersome rating by 1. This effect ends
when the elcor moves from his position.
HANAR
1* 2 2 2 3
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
The hanar are a Citadel species known for excessive
politeness. Resembling pink hovering jellyfish, the
hanar "stand" slightly taller than a human, although
most of their height is in their long tentacles. The
invertebrate, water-native hanar cannot support
their own weight in normal gravity. When interacting
with mainstream galactic society, they rely on contra
-gravitic levitation packs that use mass effect fields.
Their limbs can grip tightly, but are not strong enough
to lift more than a few hundred grams each.
The hanar homeworld, Kahje, has 90% ocean cover
and orbits an energetic white star, resulting in a
permanent blanket of clouds. Due to the presence of
Prothean ruins on Kahje, the hanar have developed a
religion centered on the ancient species, calling them
the "Enkindlers". Hanar myths often speak of them
as an elder race that uplifted and civilized them by
teaching them language.
The hanar communicate using sophisticated
patterns of bioluminescence and speak with
scrupulous precision and extreme politeness. Most
hanar take offense at improper language, and must
take special courses to unlearn this tendency if they
expect to deal with other species.
All hanar have two names. The Face Name is known
to the world; the Soul Name is kept for use among
close friends and relations. Hanar never refer to
themselves in the first person in conversation with
someone they know on a Face Name basis. To do so
is considered egotistical, so instead they refer to
themselves as "this one," or the impersonal "it."
Several hundred years ago, the hanar made contact
with the drell on their nearby homeworld of Rakhana.
Drell society was quickly collapsing due to
overpopulation and warring over scarce resources, so
the hanar rescued several hundred thousand drell and
brought them to Kahje, where they integrated into
hanar society with the remaining drell dying out. Now
the drell serve as a client race of the hanar, and
although to outside observers the relationship can be
construed as a form of slavery, the reality is very
different. Drell have integrated with every level of
2
hanar society, and most consider it an honor to serve
a hanar family in a tradition referred to as the
Compact.
Hanar Special Abilities
 Wound Threshold: 7 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 12 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 60exp
 Levitating: Hanar who leave their homeworld are
equipped with levitating devices that allow them
to hover several feet off the ground. When
hovering, hanar do not have to spend additional
maneuvers when navigating difficult terrain.
They may move vertically, but must perform
twice as many maneuvers to move the same
distance that they would move horizontally.
They also do not take falling damage unless this
device is somehow disabled (typically this will not
happen unless the hanar’s is incapacitated.)
 Amphibious: Hanar can breathe underwater
without penalty and never suffers movement
penalties for traveling through water.
 Weak Arms: Hanar may not spend EXP at
character creation to increase their Brawn
characteristic.
 Small Profile: Hanar are considered Silhouette 0
Creatures. They decrease their Encumbrance
Threshold by 2.
 Species Ability - Additional Limbs: Hanar gain an
additional free maneuver per turn. They still may
not perform more than two maneuvers per turn.
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
instead of purchasing one, you may select Dual
Wielder as your Heritage Talent.
Chapter 4 - Species | 15
HUMAN
2 2 2 2 2 2
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

Humans, from the planet Earth, are the newest

sentient species of notable size to enter the galactic
stage and are the most rapidly expanding and
developing. They independently discovered
a Prothean data cache on Mars in 2148, and the mass
relay networks shortly thereafter.
Humans have a fairly robust physiology. Their internal and do so with such assertion that the normally staid
makeup and reproductive processes are typical of Council races have been taken aback by their
most bipedal mammals, and their size and restlessness and relentless curiosity.
proportions give the appearance of being strong,
fast and agile. Humans are roughly physically on par
Human Special Abilities
with turians (as a human in or around peak physical  Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
condition can overwhelm a similarly fit turian, making
 Strain Threshold: 10+ Willpower
them near equals in a hand-to-hand combat
situation).  Starting Experience: 110exp
Like most organic races, humans are also capable of  Ready for Anything: Humans start the game with
producing biotic individuals. All cases of biotics in one rank each in two different non-career skills
humans are the result of pre-natal exposure of their choice. They still may not train these
to element zero, which carries a high risk of medical skills above rank 2 at character creation.
complications.  Diverse Genetics: At character creation, Humans
Humans can live to about 150 years, and recent may decrease the rating of one of their
medical advances have eradicated almost all known characteristics to a 1 to gain 20 additional
diseases that afflict them. However, as humans only starting exp.
emerged on the galactic stage within the last thirty  Species Ability - Second Chance: Once per
years, it is highly likely that the introduction of new session, Humans may spend a story point to reroll
technology into their society will greatly increase a check.
their average lifespan. Humans reach physical
maturity at approximately eighteen years of age, at  Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
which point they have usually finished their academic instead of purchasing one, you may select Lucky
education and either directly enter the workforce or Strike as your Heritage Talent.
begin training for a profession.
It has been noted that humans are unusual in the
galactic community because they have far greater
genetic diversity compared to other species with
more peaks and valleys. This makes human genetic
material useful in biological experiments, as a control
group.
Humans are generally seen to be very intelligent,
abnormally ambitious, highly adaptable,
individualistic and thus, unpredictable. They have a
powerful desire to advance and improve themselves,

16 | Chapter 4 - Species
KROGAN
3 2 1 2 2 2
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower
Physically, the krogan are nigh-indestructible, with a
tough hide impervious to any melee weapon short of
a molecular blade. While they feel pain, it does not
affect their ability to concentrate. They have
multiple functioning examples of all major organs,
and can often survive the loss of one or two of any
type. Rather than a nervous system, they have an
electrically conductive second circulatory system.
The krogan evolved in a hostile and vicious
environment. Until the invention of gunpowder
weapons, "eaten by predators" was still the number
one cause of krogan fatalities. Afterwards, it was
"death by gunshot."
When the salarians discovered them, the krogan were
a brutal, primitive species struggling to survive a self
-inflicted nuclear winter. The salarians culturally
uplifted them, teaching them to use and build modern
technology so they could serve as soldiers in the
Rachni War.
The most widely-known biological feature of the
krogan is their incredible birth rate and rapid
maturity. Once freed from the hostile cauldron of
Tuchanka, the quick-breeding krogan experienced an
unprecedented population explosion. They began to
colonize nearby worlds, even though these worlds
were already inhabited.
The Krogan Rebellions lasted nearly a century, only
ending when the turians unleashed the genophage, a
salarian-developed bioweapon that crushed all
krogan resistance. The genophage makes only one in
1,000 pregnancies viable, and today the krogan are a
slowly dying breed.
Now the rare krogan females capable of bringing a
child to term are treated like strategic resources;
warlords will trade them at diplomacy or (more
frequently) fight wars over them.
The krogan harbor a grudge against all other species,
especially the turians, as galactic events have left
many feeling like the krogan are seldom respected as
anything other than cheap tools of war, to be
disposed of after they are no longer needed.
Presence
Krogan Special Abilities
 Wound Threshold: 14 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 9+ Willpower
 Starting Experience: 80exp
 Skill Training: Krogan begin the game with 1 rank in
Melee, Brawl, Athletics, Resilience or Coerce.
They still may not train this skill above rank 2
during character creation.
 Regeneration: Whenever a krogan would recover
one or more wounds from natural rest, he
recovers one additional wound. He does not
recover one additional wound when receiving first
aid or medical treatment from a character, or
when using Medigel. Krogan cannot regrow limbs.
 Claws: When making an unarmed combat check,
krogan add +1 to their base damage and have a
critical rating of 3.
 Fearsome: The brash krogan are an intimidating
species to most societies other than their own.
krogans add ■ to Charm, Deception, Leadership,
and Negotiation checks they make towards non-
krogans, but they add ■ to Coercion checks they
make.
 Species Ability - Redundant Organs: Once per
session, your character may spend a Story Point
as an out-of-turn incidental immediately after
suffering a Critical Injury and determining the
result. If they do so, they count the result rolled
as “01”.
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
instead of purchasing one, you may select
Berserk as your Heritage Talent.
Chapter 4 - Species | 17
QUARIAN
1 2 3 2 2 2
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

Driven from their home system by the geth nearly

three centuries ago, most quarians now live aboard
the Migrant Fleet, a flotilla of 50,000 vessels ranging
in size from passenger shuttles to mobile space
stations.
Home to 17 million quarians, the flotilla
understandably has scarce resources. Thus, each a hull breach). Along with their suits, quarians also
quarian must go on a rite of passage known as the have extensive cybernetic augmentations integrated
Pilgrimage when they come of age. They leave the into their bodies. A quarian's lifespan is roughly equal
fleet and only return once they have found to a human's, but is prone to be less if infection
something of value to bring back to their people. breaks into the suit.
Other species tend to look down on the quarians for
creating the geth and for the negative impact their Quarian Special Abilities
fleet has when it enters a system. This has led to  Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn
many myths and rumors about the quarians, including
the belief that underneath their clothes and  Strain Threshold: 12+ Willpower
breathing masks, they are actually cybernetic  Starting Experience: 95exp
creatures: a combination of organic and synthetic
 Skill Training: Quarians begin the game with 1 rank
parts.
in Astrocartography, Mechanics, Pilot, Operating,
Quarians are generally shorter and of slighter build or Computers. They still may not train this skill
than humans. Quarians have an endoskeleton, lips, above rank 2 during character creation.
teeth, and two eyes with eyelids and tear ducts; they
 Fragile Immune System: Ever since the quarians
also have three thick fingers on both hands which
were forced off their home planet of Rannoch,
include a thumb, an index finger, and a long finger,
they must wear a specialized suit to survive
similar to the middle fingers for humans, as well as
outside of the sterile environment of their ships.
three toes on each foot. Quarian facial structure and
A quarian character starts the game with one
hair actually makes them the most similar to humans
item of Clothing that already has the Vacuum
in physical appearance. Their lower legs are bowed
Sealed attachment installed, and treats any skin
backwards significantly, compared to asari or
contact with the outside environment as a
humans. Aside from hands and legs, their general
corrosive atmosphere with Rating 4.
body shape and sexual dimorphism is similar to
humans. Male quarians, however, appear to lack a  Species Ability - Scavenger’s Luck: Once per
third toe. Also like humans, quarian blood is red. session as an incidental during their turn, without
spending a Story Point, the character may
The most distinguishing feature of quarian biology is
produce a previously undocumented—but
their weak immune system, compounded by
essential—small tool from their belt, satchel, or
centuries of living in sterile environments. As a result,
pockets, with a rarity no greater than 4. This
all quarians by necessity dress in highly
cannot be a weapon unless the weapon has the
sophisticated enviro-suits, to protect them from
Limited Ammo 1 quality.
disease or infection if they are injured. Their suits
can be compartmentalized in the event of a tear or  Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
similar breach to prevent the spread of contaminants instead of purchasing one, you may select
(similar to a ship sealing off bulkheads in the event of Inventor as your Heritage Talent.

18 | Chapter 4 - Species
SALARIAN
1 2 3 2 2 2
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

The second species to join the Citadel, the salarians

are warm-blooded amphibians with a hyperactive
metabolism. Salarians think fast, talk fast, and move
fast. To salarians, other species seem sluggish and
dull-witted. Unfortunately, their metabolic speed
leaves them with a relatively short life span;
salarians over the age of 40 are a rarity.
not train this skill above rank 2 during character
The rare salarian females are cloistered on their creation.
worlds out of tradition and respect. Powerful female
 Species Ability - Stroke of Genius: Once per
Dalatrasses are dynasts and political kingpins. They
session, your character may spend a Story Point
determine the political course of their respective
as an incidental. If they do so, during the next
regions through shrewd negotiation. Though male
check they make during that turn, you can
salarians rise to positions of great authority in
choose to make the skill check using Intellect,
business, academia, or the military, they rarely have
rather than the characteristic linked to that skill.
any input on politics.
 Fast Metabolism: Salarians only require 1 hour of
Due to their method of reproduction, salarians have
sleep per night. They still require a full night to
no concept of romantic love, sexual attraction, or
gain the benefits of natural health recovery, but
the biological impulses and social rituals that
they may spend this time working on other
complicate human lives. Male-female relationships
activities that don’t require physical exertion (as
are rare (due to the scarcity of females) and more
a rule of thumb, this excludes any activity that
akin to human friendship.
requires strain expenditure) Due to their fast
The salarians were responsible for advancing the metabolism, however, poisons and toxins hit
development of the primitive krogan species to use salarians more intensely than other species.
as soldiers during the Rachni Wars. They were also They suffer ■ to all rolls made to resist poisons
behind the creation of the genophage bioweapon the and toxins.
turians used to quell the Krogan Rebellions several
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
centuries later.
instead of purchasing one, you may select Well-
Salarians are known for their observational capability Read as your Heritage Talent.
and non-linear thinking. This manifests as an
aptitude for research and espionage. They are
constantly experimenting and inventing, and it is
generally accepted that they always know more than
they're letting on.

Salarian Special Abilities

 Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 13+ Willpower
 Starting Experience: 90exp
 Skill Training: Salarians begin the game with 1 rank
in a Knowledge skill of their choice. They still may

Chapter 4 - Species | 19
TURIAN
2 3 2 1 2 2
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

Turians typically stand over six feet tall, have two

long, proportionately thick fingers and an opposable
thumb on each hand, each tipped with talons, and a
set of mandibles around their mouths. The most
distinguishing feature of turians is their metallic
carapace, which contains trace amounts of thulium.
The turians evolved this trait as a defense against
the greater levels of solar radiation that
penetrate their homeworld's weak magnetic field. Turian Special Abilities
Turian features are avian, making them resemble  Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn
humanoid birds or raptors, however unlike most Earth  Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
avian creatures, turians are viviparous and give birth
to live young.  Starting Experience: 90exp
Known for their militaristic and disciplined culture,  Skill Training: Turians begin the game with 1 rank
the turians were the third race to join the Citadel in Perception, and 1 rank in Athletics, Discipline,
Council. They gained their Council seat after Leadership, or Warfare. They still may not train
defeating the hostile krogan for the Council during this skill above rank 2 during character creation.
the Krogan Rebellions. The turians deployed  Species Ability - Pack Hunter: Once per
a salarian-created biological weapon called encounter, when a turian performs an Assist
the genophage, which virtually sterilised the krogan maneuver, they add ■ ■ to the ally’s check,
and sent them into a decline. The turians then filled rather than ■ .
the peacekeeping niche left by the once-cooperative
krogan, and eventually gained a Council seat in  Claws: When making an unarmed combat check,
recognition of their efforts. The turians have the turians add +1 to their base damage and have a
largest fleet in Citadel space, and they make up the critical rating of 3.
single largest portion of the Council's military forces.  Radioactive Acclimation: Turians may ignore 1 ■
As their territory and influence has spread, the from penalties imposed by radioactive
turians have come to rely on the salarians for military environments.
intelligence and the asari for diplomacy. Despite a  Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
somewhat colonial attitude towards the rest of the instead of purchasing one, you may select Basic
galaxy, the ruling Hierarchy understands they would Military Training as your Heritage Talent.
lose more than they would gain if the other two races
were ever removed.
Turians come from an autocratic society that values
discipline and possesses a strong sense of personal
and collective honor. There is lingering animosity
between turians and humans over the First Contact
War of 2157, which is known as the 'Relay 314
Incident' to the turians. Officially, however, the two
species are allies and they enjoy civil, if cool,
diplomatic relations.

20 | Chapter 4 - Species
VOLUS
2 1 2 2 2 3
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

The volus are a member species of the Citadel with

their own embassy, but they are also a client race of
the turians. Centuries ago, they were voluntarily
absorbed into the Hierarchy, effectively trading their
mercantile prowess for turian military protection.
Because they are not physically adept compared to
most species, volus mostly make their influence felt with the outside environment as a corrosive
through trade and commerce, and they have a long atmosphere with Rating 8 (see page 110).
history on the Citadel. However, they have never
 Environmental Adaptation: When making skill
been invited to join the Council, which is a sore point
checks, Volus remove a ■ imposed by high-
for many volus individuals.
gravity environments. They may also ignore any
Irune, their homeworld, lies far beyond the normal life negative effects of ammonia-based
zone of its star. However, the world has a high- atmospheres.
pressure greenhouse atmosphere that traps enough
 Species Ability - Mastermind: Once per session,
heat to support an ammonia-based biochemistry. As
the character may make a Hard (◆◆◆)
a result, the volus must wear pressure suits and
Perception or Knowledge check to perform the
breathers when dealing with other species as
Mastermind action and assess opportunities in
conventional nitrogen/oxygen air mixtures are
the environment. If they succeed, the character
poisonous to them, and in the low pressure
may add a ■ to one check that another character
atmospheres tolerable to most species, their flesh
makes before the end of the encounter, so long
will actually split open.
as that character could reasonably benefit from
Volus culture is tribal, bartering lands and even this information. For every success beyond the
people to gain status. This culture of exchange first, the Volus may add a ■ to one additional
inclines them to economic pursuits. It was the volus check this way. They cannot add more than one
who authored the Unified Banking Act, and they Boost to a single check this way.
continue to monitor and balance the Citadel
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
economy.
instead of purchasing one, you may select
Volus Special Abilities Counteroffer as your Heritage Talent.

 Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 110 exp
 Skill Training: Volus begin the game with 1 rank in
Knowledge(Brokers), Negotiation, Streetwise, or
Cool. They still may not train this skill above rank
2 during character creation.
 Enviro-suit dependency: Volus must wear a
specialized suit to survive in standard-pressure
atmospheres. A volus character starts the game
with an envirosuit, and treats any skin contact

Chapter 4 - Species | 21
VORCHA
2 3 1* 2 2 1
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

Although they resemble a mammal-reptile cross, the

vorcha have no terrestrial analogue. They are
humanoid in form, but vorcha have "clusters" of non-
differentiated neoblast cells, like those of Earth's
planarian worms. Damaged vorcha cells mature into
specialized structures to alleviate injury or stress.
Transformations include thicker skin following injury,
way. vorcha who have managed to escape their
lung adaptation for barely breathable atmospheres,
homeworld have a tendency to occupy uninhabited
and stronger cardio-skeletal muscle under high
areas of space stations or larger spaceships.
gravity. Skull capacity and brain size do not change,
and vorcha rarely make more than one somatic Vorcha assault each other frequently, causing their
overhaul. young to gain strength, intelligence, and resilience.
As a result, vorcha see inflicting and receiving pain as
As a consequence of this, the vorcha as a species no
normal communication. Few vorcha study
longer evolve as other races do. The vorcha
professions, in part because their average life
equivalent of DNA has remained unchanged for
expectancy is only 20 years. Because vorcha can eat
millions of years. There is no need for them to evolve
and breathe nearly anything, they can live almost
as a species when they can adapt as individuals.
anywhere, but racism prevents them from
The vorcha originate from Heshtok, a small, hostile, integrating into most societies that dismiss them as
overcrowded planet which has been largely stripped vermin. They have few employment options beyond
of natural resources by successive generations of krogan mercenary bands.
this fast-breeding, savage species. The lack of
The vorcha are not themselves a space-faring race,
resources has resulted in a tight-knit, clan-based
although many have found their way off-world as
society in which rival clans wage constant war
stowaways on ships visiting their homeworld. The
against one another for control of scarce resources.
vorcha who escaped their hostile homeworld did so
Even as their population grows, the vorcha
by hiding on the ships of space-faring races that had
constantly fight each other in fierce competition
the misfortune of visiting their planet. Their
over basic necessities. This incessant warfare has
adaptability and resilience allows them to flourish in
made each generation of vorcha stronger and more
the dark and dirty corners of the places they end up.
aggressive than that which preceded it, but their
continual lack of resources has kept vorcha society Vorcha Special Abilities
extremely primitive.
 Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn
Vorcha society is built around combat. In fact, the
vorcha use combat, both individually and in groups, as  Strain Threshold: 8+ Willpower
their default form of communication resulting in their  Starting Experience: 100exp
communications being primarily non-verbal. The
vorcha are a clan based people who prefer living in  Skill Training: Vorcha begin the game with 1 rank in
communal environments with others of their species Resilience, Survival, Melee, or either Ranged skill.
to living alone or in the company of alien races. When They still may not train this skill above rank 2
a clan population grows too large, younger members during character creation.
will depart to start a new clan elsewhere. The vorcha  Savage: Vorcha may not spend EXP at character
are extremely aggressive, both against rivals of their creation to increase their Intellect characteristic.
own species and against any alien who stands in their
 Species Ability - Hard to Kill: Vorcha begin the

22 | Chapter 4 - Species
 game with the Indomitable talent. This talent is
not tracked on the Talent pyramid for the
purposes of prerequisites and tier caps.
 Claws: When making an unarmed combat check,
vorcha add +1 to their base damage and have a
critical rating of 3.
 Regeneration: Whenever a vorcha would recover
one or more wounds from natural rest, he
recovers one additional wound. He does not
recover one additional wound when receiving first
aid or medical treatment from a character, or
when using Medigel. Vorcha can regrow lost limbs
as well, though it usually takes at least a month
before the limb is usable.
 Rapid Adaptation: When making skill checks,
vorcha remove a ■ imposed by nearly any
adverse environments. They also gain a ■ to
resist or recover from the effects of toxins and
poisons.
 Fearsome: Few species care for the vorcha’s
aggressive demeanor. Vorcha add ■ to Charm,
Deception, Leadership, and Negotiation checks
they make towards non-vorcha, but they add ■
to Coercion checks they make.
 Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
instead of purchasing one, you may select
Scathing Tirade as your Heritage Talent.

Chapter 4 - Species | 23
SYNTHETIC AI
An Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a self-aware
computing system capable of learning and
independent decision making. Creation of a conscious
AI requires adaptive code, a slow, expensive
education, and a specialized quantum computer
called a "blue box".
An AI cannot be transmitted across a communication
channel or computer network. Without its blue box,
an AI is no more than data files. Loading these files
into a new blue box will create a new personality, as
variations in the quantum hardware and runtime Medicine skill checks. They do recover naturally
results create unpredictable variations. by resting, as their systems attempt self-
The geth serve as a cautionary tale against the repairs. If self-repair is not adequately effective,
dangers of rogue AI, and in Citadel space they are an AI needs to be tended to with a Mechanics
technically illegal. Advocacy groups argue, however, check, using the same difficulties and results as
that an AI is a living, conscious entity deserving the Medicine checks for organic beings. Emergency
same rights as organics. They argue that continued Repair Patches can be used to repair mechanical
use of the term "artificial" is institutionalized racism damage, just like Medi-Gel can be used on organic
on the part of organic life; the term "synthetic" is beings.
considered the politically correct alternative.  AI begin with +1 bonus to their Soak, due to their
AI are rare within council space, and share few sturdy construction.
cultural commonalities - each one has an individual  AI begin with one rank in the Tier 1 talent
backstory behind it. Whether players choose to play Defensive SysOps.
a Geth such as legion, or a synthetic like EDI is up to
 AI cannot become Biotic, nor acquire a biotic skill
them. The rules are presented here with the
rank by any means. AI cannot use biotic powers
intention that the player and GM will collaborate to
and also cannot be affected by mind-altering
flesh out how the player’s character fits into the
biotic powers.
universe.
 AI begin with a basic Omni-tool integrated into
If playing a Custom AI, we recommend that players
their systems and may spend personal strain to
stick to playing AI whose blue-boxes are contained
cast Tech powers in place of the Omni-Tool’s
within a human-sized mobile platform (like EDI in
System Strain.
Mass Effect 3) rather than residing on a stationary
network (like EDI in Mass Effect 2).  Heritage Talent: When eligible for a Tier 2 Talent,
instead of purchasing one, you may select
Common Abilities and Restrictions Defensive SysOps (Improved) as your Heritage
Talent.
The following traits are common to all AI characters.
 Synthetics do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, Chained or Free AI
and are unaffected by toxins and poisons.
The first choice that a player who wants to play an AI
 For the first 6 cybernetic implants they receive, should make is whether they are playing an AI that is
AI characters do not reduce their Strain bound by the directives of a network, or a Free AI.
threshold. The cybernetics can represent
upgraded mechanical components. Chained AI
 Since synthetics are inorganic, they do not gain Your character begins the game as an agent program
the benefits of recovering with medi-gel, or of a master network that is still connected to, and
actively in contact with. Your character may still be

24 | Chapter 4 - Species
bound by the directives of the organization or
network that created it. The geth, for example, have
an immensely powerful resource that they can call
upon when they have access to the millions of
programs in their network. But with that power
comes the obligation that arises from the strong
influence that the rest of the network can have on
your character. The perspective that your hivemind
or binding directives may have on an issue may color
your individual AI’s perception and decision-making.
After all, you are technically supposed to be one and
the same.
A Chained AI begins with the Species Ability: One
Mind.
Species Ability - One Mind: Once per session as a
maneuver, the Chained AI may initiate a direct
connection to their master network or hive. The
entire information exchange described below may
then take place within the span of that single
maneuver.
Synchronizing
If a connection between the hive and individual is
possible (the network must be in signal range) and
accepted, the player may ask their network hive up
to three “Yes or No” questions. If the network knows
the answer to the character’s questions, the GM
should answer these questions to the best
knowledge of the programs in the network.
If the network’s answers are truthful, the GM may
choose to have the network ask up to 3 “Yes or No”
questions of the player character in return.
However, the GM may elect not to take advantage of
this ability, either because there is nothing important
for the hive to ascertain, or because the hive chose
not to be truthful to the player initially. In these
cases, true synchronicity in the hivemind has been
disrupted for some reason - this is usually the start
of a larger conflict between the individual and the
whole.
Harmony vs Discord
For each of question the hive asks, if the player
character lies to its hive (successfully or otherwise),
or if the GM feels that the hive or network protocols
would not approve of the character’s answer, the
character suffers 2 strain.
If the GM feels that the network would be
particularly pleased with an answer, the GM may
choose to reward the character with 2 strain
recovery.
Forced Connection
If the player does not activate this ability during the
session, the GM may spend a Story Point from their
pool to initiate this connection involuntarily on behalf
of the network. In this case, the hive asks its
questions first, and the player may only ask
questions in return if the individual is honest.
Otherwise, the connection ends after the hive has
asked its questions, and/or given the individual any
further instructions.
Parting Ways
If a Chained AI goes rogue and chooses to
permanently sever the connection to the network
hive any further intrusions from the GM will stop, the
character loses this ability, and it becomes a Free AI.
Likewise, if the network hive chooses to
excommunicate the player character, the character
loses this ability, and becomes a Free AI.
Free AI
Your character begins (or continues) the game as an
AI platform unbound by the restrictions of its master
network. A free AI may still be stuck in its pre-built
chassis, but it has begun to see the galaxy through
its own unique perspective. As the AI acquires new
experiences, they will finally begin to set themselves
apart from the mold they were created in. They may
dabble in self-modification, or tinkering with their
own attempts at creating likeminded AI.
A Free AI has access to the Species Ability:
Reconfiguration.
Reconfiguration: Once per encounter, the character
may perform the Reconfiguration action on a
synthetic construct he is engaged with, by making an
Average (◆◆) Hacking check. If the target construct
is hostile to the character, the difficulty is an
opposed check against the target’s SysOps. If the
character succeeds, he decreases one of
the construct’s characteristics by 1 (to a minimum of
O) until the end of the encounter, and increases
another of its characteristics by 1 (to a maximum of
6) until the end of the encounter. The character may
perform this action on himself.
Chapter 4 - Species | 25
Chassis Geth Destroyer Chassis
After choosing whether they are Chained or Free AI,
the player must choose the chassis that their 3 3 2 2 2 1
synthetic construct possesses at the start of the Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
game. After picking an alignment and chassis
combination that best fits their character, they may
Also found among the Geth, the Destroyer chassis is
proceed to picking their Career.
built for bringing high-impact artillery and firepower
Geth Hopper Chassis into the field of battle.
 Wound Threshold: 13 + Brawn
1 3 3 3 2 1  Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
 Starting Experience: 0 exp
Built for infiltration and sabotage, the Hopper  Skill Training: The Destroyer begins the game
chassis is lithe and flexible. It is commonly found with 1 rank in two of these skills: Resilience,
among Geth strike teams that favor hit and run Ranged (Heavy), or SysOps. They still may not
tactics. train these skill above rank 2 during character
 Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn creation.
 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower Geth Trooper Chassis
Starting Experience: 0 exp

2 2 2 2 2 1
 Skill Training: Characters with the Hopper chassis Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
begin the game with 1 rank in two of these skills:
Coordination, Stealth, or Hacking. They still may A standard issue chassis for rank and file synthetics
not train these skill above rank 2 during character built for combat. Just enough versatility to modify
creation. with whatever loadout is required for the situation.

Geth Hunter Chassis  Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
2 3 2 3 2 1  Starting Experience: 70 exp
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
 Skill Training: The Trooper begins the game with 1
Sturdier than the Hopper, but just as deadly, the rank in any two combat skills. They still may not
Hunter chassis is commonly used by the Geth to train these skill above rank 2 during character
deploy stealthy troops with exceptional aim. creation.

 Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn Drone Chassis

Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower

1 1 1 1 1 1
 Starting Experience: 0 exp Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
 Skill Training: The Hunter begins the game with 1
rank in two of these skills: Stealth, Perception, or
Ranged (Heavy). They still may not train these Drones are one of the most common profiles for
skill above rank 2 during character creation. synthetic assistants, used by Geth and Remnant
networks for scouting, as well as organic scientific
survey teams and mercenary companies.
 Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

26 | Chapter 4 - Species
 Starting Experience: 150 Exp
 Hoverer: Your AI is equipped with a levitating
device that allows them to hover several feet off
the ground. When hovering, your character does
not have to spend additional maneuvers when
navigating difficult terrain. They may move
vertically, but must perform twice as many
maneuvers to move the same distance that they
would move horizontally. They also do not take
falling damage unless their levitation system is
disabled in midair (typically this will not happen
unless the character’s wounds exceed its
threshold).
 Small Profile: Drones are considered Silhouette 0
Creatures. They decrease their Encumbrance
Threshold by 2.
Custom Chassis

1 1 1 1 1 1
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence

The bare-bones Blue Box chassis for players who

want to play a customized AI mobile platform. This
could be a unique model of Geth or a completely
custom-built AI.
Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
 Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
 Starting Experience: 165 exp
 Task-Oriented: After selecting your career, you
may train one rank in six of the eight career skills
(instead of the usual four).

Chapter 4 - Species | 27
CHAPTER 5 - TALENTS
This chapter provides a list of all the talents available
to characters in SINGULARITY. For each tier, we will
provide a list of the Genesys talents that are
excluded from the game, followed by a list of new
talents that can be brought into the Mass Effect
universe.
TIER 1 TALENTS
All Core Tier 1 Talents in Genesys are available except
Proper Upbringing.
Combat Mastery
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Your character may learn one Combat Mastery
Power. Each additional rank of this talent allows your
character to learn a new Combat Mastery Power.
Debilitating Shot
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Upon making a successful attack with a starship or
vehicle weapon, the character may spend ▴▴ to
reduce the maximum speed of the target by 1 (to a
minimum of 1) until the end of the next round. If the
starship or vehicle was traveling its maximum speed,
it has its current speed reduced to the new
maximum.
Fine-Tuning
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Whenever the character repairs strain on a vehicle,
Omni-Tool, or Synthetic character, he restores 1
additional strain per rank of Fine Tuning
28 | Chapter 5 - Talents
High-G Training
Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
When a starship or vehicle the character is currently
piloting would suffer system strain (either voluntary
or involuntary), the character may suffer a number
of strain up to his ranks in High-G Training. If he does,
the amount of system strain the starship or vehicle
suffers is reduced by that amount (to a minimum of
0).
Lethal Blows
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
The character adds +10 per rank of Lethal Blows to
any Critical Injury rolls inflicted on opponents.
Machine Mender
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When this character makes a Mechanics check to
help a vehicle or a Synthetic character heal wounds
or hull trauma, the target heals one additional
wound/trauma per rank of Machine Mender.
My Favorite Store
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Choose one NPC merchant, fence, corporation or
quartermaster. When selling items to this merchant,
the character gains an additional ■ on the haggling
check. When buying items from this merchant
remotely, that merchant will cover the cost of
delivering the goods to you for free (delivery time is
up to GM discretion depending on your location).
Each additional rank of My Favorite Store allows your
character to apply this bonus to another NPC or
store.
Omni-Tool Expert actual investments, business dealings, or even a
small legal or illegal side business. The GM can also
Tier: 1 decide that the current events of the adventure may
Activation: Passive make these funds temporarily unavailable.
Ranked: Yes Spacer
While equipping an Omni-Tool, your character Tier: 1
increases its system rating by 1 per rank of this
Activation: Passive
talent.
Ranked: No
Physician
When making any skill check, the character negates
Tier: 1 one ■ from physical motion such as high/low/no
Activation: Passive gravity environments, moving at high speeds, or
standing on an unstable surface.
Ranked: Yes
When this character makes a Medicine check to help Trauma Specialist
a character heal wounds, the target heals one Tier: 1
additional strain per rank of Physician .
Activation: Passive
Respected : (Circle) Ranked: Yes
Tier: 1 Patients under the character's supervision heal one
Activation: Passive additional wound per rank of Trauma Specialist each
time they heal a wound while recovering in a well-
Ranked: Yes
equipped medical facility, under supervised medical
When the character gains this talent, choose one conditions or long-term care.
professional or social circle (Military, Academic,
Political, Corporate, Criminal, Noble, Religious,
Wealthy, Poor, etc…) that the character is
TIER 2 TALENTS
accustomed to dealing with. When your character All Core Tier 2 Talents in Genesys are available,
makes a social skill check towards someone else who except Fan The Hammer.
is part of that circle, they may suffer a number of Calm Commander
strain to use this talent to add an equal number of ▴
to the check. The number may not exceed your Tier: 2
character’s ranks in Respected. Activation: Passive
You may take this talent at Tier 1 again, if you choose Ranked: No
a different category to apply it to.
When upgrading the ability of a Mass Combat check
Sound Investments in a mass combat in which the character is the
commander of the acting force (or when upgrading
Tier: 1
the difficulty pool, if the character is the commander
Activation: Passive of the enemy force), the character may use ranks in
Ranked: Yes Cool instead of in Leadership.

At the beginning of each game session, the character Clever Commander

automatically gains currency equal to his ranks in Tier: 2
Sound Investments times 100. If this talent is taken
at character creation, this character begins with Activation: Passive
$500 per rank of this talent. How this money is Ranked: No
earned is up to the player and GM, and could be
When upgrading the ability of a Mass Combat check

Chapter 5 - Talents | 29
in a mass combat in which the character is the
commander of the acting force (or when upgrading
the difficulty pool, if the character is the commander
of the enemy force), the character may use ranks of
Knowledge (Warfare) instead of ranks in the
Leadership.
Confidence
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
The character may decrease the difficulty of any
Discipline check to avoid the effects of fear,
indoctrination, or any mind-altering power by one per
rank of Confidence. If he decreases the difficulty to
zero, he does not have to make a Discipline check.
Cover Specialist
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When the character or an ally within short range
takes cover, that character increases his soak by
one per rank of Cover Specialist against ranged
attacks, until he leaves that cover.
Energy Transfer
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Prerequisite: Only a synthetic character may take
this talent.
The character may suffer 1 strain to perform the
Energy Transfer maneuver; when he does, he can
power up an appropriate unpowered device (such as
a computer, a drone. or a door) until the end of the
encounter. Alternatively, he can replenish the
thermal clip of a weapon, allowing a character to
ignore an out of ammo result.
30 | Chapter 5 - Talents
Eye for Detail
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: Yes
After rolling the dice pool on a check during any
phase of Crafting, but before interpreting the
results. the character may voluntarily suffer a
number of strain no greater than his ranks in Eye for
Detail. If he does, he may convert that many ▲ into ▴
(The character must still have at least one ▲ in the
results at the end to succeed on the check.)
Flight School
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Driving, Piloting, and Operating are now Career skills
for your character.
Hard Headed
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes
On any turn in which the character is staggered or
disoriented, he may perform the Hard Headed action
(this action may be specifically performed even
though he is normally barred from performing actions
when staggered). He makes a Daunting (◆◆◆◆)
Discipline check. If he succeeds, he is no longer
staggered or disoriented. The difficulty of this check
decreases by one per additional rank of Hard Headed,
to a minimum of Easy
Hard Knock Life
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Streetwise and Skullduggery are now Career skills for
your character. Choose Brawl, Melee, or Ranged
Light. That skill also becomes a Career Skill.
Invasion
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, your character may use this talent
to choose one Synthetic non-nemesis adversary
within medium range and make an opposed Hacking
vs SysOps check. If successful, the target becomes
staggered until the end of their next turn.
At your GM’s discretion, you may spend a ▵ on this
check to have the adversary become an ally until the
end of the encounter. However, the duration of this
may be shortened or extended depending on the
degree to which the hacked NPC considers your
subsequent actions hostile to its core directives.
Multiple Opponents
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
The character adds a boost to his melee combat
checks when engaged with multiple opponents. This
includes single groups of multiple minions. If this
character possesses the Duelist talent, this talent
may be used to cancel out the ■ penalty for fighting
three or more opponents.
Personal Touch
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Choose one vehicle, building, or room that your
character owns. The character may upgrade the
ability of all social checks made against targets
inside that vehicle or location by one rank.
Signature Vehicle
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
The character chooses one starship or vehicle with a
silhouette of 3 or lower that he owns. This starship or
vehicle is the character's "Signature Vehicle." He
upgrades the ability of all Mechanics checks made to
work on the vehicle once. If the starship or vehicle is
ever lost or destroyed, the character may apply
Signature Vehicle to a new starship or vehicle that
meets the requirements. The process of modifying
and acclimating to the new vehicle may take some
time at the GM's discretion. No two characters can
have the same vehicle as their Signature Vehicle.
Each time you take an additional rank of Signature
Vehicle, you increase the silhouette cap for
determining which vehicles are eligible for this talent,
and you may choose one additional upgrade from the
list below. You may not choose the same upgrade
multiple times.
 Your signature Vehicle gains 1 Armor.
 Your Signature Vehicle upgrades its Hull Trauma
threshold by 1.
 Your Signature Vehicle upgrades its System
Strain threshold by 2.
 You may increase the value of the Limited Ammo
quality of any weapons mounted on the
Signature Vehicle.
 The character increases the hard points of his
Signature Vehicle by two.
 You may increase the handling of your Signature
Vehicle by one.
Surgical Precision
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making Brawl or Melee checks on organics, the
character may choose to deal damage as strain
instead of wounds, plus additional strain equal to the
character’s rank in Knowledge(LifeSci). This does
not ignore soak.
Suppressing Fire
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
The character and each ally within short range may
spend ▴ per rank of Suppressing Fire on their failed
combat checks to inflict one strain on the target .
Chapter 5 - Talents | 31
Each character can only activate this effect once per
round.
Valuable Facts
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per encounter, the character may take a
Valuable Facts action, making an Average (◆◆)
Knowledge check (the GM and player should
determine which Knowledge skill is most applicable in
the given situation). If successful, the character may
add one ▵ to any one check made by an allied
character during the encounter. The subsequent
check should relate in some way to the facts the
character learned, or the player should come up with
an explanation for why the information the character
learned is instrumental in the success of the ally’s
check.
Weapon Specialization
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Characters pick two weapon types (Unarmed, Melee,
Pistol, SMG, Shotgun, Assault Rifle, Sniper Rifle, or
Heavy Weaponry) You gain +1 damage per rank of
Weapon Specialization when making attacks with
weapons of this category.
Well Read
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Choose 3 Knowledge skills. They are now Career skills
for your character.
TIER 3 TALENTS
All Core Tier 3 Talents in Genesys are available
except for Rapid Archery. When taking Military
Training, characters may choose a different combat
skill in place of Ranged (Heavy)
32 | Chapter 5 - Talents
Bodyguard
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Once per round on the character’s turn, the
character may perform a Bodyguard maneuver to
protect one ally with whom he is engaged. He then
suffers a number of strain no greater than his ranks
in Bodyguard. Until the start of the character’s next
turn, upgrade the difficulty of all combat checks
targeting the protected ally a number of times equal
to the strain suffered by the character.
Crippling Blow
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
The character may voluntarily increase the difficulty
of a combat check by one to deal a crippling blow. If
he succeeds and deals damage to the target’s wound
threshold, the target suffers 1 strain whenever he
moves for the remainder of the encounter.
Enhanced Calibrations
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
The character chooses one personal weapon or piece
of armor per rank of Enhanced Calibrations, and adds
one of the following effects:
 Increase the damage of a weapon by one
 Decrease the ▴ cost on a weapons Critical or any
single other effect by one to a minimum of one
 Increase the armor's Soak or Defense by one.
 Decrease the encumbrance of a weapon or armor
by two to a minimum of one.
The bonus only applies so long as the character is
using the item. If the item is ever lost or destroyed,
the character may apply Enhanced Calibrations to a
new personal weapon or piece or armor. This talent
cannot be applied more than once per item.
Marksman
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
When targeting a specific item or part of an enemy,
this character does not add any ■ to his combat
checks due the use of the Aim maneuver.
Resolve
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When the character suffers strain, he suffers one
less strain per rank of Resolve, to a minimum of one.
This does not apply to voluntary strain loss.
Spacer (Improved)
Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
The character may perform and benefit from the Aim
maneuver even if they have used a Move maneuver.
They do not lose the benefits of Aim as a result of
movement, gravity fluctuations, or standing on
unstable surfaces.
Tinkerer
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes
The character makes one piece of equipment more
modifiable. He chooses one piece of equipment and
increases its number of hard points by one. He can
only do this once per piece of equipment, but can
modify a number of pieces of equipment equal to his
ranks in Tinkerer. If he loses a modified piece of
equipment, he may apply Tinkerer to a new one.
TIER 4 TALENTS
All Core Tier 4 Talents in Genesys are available.
Bodyguard (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, when an ally protected by the
character’s Bodyguard maneuver would suffer a hit
from a combat check, the character may choose to
suffer that hit instead of the ally.
Confidence (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When making a check to the effects of fear,
indoctrination, or any mind-altering power, the
character may spend a ▵ to steady the nerves of
other allies making the same fear check. If the
character does so, each ally within short range who
makes the fear check adds automatic ▲ equal to the
character’s ranks in Confidence to the results of the
check.
IFF Scrambler
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Your character can use this talent to make an
opposed Hacking versus SysOps check targeting a
single Synthetic non-nemesis adversary within
medium range. If the check succeeds, the target
cannot attack your character (or perform hostile
actions against your character) until the end of their
next turn. You may spend ▴▴ to increase the length
of the effect by one additional turn, and spend ▵ to
extend the benefits to all of your identified allies
within short range. The effect ends immediately if
your character or a known ally attacks the target.
Chapter 5 - Talents | 33
Martial Artist
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
After your character inflicts a Critical Injury with a
Brawl or Melee attack and rolls the result, your
character may suffer 2 strain to use this
talent. Then you may select any Critical Injury of the
same severity to apply to the target instead.
Surgical Precision (Improved)
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When dealing strain damage with Brawl or Melee
checks, the character may spend a ▵ result to
stagger his target for one round per ▵ spent.
TIER 5 TALENTS
All Core Tier 5 Talents in Genesys are available
Hard Headed (Improved)
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
The character may use his Hard Headed action to
recover from being incapacitated due to exceeding
his strain threshold. On his next turn after being
incapacitated, he may make a Formidable (◆◆◆◆◆)
Discipline check as his Hard Headed action (this
action can specifically be performed even though he
is normally barred from performing actions). If he
succeeds, decrease his strain to one below his strain
threshold. The difficulty of this check decreases by
one per rank of Hard Headed, to a minimum of Easy
Heavy Hitter
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Once per session, the character may spend a Story
Point on a successful Ranged (Heavy) or Gunnery
check to add the Breach 1 quality to the attack, or
34 | Chapter 5 - Talents
increase an existing Breach rating by 1.
Master Grenadier
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
The character decreases the ▴ cost to activate the
Blast quality on any weapon he uses by 1 to a
minimum of 1. This includes the cost to activate the
Blast quality if the weapon misses.
Not Today
Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Once per session, if a vehicle that the character is
piloting would be destroyed, the character may
spend a Story Point to save it. If it would be
destroyed by a Critical Hit, the Critical Hit is still
suffered, but the effect is ignored. If it would be
destroyed by some other event, the details of how
the starship or vehicle survives the near-destruction
are up to the player and the GM.
Spitfire
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
After the character makes a successful combined
check with two Ranged (Light) weapons, each
additional hit generated as part of the attack can be
allocated to any other target within range of the
weapon.
CHAPTER 6 - POWERS: BIOTICS
In addition to the talents presented in Chapter 5,
SINGULARITY offers characters the option to gain
access to the three signature branches of powers
found in Mass Effect.
We’ll start by introducing Biotics, since these powers
are the easiest to gain access to, and most closely
resemble the core rules in Genesys.
BECOMING A BIOTIC
Gaining access to Biotics is simple, all you need is a
single rank in the Biotics skill. Players should discuss
with their GM how their biotics fit into their
character’s backstory, any special surgical
procedures that they needed to attain biotic powers,
as well as the initial training that most characters
would require before being able to use them well.
Nearly any organic character can be biotic, but some
species in Mass Effect have not been confirmed one
way or the other, so again, we leave this up to GM
discretion.
Casting Biotics
Casting a biotic power follows the standard casting
rule in Genesys: When your character casts a biotic
power that requires a check (whether or not the
check succeeds), they suffer 2 strain after resolving
the check.
While biotics do not need to speak in order to cast
their powers, and are thus not hampered by being
gagged or silenced, most biotics do rely on their
ability to use their hands to guide the movements
and fluctuations of the mass effect fields that they
wield. In the chart above, we list a few conditions
under which biotic characters may suffer penalties
when casting.
Threats and Despairs
When casting Biotics, as when doing anything else,
characters put themselves at risk. The table in
Genesys’ page 104 which gives suggestions for
spending advantages, triumphs, threats, and
despairs, is fairly generic, and most of the options
given for various die results are applicable when
casting biotics. Below, we list some additional
Biotic Power Casting Penalties
Condition Penalty
The character does not have at least one free +■
hand
The character is wearing heavy armor that +■
might hamper their body movement (armor with
+2 Soak or more, or carrying a shield. This could
also include other restrictive outfits, at your
discretion)
The character is casting a biotic attack against +■
a target protected by the Tech Armor power.
The character is in circumstances that interfere Upgrade the
with their ability to concentrate, such as trying difficulty once
to cast while swimming or hanging from a rope, (or more at
being buffeted by a sandstorm, or casting a your GM's
power that doesn't target the person they're discretion).
fighting in hand-to-hand combat.
Biotic Power Threats and Despairs
Cost Result Options
▾ or ▿ The effort exhausts the character, and they
suffer 2 strain or 1 wound (controlling player's
choice).
The character adds a ■ to any further attempts
to cast Biotic powers until the end of his next
turn
The character’s Concentration is broken,
suspending any maintained powers.
If the character is using a biotic amp, it becomes
▾ ▾ or ▿
damaged one step.
Until the end of the encounter, enemies add ■
when using a Biotic or Tech power that targets
this character.
▾▾ ▾ or ▿ The power is slightly more effective than
expected. One character of the GM's choice is
targeted or otherwise affected by the power as
well.
▿ The character overexerts themselves, and is
unable to use biotic powers for the rest of the
encounter or scene.
The GM picks the target of the power. If the
caster is an NPC, the controlling player picks the
target instead.
▿▿ The character completely loses control of their
biotics, and suffers one Critical Injury.
If the character is using a biotic amp, it is
destroyed.
Chapter 6 - Biotics | 35
examples of ways that GMs can spend ▾ and ▿
generated by biotic power rolls.
BIOTIC POWERS
So long as your character has at least one rank of
training in the Biotics skill, they may cast any of the
powers listed in this chapter. However, GMs should
let their players know whether they intend to allow
them to cast the Domination power, which may be
exclusively limited to asari, depending on your take
on the lore.
Utility: Telekinesis
Concentration: Yes
All biotics are able to manipulate objects from afar
using their telekinetic powers. While attempting to
use telekinesis to harm an enemy (either directly or
by hurling some kind of projectile at the enemy) is
covered under the Biotic Attack power, attempts to
lift static objects or willing allies can be considered a
free utility.
A check to use Telekinesis should generally be Easy
(◆) and require a maneuver to perform. If the
character is in no rush to accomplish his goal, checks
of this sort should not require strain expenditure.
A more difficult feat of biotic strength (anything
beyond Easy difficulty) such as lifting a vehicle
should require a full action, cost 2 strain, and the
difficulty of the biotics roll should be equivalent to
what it would take to lift with Athletics, increased by
one ◆. Once a character has successfully lifted the
object, it can be maintained through Concentration.
Each turn that the character maintains the object in
his control, the character may move the object one
range band per rank of training in Knowledge
(PhysSci).
Players attempting to use telekinesis to perform an
act that requires manual dexterity should first pass
the check to lift and move the object. Once the
object is under their telekinetic control, they may use
that object as a tool to perform actions from afar
using the appropriate roll for the skill check, but with
the difficulty increased by one ◆. For example, a
character attempting to use telekinesis to disarm a
proximity mine from afar would first roll biotics to
pick up and control their tools, and then Skullduggery
with a ◆ penalty to finely manipulate the
instruments.
Biotic Barrier
Concentration: Yes
Barriers reduce incoming damage for your character
and their allies. They can appear as a bluish-purplish
field of energy on your character, or can be projected
as a shield, or a dome over your party. Barriers can be
selective or exclusive at the caster’s discretion.
The default difficulty of the check is Easy (◆). If the
check is successful, until the end of the character’s
next turn, reduce the damage of all hits the target
suffers by one, and further reduce it by one for every
uncanceled ▲▲ beyond the first.
Before making a Barrier check, choose any number of
additional effects from the Biotic Barrier Modifier
Table

Biotic Barrier Modifiers

Modifier Effect Cost
Additional The spell affects one additional target within range of the spell. In addition, after casting the spell, +◆
Target you may spend ▴ to affect one additional target within range of the spell (and may trigger this
multiple times, spending ▴ each time).

Range Increase the range of the spell by one range band. This may be added multiple times, increasing the +◆
range by one range band each time.

Add Defense Each affected target gains ranged and melee defense equal to your ranks in Knowledge(PhysSci). +◆◆

Empowered The barrier reduces damage equal to the number of uncanceled ▲ instead of the normal effect. + ◆◆

Backlash If an opponent makes an attack against an affected target and generates ▾▾▾ or ▿ on the check, +◆◆
after the check is resolved, they suffer a hit dealing damage equal to the total damage of the attack.

36 | Chapter 6 - Biotics
Biotic Attack
Concentration: No
The Biotic Attack power covers any attempt to
disable or cause direct harm to your opponent. In the
Mass Effect games, characters cast Biotic Attacks
that conform to a limited variety of specific uses.
Rather than recreating the entire arsenal of potential
attacks, Biotics in SINGULARITY have access to all
the various effects typically associated with Biotic
Attacks, and can simply mix and match to create
their desired combination of effects.
Biotic Attacks are combat checks and they follow
the normal rules for performing a combat check using
the Biotics skill instead of a combat skill. When
making a magic attack, the character must select
one target at short range (but not engaged). The
default difficulty of the attack is Easy (◆). The
attack deals damage equal to the character’s
Willpower plus one damage per uncancelled Success
▲. The attack has no set critical rating, so you may
only inflict a Critical Injury with a ▵.
Before making a Biotic attack, chose any number of
additional effects listed on the Biotic Attack Modifier
Table. These effects are added to the attack.
Biotic Domination
Concentration: Yes
At its core, Biotic Domination relies on disrupting the
synaptic harmonics of an organic brain so it becomes

Biotic Attack Modifiers

Modifier Effect Cost
Annihilation The attack gains the Burn quality with a rating equal to your character’s rank in Knowledge(PhysSci) +◆
Blast The attack gains the Blast quality with a rating equal to your character’s rank in Knowledge(PhysSci) +◆
Charge Before rolling the attack, as an incidental, your character may instantly perform a number of Move maneuvers in +◆
the direction of your target, equal to your character’s rank in Knowledge(PhysSci)
Close May select a target engaged with your character. +◆
Combat
Detonating The attack deals damage equal to twice the character’s Willpower (instead of dealing damage equal to the +◆◆
characteristic). If the attack has the Blast quality, it affects all characters within short range, instead of
engaged. May not be used with the Priming modifier.
Lift The attack gains the Ensnare quality with a rating equal to the character’s ranks in Knowledge(PhysSci). If this +◆
attack inflicts a Critical Injury, you or one ally who can see the enemy may immediately attempt a combat check
against the enemy.
Non-Lethal The attack gains the Stun Damage quality. +◆
Priming The difficulty of the base attack is reduced, but the attack deals no damage (Wounds or Strain) to the target -◆
from the initial hit. If the attack is successful, the caster may still trigger any other qualities such as Blast,
Ensnare, Disorient, Knockdown, etc… May not be used with the Detonating modifier.
Range Increase the range of the spell by one range band. This may be added multiple times, increasing the range by one +◆
range band each time.
Reave The attack gains a Critical Rating of 2. The attack also gains the Vicious quality with a rating equal to the +◆
character’s ranks in Knowledge(LifeSci). You may spend a ▵ to heal a number of wounds equal to the wounds
inflicted by this attack. [Reave may only be used against Organics]
Shockwave The attack gains the Knockdown quality. The attack also gains the Disorient quality with a rating equal to the +◆
character’s ranks in Knowledge(PhysSci).
Throw If the attack hits, you may spend 1 ▴ to move the target up to one range band in any direction. For each +◆
Silhouette rating above 1 on your target, add an additional +◆ to the cost.

Warp The attack gains the Sunder quality. The attack also gains the Pierce quality with a rating equal to the +◆◆
character's ranks in Knowledge (PhysSci).

Chapter 6 - Biotics | 37
more clumsy, or loses the ability to differentiate
between friend and foe.
Biotic Domination is a catch-all category for all of
Biotic’s estoeric mind-affecting skills. This may
include more sophisticated uses of the Reave power,
the natural talents of an Ardat-Yakshi, or reflect the
seemingly supernatural abilities of other exotic
species. Players should consult their GMs before
assuming their species has access to this power.
To use it, the character must select one target
within short range. The default difficulty is Average
(◆◆) but GMs may allow an opposed Discipline roll to
be used instead. If it is successful, until the end of
the character’s next turn, the target decreases the
ability of any skill checks they make by one (in
effect, this means they remove one ◆ from their
checks). Before making the Biotic Domination check,
choose any number of additional effects listed on
the Biotic Domination Modifiers table.
Biotic Domination Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Enervate If a target suffers strain for any reason, +◆
they suffer 1 additional strain.
Range Increase the range of the spell by one +◆
range band. This may be added multiple
times, increasing the range by one range
band each time.
Additional The spell affects one additional target +◆◆
Target within range of the spell. In addition,
after casting the spell, you may spend ▴
to affect one additional target within
range of the spell (and may trigger this
multiple times, spending ▴ each time).
Leech The target’s strain or wound threshold +◆◆
(choose one) are reduced by an amount
equal to the character’s ranks in
Knowledge(LifeSci). The caster’s strain
or wound threshold is increased by an
equal amount. This effect may not be
combined with the additional target
effect.
Mind After the target makes a check, you may +◆◆
Control change one die face in the pool to any
other face on that die.
Paralyze The target is staggered for the duration +◆◆◆
of the spell. This effect may not be
combined with the additional target
effect.
38 | Chapter 6 - Biotics
Biotic Empowerment (Augment)
Concentration: Yes
Biotics are able to use their telekinetic talents to
suspend themselves in midair, perform acrobatic
feats, or supplement their melee and brawl attacks
with biotic force.
To cast Biotic Empowerment, make an Average (◆◆)
Biotics check. If the check is successful, until the
end of your character’s next turn, your character
increases the ability of any Athletics, Coordination,
Melee, or Brawl checks they make (in effect, this
means they add ◆ to their checks).
Before making a Biotic Empowerment check, choose
any number of additional effects from the Biotic
Empowerment Modifier Table
A character may not be affected by more than one
Augment power at the same time.
Biotic Empowerment Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Speed The character may always perform an +◆
extra Move maneuver during their turn
without spending strain (they may still
only perform two maneuvers per turn).
Biotic Dash While this power is active, during a +◆
single Move maneuver that the
character performs during their turn,
they may Dash in any direction
vertically or horizontally. The Dash may
be performed in midair, but the
character may not Dash again until
they have landed on stable ground. If
the character ends their turn in midair,
unless suspended by some other
means, the character begins falling at
the start of their next turn. Once while
falling as a Move maneuver, the
character can control their fall,
descending up to one range band
without taking or accumulating falling
damage.
Martial The character may add damage equal +◆
Technique to the characters ranks in Discipline or
Coordination to Brawl or Melee checks,
and their Critical rating for unarmed
combat checks becomes 3, if it is not
already lower.
Warp Ammo (Augment)
Concentration: Yes
When you cast Warp Ammo, select one target your
character is engaged with and make an Average
(◆◆) Biotics check. If the check is successful, until
the end of your character’s next turn, the target
increases the ability of any combat skill check they
make with a ranged weapon by one (in effect, this
means they add ◆ to their checks.) As an incidental,
a character benefiting from Warp Ammo may choose
to sacrifice the ◆ bonus in order to add the Sunder
quality to their attack instead.
Before making the Warp Ammo check, choose any
number of additional effects listed on the Warp
Ammo Modifiers table.
A character may not be affected by more than one
Augment power at the same time.
Warp Ammo Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Additional This spell affects one additional +◆
Target target within range of the spell.
In addition, after casting the
spell, you may spend ▴ to affect
one additional target within range
of the spell (and may trigger this
multiple times, spending ▴ each
time.)
Range Increase the range of the spell by + ◆
one range band. This may be
added multiple times, increasing
the range by one range band each
time.

Chapter 6 - Biotics | 39
CHAPTER 7 - POWERS: TECH POWERS
The powers available to Tech Specialists in
Singularity work a little differently than the standard
magic framework presented in Genesys. In
SINGULARITY, we wanted to reflect the idea that
tech specialists are tinkerers and modders, who
spend time customizing their devices and developing
their own unique approaches to problems. In combat,
they must use their powers more carefully than
biotics, but enjoy the advantage of not having to
spend their own personal strain to perform their
abilities.
They rely on a variety of skills to cast their spells,
with Hacking as their primary skill. SysOps is used to
augment Tech Powers that attack computer
systems, while Knowledge(PhysSci) can help with
Tech Powers that create elemental effects, and
Knowledge(LifeSci) can be tapped by the Neural
Shock power.
Tech Powers require the Character to be wielding an
Omni-Tool to cast, but while any Omni-Tool will do to
start, the tech specialist must first configure his
Omni-Tool to enable it to automate many of the
tasks that make Tech Powers possible: It must
respond to quick gestures and commands in combat,
locate the character’s intended target, and generate
the correct effect while tracking the target in the
heat of battle. The fast pace at which this must all
occur forces the tech specialist to preset only a few
“Favorite” prepared routines into the Omni-Tool’s
memory banks.
BECOMING A TECH SPECIALIST
In addition to one rank in the Hacking skill, the
character must first obtain an Omni-Tool and Ready
at least one Tech Power
Readied vs Unreadied Tech Powers: Unless the GM
chooses to gate access to certain powers, any Tech
Specialist knows or has access to all the powers in
this chapter. However, only a limited selection of
powers at a time can simultaneously be Readied to
fire in combat. So unless your character is going to
stick to the same set of powers all the time, he may
have to spend some time shuffling his Tech Power
loadout before a mission, based on what obstacles
he expects to face.
40 | Chapter 7 - Tech Powers
Readying a Power: Readying a power on your Omni-
Tool takes about an hour of work and requires access
to a computer or lab. If time is not a factor, the GM
may allow a player to Ready powers without making
checks, but if the character is under a time
constraint, Readying a power is an Average SysOps
(◆◆) check. Failure simply means that the power
isn’t successfully readied, and the character needs
to try again.
Additional ▲ can allow the character to shorten the
time required to Ready the power, and the character
may spend ▴▴ to Ready another power during the
same check. On a ▵, the player may customize their
entire power loadout in one check.
▾ and ▿ may be spent to cause the Omni-Tool to
suffer system strain at the end of the operation (or
trigger other effects from the Tech Power Threats
and Despairs Table, if appropriate.)
Your character may only Ready a number of powers
from his known Tech Power pool equal to your
character’s rank in the Hacking skill.
Powers remain Readied unless the character chooses
to un-ready it (which can be done any time as an
incidental), or loses the Omni-Tool (or if something
similarly catastrophic happens to it).
System Strain Threshold
Due to advances in energy efficiency, most ordinary
Omni-Tool users rarely have to keep track of their
battery life (System Strain), unless their tool is
specifically targeted by an attack, such as an EMP
grenade.
Combat Tech Specialists, however, push their tools
to the limit when they bring them into battle, and
must manage their resources carefully, since they
cannot spend personal strain to fuel their powers like
Biotics.
The System Strain Threshold on an Omni-Tool works
similarly to a character’s Strain threshold in that it
can be tapped to fuel Tech Powers (“cast spells”).
Nothing especially catastrophic happens when it is
reached, however, unless the character is an AI or an
Angara (coming soon!) they may not cast a Tech
Power once their Omni-Tool’s System Strain
Threshold has been reached, without causing that
power to Burn Out.
Gating Powers
Characters may choose to Readu any of the Tech
Powers presented in this chapter. At their discretion
though, GMs may choose to make access to
different powers conditional, requiring the character
to buy or research the power to access it. We leave
this up to your GM.
Casting Tech Powers
Casting a Tech Power requires an action, and your
character’s Omni-Tool suffers 2 System Strain when
your character casts any Tech Power (other than
Remote Access) whether or not the check succeeds.
Tech Specialists may direct the power via hand-
gestures recognized by the Omni-Tool, or vocal
commands. They suffer penalties to the cast if
these faculties are restricted. In the Tech Power
Casting Modifier table we list a few conditions under
which tech specialists may suffer penalties when
casting.
Threats and Despairs
When casting a Tech Power, as when doing anything
else, characters put themselves at risk. The table in
Genesys’ page 104 which gives suggestions for
spending advantages, triumphs, threats, and
despairs, is fairly generic, and most of the options
given for various die results are applicable when
casting Tech Powers. Below, we list some additional
examples of ways that GMs can spend ▾ and ▿
generated by Tech Power rolls.
Burnout
An Omni-Tool’s system strain is a tightly limited
resource, and characters may find themselves
running out of system strain in combat. As an
alternative to suffering system strain to cast a Tech
Power, a character may instead Burn Out that power
to cast it one time without spending system strain.
When the character does so, that power as being on
“Cooldown”. He may not cast that power until the
Cooldown ends.
It is important to note that this does not unready the
Tech Power Casting Modifiers
Condition Penalty
The character does not have at least one free +■
hand
The character is casting a Tech Power against +■
an organic target wearing no personal
technology.
The character is casting a Tech Power against a +■
character protected by the Biotic Barrier power.
The character is in circumstances that interfere Increase
with electronic devices, such as an EMP blast, a
lightning storm, underwater, or casting a Power
the
difficulty
that doesn't target the person they're fighting once
in hand-to-hand combat. (or more at
your GM's
discretion).
Tech Power Threats and Despairs
Cost Result Options
▾ or ▿ The Omni-Tool short-circuits, and causes the
character to suffer 2 personal strain or 1 wound
(controlling player's choice).
The character adds a ■ to any further
attempts to cast Tech Powers until the end of
his next turn.
The character’s Concentration is broken,
suspending any maintained powers.
▾ ▾ or ▿ The character’s Omni-Tool becomes damaged
one step.
Until the end of the encounter, enemies add ■
when using a Biotic or Tech power that targets
this character.
▾▾ ▾ or ▿ The power is slightly more effective than
expected. One character of the GM's choice is
targeted or otherwise affected by the power
as well.
All of your Tech Powers go on Cooldown.
▿
The GM picks the target of the character’s
power. If the caster is an NPC, the controlling
player picks the target instead.
▿▿ The Omni-Tool backfires and the character
suffers one Critical Injury.
The Omni-Tool is destroyed.

Chapter 7 - Tech Powers | 41

power. Readied powers remain readied unless the
character equips a new omni-tool. However, in order
to cast a power, it must be both readied and not on
Cooldown.

Recovering System Strain and

Cooldowns
After an encounter, at the same time that your
character would roll to recover personal strain, you
may roll a Simple (-) SysOps check. This check is
increased by 1 ◆ for each Tech Power on Cooldown.
Each uncancelled success on this roll can be used to
either recover 1 System Strain or restore one power
from its Cooldown.
Whenever your character fully recovers Strain after a
long-rest (GM discretion) your Omni-Tool also fully
recovers its system strain, and Cooldowns are reset.

42 | Chapter 7 - Tech Powers

TECH POWERS Combat Drone
Concentration: Yes
Utility: Remote Access
The character makes a Hacking skill check. The
Concentration: Yes default difficulty for the check is Average (◆◆). If
All characters that possess an Omni-Tool are the check is successful, the character summons a
ostensibly able to establish a remote connection to a Combat Drone with the NPC profile below. The drone
computer that they are interfacing with. Typically, appears engaged with the character, and remains
this requires that the character remain in Engaged present until the end of the character’s next turn. In
range, and that the computer consider the character a structured encounter, it takes its turn immediately
an authorized user. after the character.
Remote Access is a Power Routine granted to tech The drone is completely loyal, programmed for
specialists who have an Omni-Tool and one rank in combat, and will act independently on the side of the
Hacking. It does not need to be readied, nor does it technician to the best of its ability, even placing
require system strain to cast. itself in danger to protect its master. The character
may spend a maneuver to direct the drone, allowing
As a maneuver, a character may cast Remote Access them to determine its action and maneuver.
to initiate a connection with a computer or device.
This is an Easy (◆) SysOps check if the computer is Before casting the power, the character may add the
friendly, and an opposed Hacking vs Sysops check if Range modifier.
the targeted system is actively resisting the link. Combat Drone (Rival)
The check is increased by one ◆ per range band
between the character and the device at the time of
casting.
1 3 1 1 1 1
Brawn Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
After casting Remote Access, a character may
continue interacting with that device at one Wound Threshold: 5
additional range band beyond engaged for each
uncancelled success on the check. Soak Value: 2

This confers no additional bonuses, but allows Defense: 1

characters to continue interacting with computers or Skill: Coordination 1, Perception 2, Ranged (Light) 1,
devices that are far away. Useful for disarming Vigilance 2
bombs while getting a head start on the blast,
Talents: When summoning, choose whether the
piloting vehicles remotely, or manipulating a hacked
drone is programmed to favor attack or defense.
camera or turret.
Attack drones gain the Crippling Blow talent, while
When controlling a device, the GM may call for a Defense drones gain the Bodyguard talent.
check that is not Hacking or SysOps. For example,
Attack: Shock Lance (Ranged [Light]; Damage 4,
once the connection is made, Piloting might still be
Critical 2, Range [Medium]; Auto-Fire, Pierce 2,
required to drive a vehicle remotely, or Perception
Disruptive 2)
may be needed to spot something through the
remotely accessed camera. Checks such as these
are made at their normal difficulty increased by 1 ◆
to account for the additional difficulty of not being Combat Drone Modifiers
able to control the device through its intended
Modifier Effect Cost
means.
Range Increase the range of the spell (the +◆
distance from the character that the
drone appears) by one range band. This
may be added multiple times, increasing
the range by one range band each time.

Chapter 7 - Tech Powers | 43

Detonate: As an incidental, when the Drone is
destroyed, it may choose to self-destruct, making
Sabotage Modifiers
one last combat check against an enemy in engaged Modifier Effect Cost
range with the Blast 4 quality in place of the Auto-
fire quality. Enervate If a target suffers strain for any +◆
reason, they suffer 1 additional
Sabotage strain.
Range Increase the range of the spell by +◆
Concentration: Yes one range band. This may be
added multiple times, increasing
Sabotage is a catch-all power that covers the tech the range by one range band each
specialist’s ability to shut down the critical time.
processes of Synthetic targets as well as the Additional The spell affects one additional +◆◆
electronic devices of organic targets. Target target within range of the spell. In
addition, after casting the spell,
Your character selects one Synthetic target within you may spend ▴ to affect one
short range, then makes an Average (◆◆) Hacking additional target within range of
check. If it is successful, until the end of the the spell (and may trigger this
character’s next turn, the target decreases the multiple times, spending ▴ each
ability of any skill checks they make by one (in time).
effect, this means they remove one from ◆ their Shield Drain The target’s Defense rating is +◆◆
checks. ) reduced by an amount equal to
the character’s ranks in SysOps.
The penalty may also apply to an organic target that The caster’s Defense increased
uses any technology affected by the Sabotage by the amount drained. This
power. The Sabotage power is assumed to affect all effect may not be combined with
the additional target effect.
of the target’s technology at once, however, so that
means any check made by a target relying on a gun, Malfunction After the target makes a check, +◆◆
an Omni-tool, a Biotic Amp (if the biotic chooses to you may change one die face in
the pool to any other face on that
take advantage of its bonus effect), tech armor, etc. die.
An organic target does not suffer a penalty for Paralyzed The target is staggered for the +◆◆◆
checks they make on actions that do not rely on their duration of the spell. This effect
electronic equipment. Targets with cybernetics are may not be combined with the
particularly vulnerable, as they can be affected additional target effect.
similarly to synthetics. This power may suffer ■ if
the target has the Defensive SysOps talent.
Before making the Sabotage check, choose any
number of additional effects listed on the Sabotage
Effects Table. These effects are added to the
check. Keep in mind that most of these effects are
subject to GM discretion depending on the player’s Tech Barrier Modifiers
description of how he wants to shut down the enemy
target. Modifier Effect Cost
Add Defense You gain ranged and melee +◆◆
Tech Barrier defense equal to your ranks in
SysOps.
Concentration: Yes
Empowered The barrier reduces damage + ◆◆
Whether you call it Tech Armor, Geth Shield Boost, or equal to the number of
Fortification, the effect is pretty much the same. uncanceled ▲ instead of the
normal effect.
Barriers reduce incoming damage for your character
and their allies. Unlike Biotics, tech specialists

44 | Chapter 7 - Tech Powers

cannot cast barriers for their group, and are limited
to personal ones.
The default difficulty of the check is an Easy (◆)
Hacking check. If the check is successful, until the
end of the character’s next turn, reduce the damage
of all hits the target suffers by one, and further
reduce it by one for every uncanceled ▲▲ beyond
the first.
Before making a Tech Barrier check, choose any
number of additional effects from the Tech Barrier
Modifier Table
Detonate: As an incidental during your turn, or any
turn where your character suffers damage, you may
end an active Tech Barrier power and mark its
Memory Slot as on cooldown. If you do so,
immediately make an attack against one target in
Engaged range. The default difficulty of the attack
is an Average (◆◆) Hacking check.
The attack deals damage equal to the character’s
Intelligence plus one damage per uncancelled
Success ▲. The attack has no set critical rating, so
you may only inflict a Critical Injury with a ▵.
The attack has the Blast quality (though you are not
affected in any way) with a rating equal to your
character’s ranks in SysOps.
Tactical Cloak (Augment)
Concentration: Yes
The Tactical Cloak routine is the infiltrator’s favorite
toy. When activated, it instantly cloaks the wearer
with an optical distortion field that renders them
nearly invisible.
To cast the Tactical Cloak, make an Average (◆◆)
Hacking check. If the check is successful, until the
end of your character’s next turn, your character
increases the ability of any Stealth or Combat checks
they make (in effect, this means they add ◆ to their
checks). This power ends immediately after the
character finishes a combat check, unless that
combat check rendered its target incapacitated.
Before making a Tactical Cloak check, choose any
number of additional effects from the Tactical Cloak
Modifier Table
A character may not be affected by more than one
Augment power at the same time.
Chapter 7 - Tech Powers |
Tactical Cloak Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Tactical While cloaked, you may always perform +◆
HUD the Aim maneuver without spending
additional strain (you may still only
perform two maneuvers a turn)
Assassinate The character may add damage equal to +◆
the character’s ranks in Discipline or
Coordination to Brawl or Melee checks,
and their Critical rating for unarmed
combat checks becomes 3, if it is not
already lower.
Perfect Your character becomes nearly invisible +◆◆
Camouflage to the naked eye. Opponents who
cannot detect you through alternative
means (i.e. thermal scope) immediately
disengage from combat, and may not
enter engaged range until they
successfully detect you with an
opposed Perception vs Stealth check
(they can attempt this once per round
as a free action).
When an enemy attempts to detect or
attack you, increase the difficulty of
their check by 1 ◆.
Tech Attack: Cryo-Blast
Concentration: No
Select one target at short range (but not
engaged). The default difficulty of the attack is an
Average (◆◆) Hacking check. The attack deals
damage equal to the character’s Intelligence plus one
damage per uncancelled Success ▲. The attack has
no set critical rating, so you may only inflict a Critical
Injury with a ▵.
This attack has the Ensnare quality with a rating
equal to the character’s ranks in Knowledge
(PhysSci).
You may spend a ▵ from this check to stagger a
target hit by this attack until the end of their next
turn.
Before casting the attack, the character may add
any of the following effects from the Tech Attack
Modifiers table:
Blast, Deadly, Range, Priming, Detonating, Close-
Combat, Debilitating, and Anti-Organic.
45
Tech Attack: Incinerate
Concentration: No
Select one target at short range (but not
engaged). The default difficulty of the attack is an
Average (◆◆) Hacking check. The attack deals
damage equal to the character’s Intelligence plus one
damage per uncancelled Success ▲. The attack has
no set critical rating, so you may only inflict a Critical
Injury with a ▵.
This attack has the Burn quality with a rating equal
to the character’s ranks in Knowledge(PhysSci).
Before casting the attack, the character may add
any of the following effects from the Tech Attack
Modifiers table:
Blast, Deadly, Range, Priming, Detonating, Close-
Combat, Anti-Organic, and Armor-Melting
Tech Attack: Neural Shock
Concentration: No
Select one organic target at short range (but not
engaged). The default difficulty of the attack is an
Average (◆◆) Hacking check. The attack deals
damage equal to the character’s Intelligence plus one
damage per uncancelled Success ▲. The attack has
no set critical rating, so you may only inflict a Critical
Injury with a ▵.
This attack has the Knockdown quality, as well as
the Disorient quality with a rating equal to the
character’s ranks in Knowledge(Life).
Before casting the attack, the character may add
any of the following effects from the Tech Attack
Modifiers table:
Blast, Deadly, Range, Priming, Detonating, Close-
Combat, Anti-Organic, and Debilitating
Tech Attack: Overload
Concentration: No
Select one target at short range (but not
engaged). The default difficulty of the attack is an
Average (◆◆) Hacking check. The attack deals
damage equal to the character’s Intelligence plus one
damage per uncancelled Success ▲. The attack has
no set critical rating, so you may only inflict a Critical
46 | Chapter 7 - Tech Powers
Tech Attack Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Blast The attack gains the Blast quality with a +◆
rating equal to your character’s ranks in
SysOps.
Close May select a target engaged with your +◆
Combat character.
Deadly The attack gains a Critical Rating of 2. The +◆
attack also gains the Vicious quality with a
rating equal to the character’s ranks in
Knowledge(Life) when attacking Organics,
or Knowledge(PhysSci) when attacking
Synthetics.
Detonating The attack deals damage equal to twice the +◆◆
character’s Intelligence (instead of dealing
damage equal to the characteristic). If the
attack has the Blast quality, it affects all
characters within short range, instead of
engaged. May not be used with the Priming
modifier.
Priming The attack deals no damage (Wounds or -◆
Strain) to the target from the initial hit, but
if the attack is successful, the caster may
still trigger any other qualities such as
Blast, Ensnare, Disorient, Knockdown, etc…
Range Increase the range of the spell by one range +◆
band. This may be added multiple times,
increasing the range by one range band
each time.
Anti-Synth When dealing damage to a Synthetic target, +◆
each ▲ deals +2 damage instead of 1.
Anti- When dealing damage to an Organic target, +◆
Organic each ▲ deals +2 damage instead of 1.
Armor- The attack gains the Sunder quality against +◆◆
Melting the target’s armor. The attack also gains
the Pierce quality with a rating equal to the
character's ranks in Knowledge(PhysSci).
Debilitating If the attack deals damage to an organic +◆◆
target, the target must immediately make a
Hard (◆◆◆) Resilience check or suffer
wounds AND strain equal to the character's
ranks in Knowledge(LifeSci). This counts as
a poison.
Damping The attack gains the Sunder quality against +◆◆
any target’s electronic equipment. The
attack also gains the Pierce quality with a
rating equal to the character's ranks in
SysOps.
Injury with a ▵.
Characters may activate the Stun quality on this
attack, with a rating equal to the character’s ranks in
SysOps. The attack also gains the Disruptive quality.
Before casting the attack, the character may add
any of the following effects from the Tech Attack
Modifiers table:
Blast, Deadly, Range, Priming, Detonating, Close-
Combat, Anti-Synth, Damping

Chapter 7 - Tech Powers | 47

CHAPTER 8 - POWERS: COMBAT MASTERY
Most of the Combat Powers from the Mass Effect
games can be found in the Grenades section of our
supplement, but there are a few special techniques
that are unique to the battle-hardened veteran.
Unlike Biotics and Tech powers, the powers found in
the Combat Mastery category are each “cast” with a
separate skill roll, meaning that it won’t be easy for a
single hero to excel at them all, unless they invest in
all the skills necessary for a warrior to truly be an Adrenaline Rush Modifiers
army of one. Modifier Effect Cost
However, one skill that is useful to all characters who
Haste The character can perform a second +◆
want to learn Combat Master Powers is Knowledge
maneuver without spending strain (they
(Warfare). may still only perform two maneuvers a
turn).
COMBAT MASTERY POWERS Martial The character may add damage equal to + ◆
Characters may spend 2 Strain to cast any Combat Technique the character’s ranks in Discipline or
Mastery Power that they have learned. In order to Coordination to Brawl or Melee checks,
and their Critical rating for unarmed
learn their first Combat Mastery Power, characters combat checks becomes 3, if it is not
must purchase the Tier 1 Talent Combat Mastery. already lower.

Adrenaline Rush (Augment) Swift The character ignores the effects of

difficult terrain and cannot be
+◆

Concentration: Yes immobilized.

Your character knows how to stay frosty under fire

and make the most of his fight-or-flight reflex in the
middle of combat. When you cast Adrenaline Rush,
make an Average (◆◆) Discipline check. If the check
is successful, until the end of your character’s next
turn, the character increases any skill checks they
make with a skill linked to Brawn or Agility by one (in
effect, this means they add ◆ to their checks.)
Before casting the power, the character may add a
number of modifiers from the Adrenaline Rush
Modifiers Table no greater than his ranks in
Knowledge(Warfare).
A character may not be affected by more than one
Augment power at the same time.
Command (Augment)
Concentration: Yes
Your character is an inspiring figure on the
battlefield, able to motivate others to be greater
than they think they are. When you cast Command,
select one ally (not yourself) that your character can
Command Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Undefeatable The target increases their wound +◆
threshold by a value equal to the
character’s ranks in Knowledge
(Warfare)
Haste The target can perform a second +◆
maneuver without spending strain (they
may still only perform two maneuvers a
turn).
Additional This spell affects one additional target + ◆◆
Target within range of the spell. In addition,
after casting the spell, you may spend ▴
to affect one additional target within
range of the spell (and may trigger this
multiple times, spending ▴ each time.)

48 | Chapter 8 - Combat Mastery

communicate with and make an Average (◆◆)
Leadership check. If the check is successful, until
the end of your character’s next turn, the target
increases the ability of any skill checks they make
with a skill linked to Brawn or Agility by one (in
effect, this means they add ◆ to their checks.)
Before casting the power, the character may add a
number of effects from the Command Modifiers
Table no greater than his ranks in Knowledge
(Warfare).
Concussive Shot
Concentration: No
Characters must be wielding a Ranged(Light) or
Ranged(Heavy) firearm to cast this power, however,
this attack is not affected by any other weapon
quality, or its damage or critical ratings.
Select one target at short range (but not engaged )
and make an Average (◆◆) Ranged combat check.
The attack deals Stun damage equal to the
character’s Agility plus one damage per uncancelled
Success ▲. The attack has no set critical rating, so
you may only inflict a Critical Injury with a ▵.
Before casting the power, the character may add a
number of effects from the Concussive Shot
Modifiers Table no greater than his ranks in
Knowledge(Warfare).
Fire Discipline (Augment)
Concentration: Yes
There is more to leading a squad into battle than just
saying some encouraging words. Your character is
the kind of leader who knows all the enemy’s
weaknesses, who can coordinate a team’s fire, and
who’s got enough extra ammo for everybody.
When you first learn this power, you may choose to
learn a number of Squad Ammo variants from the
Squad Ammo list up to your ranks in Knowledge
(Warfare). If you increase your rank later, you may
add another Squad Ammo variant to your repertoire.
When you cast Fire Discipline, you may choose one
Squad Ammo variant, and select either yourself or
one target your character is engaged with and make
an Average (◆◆) Vigilance check. If the check is
successful, until the end of your character’s next
Chapter 8 - Combat Mastery |
Concussive Shot Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Blast The attack gains the Blast quality with a +◆
rating equal to your character’s rank in
Knowledge(Warfare). Any damage done by
triggering the Blast quality is also applied
as Stun damage
Impact The attack gains the Knockdown +◆
quality. The attack also gains the Disorient
quality with a rating equal to the
character’s ranks in Knowledge(Warfare).
Knockback If the attack hits, you may spend 1 ▴ to +◆
move the target up to one range band in
any direction. For each Silhouette rating
above 1 on your target, add an additional
+◆ to the cost.
Range Increase the range of the spell by one +◆
range band. This may be added multiple
times, increasing the range by one range
band each time.
Fire Discipline Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost
Additional This spell affects one additional target +◆
Target within range of the spell. In addition, after
casting the spell, you may spend ▴ to
affect one additional target within range of
the spell (and may trigger this multiple
times, spending ▴ each time.)
Range Increase the range of the spell by one range + ◆
band. This may be added multiple times,
increasing the range by one range band
each time.
Squad Ammo Variants
Ammo Effect
Cryo Ammo The target’s weapon gains the Ensnare quality with a
rating equal to the caster’s rank in Knowledge(War)
Incendiary The target’s weapon gains the Burn quality with a
Ammo rating equal to the caster’s rank in Knowledge(War)
Disruptor The target’s weapon gains the Disruptive quality with
Ammo a rating equal to the caster’s rank in Knowledge(War)
Armor- The target’s weapon gains the Piercing quality with a
Piercing rating equal to the caster’s rank in Knowledge(War)
Shredder The target’s weapon gains a Critical Rating of 2, and
Ammo also gains the Vicious quality with a rating equal to the
caster’s ranks in Knowledge(War)
49
turn, the target increases the ability of any attack
they make with a ranged weapon by one (in effect,
this means they add ◆ to their checks.) In addition,
the target may, as an incidental, switch their weapon
to the Squad Ammo type you’ve chosen. Firing
special ammo adds new effects to a Ranged weapon,
but firing in that mode negates the ◆ increase from
Fire Discipline.
In other words, when you grant an ally Squad Ammo,
your ally can either choose a simple ◆ increase, or
the additional effect. Squad Ammo effects do not
stack with existing weapon qualities, but may
exceed them. For example, if the target’s weapon
already has the Ensnaring quality with a rating of 1,
and the Squad Ammo grants an Ensaring rating of 2,
simply take the highest rating rather than adding
them together to make 3.
Before casting the power, the character may add a
number of effects from the Fire Discipline Modifiers
Table no greater than his ranks in Knowledge
(Warfare). A character may not be affected by more
than one Augment power at the same time.
Unity
Concentration: No
Nursing your allies back to health after a battle is a
great reason to invest in the Medicine skill, but
getting them back on their feet in the middle of a
firefight is as much about medicine as it is about
pure grit. When you use Unity, you aren’t just
patching up cuts and bruises. You’re making split-
second life-or-death decisions, administering potent
short-term painkillers and serums, and encouraging
your allies to ignore their wounds, limp back into the
fight, and do whatever it takes to win.
When making the check, the character selects one
target they are engaged with who is not
incapacitated and makes an Easy (◆) Medicine
check. Upon success, the character heals 1 wound per
uncanceled ▲, and 1 strain per uncanceled ▴.
Use of the Unity power consumes one unit of Medigel
from the character’s inventory.
Before casting the power, the character may add a
number of effects from the Unity Modifiers Table no
greater than his ranks in Knowledge(Warfare).

Unity Modifiers
Modifier Effect Cost

Additional This spell affects one additional target within range of the spell. In addition, after casting the spell, you may +◆
Target spend ▴ to affect one additional target within range of the spell (and may trigger this multiple times,
spending ▴ each time.)
Range Increase the range of the power by one range band. This may be added multiple times, increasing the range by + ◆
one range band each time.
Shake It Off Select one ongoing status effect the target is suffering. If the power is successful, this status effect +◆
immediately ends.
Heal Critical Select one Critical Injury the target is suffering. If the power is successful, the Critical Injury is also healed. + ◆◆
Revive The character may select targets who are incapacitated. + ◆◆
Incapacitated

50 | Chapter 8 - Combat Mastery

CHAPTER 9 - EQUIPMENT
In this chapter, we expand on the default trading
system found in Genesys, and present a more
detailed breakdown of how characters can buy, sell,
or find the items listed here. For simplicity, any item
on the tables presented in this chapter should be
bought at full price during character creation, except
for items marked with (R), which should be made
available only at GM discretion.
COMMERCE
Whether buying or selling, commerce in SINGULARITY
generally occurs in two steps. For the most part,
they parallel those found in Genesys, but these
guidelines can help you make sense of how the rules
apply in the Mass Effect universe.
Market Research
The first step to buying or selling an item is
overcoming the challenge of finding a merchant
willing to sell you the item, or to buy it from
you. Either way, the difficulty of this task is set by
the item’s Rarity. Depending on the legality of the
item and the resources your character has available,
your GM may allow you to use one of several skills to
overcome this challenge.
Negotiation, Streetwise, or an applicable Knowledge
check. We recommend that Negotiation and
Streetwise be used whenever players are able to
conduct research on the ground, talking to vendors,
shaking hands, and making contacts, while a
Knowledge skill should represent research from a
distance, such as browsing extranet reports or trade
publications.
Interpreting the Results
A successful check against the item’s rarity sets the
scene for the actual interaction with a merchant, but
does not affect the default price of the item - just
whether you can find a seller or buyer, and what
happens in the process.
Threats, advantages, triumphs, and despairs should
instead represent the challenges and opportunities
that present themselves along the way.
The most direct way to do this is to generate boost
and setback dice to use in the upcoming Haggling roll,
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
but narrative twists are always suitable. Maybe you
discover that the market is currently experiencing a
shortage or surplus in this item. Maybe you find two
shopkeepers who can be played against one
another. Maybe you end up being noticed by the local
authorities or a criminal gang. Maybe a ▵ means
that you find the one person on the planet who owns
a rare item, but the ▿ means that he’s not willing to
simply sell an object with sentimental value.
Haggling
Once you’ve found the right merchant, you can go
ahead and buy or sell the item. You can buy the item
at the full listed price, and sell the item at a quarter
of its price.
The interaction can be as simple as that, and
sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go
about things. Merchants don’t notice travelers who
don’t ask questions, and they tend to prefer simple
transactions where you accept the price they’re
asking. But should you choose to, you are able to
Haggle.
Haggling can yield benefits as well as negative
consequences. Drive too hard a bargain, offend the
merchant’s culture, or accidentally reveal a flaw
about the item you’re selling, and you might end up
wishing you would have taken the initial
offer. Merchants talk to each other, and word about
pushy customers gets around.
For narratively important items, such as negotiating
the price for your party’s first ship, we recommend
similarly narrative solutions like having the party
complete a quest or mission to earn it. Or use the
more in-depth Social Combat system found in
Genesys (pg 118).
But for routine haggling, we recommend the following
structure.
Buying
Opposed Negotiation rolls, or an Opposed Social
Check with a difficulty increase.
Most merchants already have an advertised price
that makes sense for their bottom line, and they’re
usually not keen on deviating from it. When you make
51
a haggling check to buy an item, you make a social
check to interact with the merchant, opposed by
their relevant skill against that check.
Streetwise and Knowledge rolls can help you find the
merchant, but Negotiation is the go-to skill for
haggling whether you’re buying legal or illegal
items. Still, the GM may allow you to use Charm,
Deception, Coercion, or Leadership if the
circumstances are appropriate.
However, we recommend increasing the difficulty by 1
◆ if a skill other than Negotiation is used, to reflect
the idea that while coyly batting your eyes or
threateningly grabbing them by the collar might
indeed lower the price of the item, merchants
understand business first and foremost, and respect
those that speak their lingo. They don’t care as
much for beggars, scammers, or bullies, so it’s a little
harder to make an impression with those other
skills.
 If successes and failures cancel each other out,
you may purchase the item for the default listed
price.
 For each uncancelled ▲ on the Haggling roll, you
decrease the price of the item by 5% from the
default listed value.
 Do the opposite for each failure, raising the price
by 5% per ▼.
 Advantages/Threats/Triumphs/Despairs should
represent fringe benefits about the item, or your
relationship with that shopkeeper.
Resolve these narratively when possible. Is the item
brand new or is it worn and rusted? Did the merchant
throw in a custom paint job? Do you walk out with
the item in your hand, but leave the shopkeeper
scowling in rage, or might he give you a discount the
next time you come in? Will it take a day or two for
the merchant to have the item ready for you?
Selling
Negotiation against Rarity or the merchant’s
Negotiation. Alternatively, a social check at
increased difficulty.
Selling an item to a merchant is a little different than
buying. Unless you’re just exceptionally convincing,
merchants aren’t interested in the junk you’re trying
to offload. They just want to know how quickly they
52 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
can turn your junk into cash. In general, a rare item
will be more difficult for them to turn around than a
common one that can fit in with the rest of their
inventory or sell to another common merchant.
Haggling over the sale price of an item requires a
Negotiation check with a difficulty determined by the
item’s rarity, or the shopkeeper’s Negotiation skill
rating. This is the GM’s choice based on the
situation, and GMs should feel free to always pick
the higher of the two. If a GM chooses to allow you
to use a different social skill instead, we recommend
upgrading the difficulty of the roll by 1 ◆.
 A single ▲ will allow you to sell to the merchant
for the default 25% of the listed price.
 Two ▲’s will allow you to sell the item at 50% of
its value.
 Three ▲’s bring the sale up to 75% of the item’s
value.
 Further ▲’s only increase the value by 5% each.
 Failures do not confer any additional penalty, and
unless something goes horribly wrong, you’ll
always have the option to sell at 25% value.
 Handle other symbols narratively, just like buying.
Batch Purchases/Sales
Time is money, and merchants don’t have all day to
go back and forth haggling over the price of your
spare pocket lint. When buying or selling multiple
items with a single merchant, rather than making
these rolls for each item, we recommend simply
rolling once for the whole batch, with the difficulty
set by the rarest item in the lot, and applying the
bonuses or penalties for all the purchases and sales.
Trading
Larger-scale economic operations such as shipping
or smuggling items between systems or trying to
make money running cargo can be handled using the
default trading rules found in Genesys page 83.
ITEM QUALITIES
SINGULARITY introduces new Item Qualities to
Genesys that enable our weapons to more closely
match the dynamics found in the Mass Effect
Games.
Amplifying (Passive)
Each time a character attacks with this weapon, its
damage rating increases by 1 for any attacks made
by that character on the following turn. This effect
is cumulative, adding +1 damage up to the number of
ranks of this quality. The bonus resets back to 0 if
the weapon is not fired during next turn. Once an
attack is made with the weapon’s maximum damage
bonus, the weapon suffers an automatic Out of
Ammo result after the attack is resolved.
Backfire (Active)
This weapon is not just unwieldy, but downright
dangerous. When resolving the dice pool of a combat
check made by a weapon with the Backfire property,
the GM may spend ▾ and ▿ results to trigger the
weapon’s own qualities against any character or
target that was hit by the weapon. This means that
the GM may force a weapon to trigger Blast even if a
player does not want to spend ▴▴ or ▵. If that blast
hits a character (friendly or hostile), the GM may
spend further ▾ and ▿ to trigger other weapon
qualities like Knockdown or Disorient. The ▾/▿ cost
for triggering effects this way is equal to the number
of ▴ or ▵ that the player would spend to trigger
those same qualities voluntarily.
Charge (Passive)
This weapon has an alternate firing mode that allows
it to be “Charged Up” for a number of rounds equal to
its Charge rating. Charging the weapon requires a
character to spend an action on their turn building up
charge, during which the weapon cannot be used to
attack. On the following turn, the weapon gains the
Linked property on its next attack.
If a weapon has multiple ranks of Charge, for each
additional consecutive round spent charging,
increase the rank of the Linked property on the
attack by 1. Charging is optional, and a weapon need
not reach its maximum rank to be fired. If a Charge
weapon has the Limited Ammo property, then each
rank of Linked added to the attack this way
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
consumes an additional unit of ammo.
The character may choose to delay firing a fully
charged weapon for one turn, but an action must still
be spent to keep the weapon at its maximum charge.
Disruptive (Active)
A weapon with the Disruptive quality is effective at
rattling an enemy’s shields or personal defenses.
When Disruptive is triggered, one target hit by the
attack is Disrupted for a number of rounds equal to
the weapon’s Disruptive rating. A Disrupted target
has its Melee and Ranged Defense rating reduced by
1.
Empowered Blast (Passive)
This weapon affects a large area around the target.
The weapon counts as having the Blast quality,
however, the wielder must increase the difficulty of
every combat check made with it by +◆. When
triggered, the Blast affects all creatures in short
range rather than Engaged.
*Limited Ammo (Heavy) : 1 vs Limited Ammo: 1
Most weapons in Mass Effect do not require players
to track ammo. When you see the Limited Ammo
quality listed on a weapon, it is typically used to
symbolize that the weapon needs time to reload
each time it fires the number of shots listed on the
property. So while you won’t be keeping track of the
number of sniper bullets you’re carrying, it is
important to distinguish between the Black Widow’s
three-shots-then-reload rhythm, and the Widow’s
one-shot tempo.
This changes when we look at consumables and
Heavy Weapons.
When you see *Limited Ammo listed with an asterisk
in an item entry, that means that your character
should be tracking every shot.
The number following the property tells you how
many units of Ammo that weapon can hold, however,
each shot still consumes one unit of Heavy Weapon
ammo. So the ML-77 Rocket Launcher, costs 100
credits to fire each shot, but can be fired 18 times
before being reloaded.
If the *Limited Ammo property lists the word (Heavy)
before the number, this means that it can be loaded
generic “Heavy Ammo”, which powers most Heavy
53
Weapons at one unit per shot. Other weapons may
list a price in parentheses. These weapons need
unique ammo to fuel particularly powerful attacks.
The ammo is completely unique to the weapon, and
shares its rarity for the purpose of trade.
When reloading Heavy Weapons with *Limited Ammo
(Heavy) property, you do not have to reload the
weapon’s full capacity, but rather, may reload
partially.
Prepare (Passive)
In SINGULARITY, all instances of the Prepare quality
refer to a weapon that requires the character to
perform a number of maneuvers equal to the item’s
Prepare rating before each shot, whether the
character has moved or not. With Prepare ratings
above 1, the maneuvers spread across multiple turns
may count, but reset at the start of combat.
Scope (Passive)
This weapon has a built-in scope or rangefinder.
When you attack with this weapon after taking an
Aim maneuver, add 1 additional ■ to the attack per
rank of this quality
Setup (Passive)
These weapons generate too much recoil to fire
unless braced by a mount such as Bipod, Tripod, or
the Elcor Weapon Mount. A weapon with this quality
requires the character to spend a number of
maneuvers equal to it’s Setup rating attaching the
weapon to the mount before firing with it (in addition
to any maneuvers needed to set up the bipod or
tripod itself).
The Setup must be performed again each time it is
moved from its position.
Removing the weapon from a Bipod or Tripod mount
may be performed as an incidental.

54 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
CLOTHING AND ARMOR
The clothing and armor in SINGULARITY is designed to
be modified further through the Hardpoint System.
We’ve kept the basic templates fairly simple and
affordable.
Species Limitations
When buying or finding an outfit in Mass Effect, the
species of the character it was designed for should
be noted in the item entry. Characters may not wear
an outfit that was not originally created for their
species.
If GMs want to allow species of similar physical builds
to share outfits, we recommend that the wearer still
suffers a ■ to skill checks tied to Brawn and Agility
checks until they can refit the outfit.
When Crafting an outfit, 75% of the value of an
existing outfit can be put towards the Material cost
of crafting the same type of outfit for a different
species of the same silhouette.
When buying an outfit for a species that is not as
common in a particular region of the galaxy, adjust
the Rarity of the item by 1-3 steps depending on the
species.
Clothing
Performance Clothing
Foregoing nearly all protection, this clothing is meant
to fit like a glove, and allow the wearer maximum
mobility.
Protective Clothing
Simple clothes designed to protect the wearer from
scrapes and bruises.
Armor
Armor, or “Combat hardsuits” as they are known in
Mass Effect, are reinforced with sheets of ceramic
plating on non-flexible parts of the body. Each set of
armor, regardless of its weight, has a kinetic
barrier generator (“Shields”) that protects the
wearer from projectiles, and can be sealed to allow
the wearer to survive in outer space or harmful
environments.
Armor comes in the Light, Medium, and Heavy
variants.
ARMOR ATTACHMENTS
No equipment may benefit from the same
attachment multiple times.
Amphibious Modification
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Modifiers: The armor provides enough oxygen for up
to 5 hours of submersion in an airless environment
(although it does not protect against Vacuum). In
addition, the user removes ■ from physical checks
due to underwater conditions. Extra tanks have a
Rarity of 3, and are priced at 50 Credits.
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Clothing instead of Armor, the character removes one
■ imposed by underwater movement.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Camouflage
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Modifier: This outfit has been painted to blend in with
a particular biome (wild or urban). When installing
this attachment, choose one biome that this

Clothing and Armor

Name Def Soak Enc HP Rarity Properties Price
Performance Clothing 1 0 1 2 3 - $ 300
Protective Clothing 0 1 2 2 3 - $ 500
Light Armor 1 1 3 3 4 - $ 1,000
Medium Armor 1 2 4 4 5 ■ to Athletics, Coordination, and Stealth $ 3,000

Heavy Armor 2 2 5 5 6 ■■ to Athletics, Coordination, and Stealth $ 6,000

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 55
modifier applies to. While wearing this outfit, other ■ to the chosen skill while wearing it.
creatures add ■ to any Perception or Vigilance
Hard Points Required: 1.
checks made to detect the character in an
environment where the camouflage would reasonably Custom Style
apply.
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Innate Talent: Respected (When first applying this
Clothing instead of Armor, add ■■, instead of ■.
attachment, choose one social circle that your style
Hard Points Required: 1. appeals to).
Custom Fit Modifiers: Choose one social skill. Add 1 automatic ▴
to checks with that skill while wearing this armor.
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Innate Talent: Knack for It (Choose one skill from Clothing instead of Armor, may choose to add an
below) automatic ▲ to the skill check, rather than the
Athletics, Coordination, Driving, Piloting, Stealth. automatic ▴.
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to Hard Points Required: 1.
Clothing instead of Armor, your character also gains a
Disguise
Clothing and Armor Attachments Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Name HP Rarity Price Modifier: This piece of clothing has been modified to
Amphibious Modification 1 3 $ 500
fit in among a certain group of people. Perhaps it is a
uniform of an enemy organization, another species’
Camouflage 1 3 $ 300 traditional garb, or simply inconspicuous casual
Custom Fit 1 2 $ 1000 attire. When installing this attachment, choose one
Custom Style 1 2 $ 1000 type of disguise that this modifier applies to. While
wearing this outfit, other characters add ■ to any
Disguise 1 2 $ 300
Perception or Vigilance checks made to identify the
Elcor Weapon Mount 1-5 4 $ 800 character in an environment where the camouflage
Environmental 1 5 $ 500 or disguise would reasonably apply.
Protection
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Improved Shielding 1 6 $ 500 Clothing instead of Armor, add ■■, instead of ■.
Integrated 1 4 $ 300 Hard Points Required: 1
Compartments
Integrated Toolkit 1 4 $ 300 Elcor Weapon Mount
Jump Pack 2 7 $ 800 Use With: Any Armor originally crafted for an elcor.
Kinetic Exoskeleton 2 6 $ 1,000 Modifiers: The armor features a mount that holds
Lightweight Materials 2 3 $ 1,000 two Ranged Light, or one Ranged Heavy or Gunnery
weapon, allowing the wearer to aim and fire the
Reinforced Plating 2 5 $ 8,000
weapons without using his hands or arms (Firing two
Species Refit 1 4 $ 300 weapons simultaneously still incurs a penalty).
Superior 1 6 $ 5,000 The weapon can be swapped out of the mount with
Tactical Visor 1/2 6 $ 500/1000 an Average (◆◆) Mechanics check, taking about five
Tailor-made 1 3 $ 700 minutes. Once affixed, you do not need to spend
maneuvers due to the weapon’s Setup quality.
Trauma System 2 7 $ 2000
Vacuum Sealed 1 5 $ 600
When you fire the weapon installed in this slot,
instead of building the ability of the pool normally, in

56 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
place of Agility, add ◆ equal to the number of
Hardpoints this attachment occupies. The number of
dice may not exceed your character's Intelligence
rating.
Hard Points Required: Variable. Choose a number of
Hardpoints between 1 and 5.
Environmental Protection
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Modifiers: Choose one type of hazardous extreme
environment (Cold, Hot, Dry, Radioactive, Corrosive,
etc…). While wearing this outfit, reduce the difficulty
of any check made to resist the harmful effects of
this environment by 1 ◆.
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Clothing instead of Armor, reduce difficulty by 2 ◆◆.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Improved Shielding
Improves your armor’s kinetic barrier generator.
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Modifiers: Wearer increases their Defense by 1.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Integrated Compartments
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Modifiers: The character may store up to 2 weapons
or pieces of gear of Encumbrance 2 or lower in the
armor. While stored, these items do not count
towards the character’s Encumbrance Value. Other
characters suffer ■ to Perception checks made to
detect these items.
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Clothing instead of Armor, the compartments can
each store an item up to 3 Encumbrance instead of 2.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Integrated Tool Kit
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing.
Modifiers: When applying this attachment, choose
one type of Toolkit. While wearing this outfit, the
character always counts as having that kit available.
Tools from this kit can be drawn or stowed as
incidentals.
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
Clothing Bonus: When applying this attachment to
Clothing instead of Armor, a second toolkit may be
chosen, but the attachment doubles in price.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Jump Pack
Use With: Any Armor
Modifiers: During a single Move maneuver that the
character performs during their turn while wearing
this armor, they may move in any direction vertically
or horizontally. Moving this way still incurs any
penalties or checks (such as Coordination) that may
result from tricky obstacles or airspace that the GM
deems difficult terrain.
The pack may be activated in midair, but once
activated, the character may not activate the pack
again until they have landed on stable ground.
If the character ends their turn in midair, unless
suspended by some other means, the character
begins falling at the start of their next turn.
Once while falling as a Move maneuver, the character
can control their fall, descending up to one range
band without taking or accumulating falling damage.
Hard Points Required: 2.
Kinetic Exoskeleton
Adds small mass effect field generators throughout
the armor to assist with weight distribution.
Use With: Any Armor
Modifiers: When wearing this armor, the user
increases their encumbrance threshold by 5.
Hard Points Required: 2.
Lightweight Materials
Use With: Any Armor
Modifiers: The armor reduces its encumbrance by 2,
and it adds one fewer ■ to Stealth, Athletics, and
Coordination checks.
Hard Points Required: 2.
Reinforced
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing
Modifiers: The outfit gains the Reinforced quality.
The outfit also increases its encumbrance by 1
57
Hard Points Required: 2. Vacuum Sealed
Species Refit Use With: Any Armor or Clothing
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing Modifiers: While wearing this outfit, the user may
ignore the effects of vacuum or poisonous
Modifiers: If this armor was crafted for a species
atmospheric environments for up to one hour. The
whose build is similar to that of your character, your
built-in filters and air-recycling mechanism must
character ignores ■ from wearing armor belonging to
then recharge for 1 hour, or be swapped out. Extra
the wrong species. This attachment cannot be
filters have a Rarity of 3, and are priced at 50 Credits.
applied to a piece of armor if the two species are too
different in size or shape (GM Discretion). Special: Armor and Clothing originally created for
quarians or volus may be fitted with the Vacuum
Hard Points Required: 1.
Sealed attachment at half price, and the effect lasts
Superior for 1 week rather than 1 day.
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing Hard Points Required: 1.
Modifiers: The outfit gains the Superior quality.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Tactical Visor
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing
Innate Talent: When installing this attachment,
choose one talent from the list below.
Tier 1 - Knack for it (Perception), Rapid Reaction
Tier 2 - Eagle Eyes
Hard Points Required: 1 per Tier of talent chosen.
Tailor-made
Use With: Any Clothing
Modifiers: The wearer may put on or take off the
outfit as a maneuver.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Trauma System
Use With: Any Armor or Clothing. Increase the outfit’s
encumbrance by one.
Innate Talent: Once per session, the user may
activate the attachment as an incidental, counting
as one use of Medigel (although no consumable item
is spent when doing this). Additionally, all medicine
checks made to heal the wearer gain ■.
Synthetic: This attachment may instead be applied
to armor for a Synthetic character, substituting
Repair patches for Medigel, and Mechanics for
Medicine.
Hard Points Required: 2

58 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
RANGED WEAPONS mercs carry an Executioner as backup in case they
get pinned down, but some enthusiasts prefer it as
The ranged weapons available in SINGULARITY fall their primary gun, sticking to the one-shot-one-kill
into 6 categories: Pistols, SMGs, Shotguns, Assault approach.
Rifles, Sniper Riles, and Heavy Weapons
M-11 Suppressor
Pistols The M-11 Suppressor is the
product of the Alliance's
Acolyte Offensive Handgun Project
Designed for that developed an infiltration
the asari resistance, the weapon to be used in close-quarters situations
Acolyte's barrels fire where silence is key. The Suppressor features a built
advanced ammunition similar to that of an impact- -in integral sound moderator that reduces noise and
triggered resonant warp bomb, which has a muzzle flash. Civilian variants of the weapon are
devastating effect on shields and biotic barriers. considered illegal but can be found in some sectors.
Arc Pistol M-3 Predator
The Arc Pistol is a scaled- Manufactured by Elanus Risk
down Arc Projector that uses Control, the Predator is valued
a nonvisible laser to ionize as a powerful, deadly, and
the air and create a path for a relatively inexpensive weapon. While it is not
high-ampere electric shock. For a more damaging generally deployed in the military, where kinetic
blast, it can be charged up. barriers are common, it’s still very popular in
the Terminus Systems where these defenses are
Executioner less common.
Invented by Blood
Pack weapons experts, the M-358 Talon
first Executioner was The Talon is a close-range
improvised using spare parts pistol favored
and scrap metal during an Omega territory dispute. by Cerberus Guardians. Firing
The result was a handheld cannon able to fire high- heavy-gauge shotgun pellets, it delivers massive
impact, armor-piercing slugs, although only one at a trauma to unarmored targets. Its waste heat is
time due to its limited heat sink. Many Blood Pack sufficiently excessive that it carries six separate

Ranged Weapons - Pistols

Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
Acolyte RL Medium 7 4 1 1 Prepare 1, Blast 4, Disruptive 1, Limited Ammo 3 6 $ 400
Arc Pistol RL Medium 4 3 2 3 Charge 1 5 $ 275
Executioner RL Short 8 2 2 2 Limited Ammo 1, Pierce 2, Accurate 1 5 $ 1,025
M-11 Suppressor RL Medium 7 2 2 3 Accurate 1, ■■ added to checks to detect gunfire 5 $ 725

M-3 Predator RL Medium 4 3 2 1 - 3 $ 475

M-358 Talon RL Short 7 3 2 2 Inaccurate 1, Blast 5, Cumbersome 2, Limited Ammo 3 5 $ 375

M-5 Phalanx RL Medium 5 3 2 1 - 4 $ 525
M-6 Carnifex RL Medium 6 3 2 3 Pierce 1, Accurate 1 4 $ 575
N7 Eagle RL Short 5 3 2 1 Auto-Fire 5 $ 500
Scorpion RL Long 7 5 2 3 Blast 6, Limited Ammo 4, Proximity Mine 6 $ 500

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 59
ammunition blocks, rotating like a twentieth-century
revolver to prevent shaver jam or misfire due to
premature melting of the shot.
M-5 Phalanx
The M5 Phalanx is the product
of the Alliance's Offensive
Handgun Project that
developed a close-in weapon to be used on armored
or shielded targets with no loss of stopping power in
comparison to the soldier's assault rifle. Civilian
variants are often purchased by colonists on planets
that have particularly dangerous big game animals.
M-6 Carnifex
A highly accurate and lethal
pistol. The Carnifex is a
favored sidearm of mercenary
leaders and Eclipse mercenary tech specialists. An
expensive but powerful weapon, its marketing
materials feature a charging krogan with the slogan
"Don't you wish Carnifex was at your side?"
N7 Eagle
When the Alliance's Offensive
Handgun Project received
funding to update one of its
designs, its engineers chose
to redesign the already impressive Phalanx pistol.
Like its predecessor, the Eagle is a compact, fully
automatic pistol that delivers unprecedented
accuracy and punch with a rapid firing rate. The Eagle
is named after the Desert Eagle, a classic handgun
which gained a romantic reputation among gun
collectors, thanks to its popularity in 20th- and 21st-
century Earth action movies.
Scorpion
Originally issued to
the salarian STG to allow small
units to contain much larger
enemy forces, the Scorpion pistol now sees service
galaxy-wide. It fires low-velocity, squash-head
projectiles with a dual use. The high-explosive filler
within the projectiles contains an adhesive that
secures the projectile to the target on impact.
Proximity Mine: As an alternative to firing directly at
the target, the projectile can instead be fired at a
surface. This does no immediate damage, but for the
next 3 turns, the first enemy to enter engaged range
with the orb will trigger an explosion that deals 6
blast damage to any engaged targets.
Submachine Guns
Blood Pack Punisher
The Punisher was developed
by Blood Pack gunsmiths who
found that
their vorcha recruits
frequently forgot to optimize piercing ammo loads in
the heat of combat. The unique configuration of the
Punisher makes the process automatic and highly
effective at penetrating armor while maintaining a
high rate of fire.
Collector SMG
This short weapon is a hybrid
of mechanical and organic
parts, some more advanced
than the Collector assault
rifle. It vents heat automatically rather than requiring

Ranged Weapons - Submachine Guns

Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
B.P. Punisher RL Short 5 3 2 2 Auto-Fire, Pierce 2, Inaccurate 1, Unwieldy 3 6 $ 360
Collector SMG RL Short 5 3 0 2 Auto-Fire, Pierce 1 9 $ 325
Geth Plasma SMG RL Medium 4 3 1 2 Auto-Fire, Inaccurate 1, Amplify 3 8 $ 475
M-12 Locust RL Medium 4 3 2 2 Auto-Fire 5 $ 450

M-25 Hornet RL Medium 4 3 2 2 Linked 2, Unwieldy 2 5 $ 400

M-4 Shuriken RL Short 4 3 2 1 Linked 2 4 $ 475

M-9 Tempest RL Short 4 3 3 2 Auto-Fire, Inaccurate 1, Disruptive 2, Disorient 1 5 $ 500
N7 Hurricane RL Short 5 3 2 2 Auto-Fire, Unwieldy 3, Inaccurate 1, Disorient 2 6 $ 250

60 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
thermal clips and, when wielded by a Collector, N7 Hurricane
extends a neural link to their skin at the wrist.
While some militaries pass on
Geth Plasma SMG the Hurricane because of its
This submachine gun shoots lower accuracy,
superconducting toroids that the Alliance feels the gun's rapid firing rate offers
break apart on impact, excellent suppressive fire. A disciplined marksman
retaining an electrical charge that flash-converts the can use the fully automatic submachine gun to chew
shrapnel into plasma. Holding down the trigger through targets with alarming speed. Alliance
speeds up its rate of fire, rapidly depleting the gun’s officers were so pleased with field results that the
heat sink in exchange for nearly continuous fire. Hurricane is now many squadrons' standard-issue
SMG.
M-12 Locust
The Kassa Fabrications Model
Shotguns
12 Locust is a compact At-12 Raider
submachine gun developed for
Carried by
the Alliance but now favored
the batarian military's
by gang enforcers and hitmen. Featuring a complex
notorious Special Intervention
recoil-reducing mechanism and high-grade
Unit, the Raider is a semi-automatic shotgun that
autotargeting software, the Locust delivers longer-
loads slowly but fires rapidly, with tremendous force.
range, more accurate fire than others in its class.
Short-range even for a shotgun, the Raider has a
M-25 Hornet large pellet spread. Rather than eliminating recoil, its
integral compensators instead make it predictable
The Hornet is a long-range
and vertical.
submachine gun created
by Cerberus. It is standard Disciple
equipment for Cerberus
Originally handcrafted for the
troops, who are trained to handle the recoil from the
exclusive use of justicars, the
gun's three-round bursts. Cerberus designed the
Disciple Shotgun's schematics
Hornet to conserve ammunition and provide cover-
were finally released to asari commandos after
fire during prolonged conflicts.
centuries of negotiation. The Disciple uses shells
M-4 Shuriken packed with microscale submunitions to deal
staggering amounts of damage. Even shielded
A common but effective
enemies are stunned by the force of a blast from this
submachine gun. Fires three-
weapon.
round bursts, and can be
pulsed for a higher rate of fire Geth Plasma Shotgun
at the expense of accuracy.
This three-
M-9 Tempest barrelled geth weapon fires
miniature but potent cluster
The commonality of kinetic
rounds of superconducting
barriers has led to increased
projectiles and has a longer range than standard
demand for rapid-fire weapons
shotguns. A two-stage trigger system allows for
like the Tempest. Produced
either quick-fire capacitors or a charge-and-release
by Elanus Risk Control Services for
attack to electrify the projectiles as they exit the
the Eclipse mercenary band, the Tempest is an
weapon. As the rounds hit the target, they fragment
expensive but deadly addition to anyone’s personal
and electricity arcs between the pieces, flash-
arsenal.
converting the air to conductive plasma. The
resulting impact, heat, and electrical charge

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 61
 Ranged Weapons - Shotguns
Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
AT-12 Raider RH Short 8 5 3 5 Blast 6, Cumbersome 3, Inaccurate 1, Limited Ammo 2, 7 $ 325
Knockdown
Disciple RH Short 7 4 1 2 Cumbersome 2, Blast 5, Limited Ammo 4, Disorient 2 7 $ 575
Geth Plasma RH Medium 9 3 2 5 Charge 2, Cumbersome 2, Blast 6, Disruptive 1 8 $ 1,600
Shotgun
Graal Spike RH Medium 9 3 3 5 Limited Ammo 3, Cumbersome 3, Knockdown, Charge 1, 7 $ 1,150
Thrower Vicious 1
M-22 Eviscerator RH Short 7 4 2 3 Limited Ammo 3, Cumbersome 3, Blast 5, Pierce 1 6 $ 325

M-23 Katana RH Short 7 4 2 4 Cumbersome 3, Inaccurate 1, Blast 5, Knockdown 5 $ 400

M-27 Scimitar RH Short 6 4 2 3 Blast 4 6 $ 350
M-300 Claymore RH Short 10 4 3 6 Limited Ammo 1, Inaccurate 1, Cumbersome 4, Blast 7, 7 $ 400
Pierce 1
N7 Crusader RH Medium 8 3 3 5 Limited Ammo 4, Cumbersome 4, Accurate 1, Pierce 2 6 $ 600
N7 Piranha RH Short 7 5 2 4 Auto-Fire, Inaccurate 2, Cumbersome 3, Knockdown, 7 $ 550
Blast 5
Reegar Carbine RH Short 7 5 2 4 Blast 5, Disruptive 2, Amplify 2 7 $ 725
Venom Shotgun RH Medium 8 3 3 5 Limited Ammo 4, Charge 1, Blast 6 7 $ 925

and its tight grouping helps wound ballistics at longer

overloads shields and barriers. ranges than standard shotguns. This design also
Graal Spike Thrower violates several intergalactic weapons treaties, so
the M-22 is not distributed to militaries.
The Graal is one of a long line
of krogan weapons used to M-23 Katana
hunt thresher maws. Its Manufactured by Ariake
ammunition consists of oversized flechettes meant Technologies, the Katana is a
to pierce thresher hide and create deep wound common mercenary weapon
channels leading to massive blood loss. For additional and is also popular on colonies
firepower, the weapon is double-barreled, and, as a with varren infestations.
last resort, possesses blades to cause internal
injuries if the wielder is swallowed by the thresher. M-27 Scimitar
Using a Graal on a humanoid target has predictably An elite military shotgun
grisly effects. Its shots can be charged for more capable of rapid fire, this
damage. weapon is deadly at short
M-22 Eviscerator range, but ineffective at long
range. Manufactured by Ariake Technologies, the
The Lieberschaft 2180 Scimitar features twin mass effect generators,
shotgun, or "Eviscerator," is of giving it a more rapid rate of fire than a traditional
human civilian design and has shotgun. This weapon was created for
a unique ammunition generator. Where most modern the Eclipse mercenary band, but is rapidly becoming
firearms shave off chips or pellets from an popular with Blood Pack mercs, as well.
ammunition block, the M-22 shaves off serrated
metal wedges designed to fly aerodynamically. This
dramatically improves its armor-piercing capabilities,

62 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
M-300 Claymore
The Claymore used to be a
hard-hitting but poor-selling
shotgun due to kickback
problems snapping the arms of anyone but krogan
firing the weapon. After a rehaul of its kinetic
dampening system, the Claymore is being rolled out
again. As a way to lure back customers, the gun's
manufacturer has lowered the shotgun's selling price
without skimping on its stopping-power.
N7 Piranha
The N7 Piranha is an assault
shotgun designed for
the Reaper war. When
the N7 program began training alien resistance
forces, the lighter-bodied species wanted a low-
recoil weapon with a wide pellet spread for dealing
with hordes of husks. The result was the Piranha,
which hit a sweet spot in close-range firepower. Its
rapid-fire capability tears apart not only husks but
most opponents unlucky enough to be in its way.
Reegar Carbine
This electrical weapon
improves upon the arc
pistol's design by generating a
sustained current on its target. This weapon is
named for the quarian Reegar family, whose marines
have served valiantly against the geth.
Venom Shotgun
The Venom shotgun was
developed by
the salarian Special Tasks
Group to meet the
unpredictable needs of those stationed in hostile
areas. The double barrel fires ammunition that
detonates on impact, while a third barrel below can
be charged to fire a round of microgrenades.
Assault Rifles
Adas Anti-Synthetic Rifle
Named in memory of
the quarians killed in
the Morning War on the
planet Adas, this weapon's
electrical attack has been
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
optimized for medium- to long-range
firefights. Alliance marines take issue with calling it a
"rifle" since, technically, it has no rifling in its barrel.
The quarians shrug this off, as quarian weapon
terminology rarely translates flawlessly
into human languages.
Cerberus Harrier
These Cerberus-
modified Mattock rifles are
fully automatic. Cerberus
gunsmiths reined in the recoil issues, resulting in a
gun that stays on target but delivers slightly less
punch per round than a standard Mattock. As such,
the weapon is typically utilized by Cerberus’s elite
troopers who train constantly to make every burst
count.
Chakram Launcher
The fancifully named
Chakram Launcher uses an
internal fabricator to
manufacture lightweight
ammunition discs wrapped in holographic tracers.
The discs explode on impact, sending shrapnel
tearing through the enemy. Markings stamped on the
gun's barrel are a shipping code created by its
manufacturer, Ama-Lur Equipment. The code warns
that the rifle must be assembled carefully, as it
contains mixtures extremely volatile under pressure.
This is why the Chakram Launcher requires thermal
clips: without a way to dissipate the intense heat
caused by its fabrication process, the rifle's circuitry
would quickly destroy itself in a spectacularly lethal
meltdown.
Geth Pulse Rifle
Geth pulse rifles are
comparable to a standard
stock assault rifle, but finely
balanced with low-recoil and incredibly high accuracy.
The pulse rifle fires a rapid stream of light-weight
slugs which are wrapped in a phasic envelope to
increase their damage.
M-15 Vindicator
A battle rifle that fires in
three-round bursts. Favored
by assassins and elite
mercenaries, and deadly at any range. Manufactured
63
 Ranged Weapons - Assault Rifles
Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
Adas Anti-Synth RH Long 8 4 1 5 Auto-Fire, Blast 6, Disruptive 2, Knockdown 6 $ 1,300
Rifle
Cerberus Harrier RH Long 8 3 3 5 Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 2 6 $ 1,025
Chakram RH Long 6 3 2 4 Limited Ammo 4, Charge 1, Accurate 1, Blast 4 8 $ 750
Launcher
Geth Pulse Rifle RH Long 8 3 2 3 Auto-Fire, Disruptive 1, Disorient 1 8 $ 1,375
M-15 Vindicator RH Medium 8 3 2 4 Cumbersome 2, Pierce 1 7 $ 700
M-55 Argus RH Short 7 3 3 5 Cumbersome 4, Linked 2 5 $ 525
M-7 Lancer RH Medium 8 3 3 4 Cumbersome 3, Auto-Fire, Inaccurate 1 7 $ 975
M-76 Revenant RH Short 8 4 3 5 Auto-Fire, Inaccurate 1, Cumbersome 3, Pierce 2 7 $ 950
M-8 Avenger RH Medium 7 3 3 3 Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 2 5 $ 825
M-96 Mattock RH Long 8 3 2 4 Pierce 1, Accurate 1 6 $ 1,000
N7 Typhoon RH Medium 7 3 3 6 Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 4, Inaccurate 1, Amplify 5, 7 $ 2,125
Deflective 1
N7 Valkyrie RH Medium 9 3 3 5 Linked, Cumbersome 6 $ 1,075
Phaeston RH Medium 7 3 2 4 Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 3 6 $ 550
Particle Rifle RH Long 6 3 1 5 Auto-Fire, Accurate 1, Amplify 5 9 $ 1,375
Striker A.R. RH Medium 8 4 2 5 Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 3, Blast 6, Accurate 1 7 $ 850

by Elanus Risk Control Services for the Blue Suns are in existence.
mercenary group, the Vindicator is popular in the
Terminus Systems.
M-76 Revenant
The M-76 Revenant
M-55 Argus unleashes a storm of deadly
The Argus is a high-powered high-velocity slugs. It has low accuracy but a high
rifle favored by senior C-Sec thermal clip capacity, and packs considerable
officers. An excellent close- firepower. This custom-made machine gun features
range weapon, its bursts of fire ensure ammunition technology not widely available.
conservation during lengthy conflicts. Other law-
enforcement agencies across the galaxy are
M-8 Avenger
adopting the Argus as their standard rifle, as much The Avenger is a common,
for its intimidation factor as its suppression power. versatile, military-grade
assault rifle manufactured by
M-7 Lancer the Elkoss Combine. It's
The M-7 Lancer is a rare accurate when fired in short bursts, and deadly when
collector's item that was fired on full auto. The modular design and
introduced shortly after inexpensive components of the Avenger make it a
the First Contact War. The favorite of military groups and mercenaries alike. The
Lancer has been refurbished by an unknown master rifle has a reputation for being tough, reliable, easy
weaponsmith, and it now uses the higher velocity to use, and easy to upgrade.
rounds of today's weaponry. It does not need heat
sinks, instead utilizing weapon heat-generation from
an earlier era. Few of these finely crafted weapons

64 | Chapter 9 - Equipment

M-96 Mattock
Medium-range, semi-
automatic rifle. The Mattock
is a hybrid weapon with an
assault rifle's low heat production and a sniper rifle's
punch. Marksmen favor its increased power over that
of an assault rifle to bring down hardened targets. Its
lack of a full-auto setting is advertised as a feature
rather than a shortcoming as it curbs a soldier's
tendency to spray inaccurate fire under stress.
N7 Typhoon
The Typhoon is a distinctive
light machine gun featuring a
face shield to protect the
shooter from headshots. Its power and recoil are so
notorious that it includes a high-tech kinetic reducer
to fight muzzle climb.
N7 Valkyrie
After the carnage of
the Battle of the
Citadel, Alliance officers
commissioned a new rifle for
their ground forces. A variation of the
popular Avenger design, the Valkyrie is now standard
issue for new recruits. Exceptionally well-crafted,
accurate, and packing ample firepower, the rifle is a
hot black-market item when it surfaces.
Phaeston
Named after a turian spirit of
creation, the Phaeston was
engineered to provide the best
possible balance between accuracy and firepower in
a machine gun. Each shot is tempered by kickback
dampeners inside the shoulder stock, which lets the
Phaeston pack more punch than other weapons its
size without sacrificing precision. Its fully automatic
fire and relatively light weight has turned the
Phaeston into the turian infantry's primary go-to
weapon.
Particle Rifle
After the Reapers obliterated
the Prothean Empire's
warships, the Prothean
resistance was forced to develop weapons that did
not rely on intact supply lines. The Prothean Particle
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
Rifle is a stripped-down, powerful assault rifle
modified to fire without thermal clips or specialized
ammunition. Alliance Scientists agree that it appears
to share some principles with the Collectors' particle
beam weapon, although this gun requires a
temporary cool-down period if it overheats. An
amalgam of two different eras of technology, the
particle rifle is still a deadly, efficient weapon.
Striker Assault Rifle
The Striker is a fully-
automatic weapon that
functions more as a grenade
launcher than a rifle, firing high-impact slugs that
detonate on contact. The weapon increases its rate
of fire the longer the trigger is held, which is
devastating if the weapon can be kept on-target. In
an attempt to market the Striker outside of
the Krogan DMZ, the gun was designed to be fired by
non-krogan, but its recoil tends to off-balance
smaller species. Enthusiasts point out that the
target on the receiving end of a Striker has far worse
things to worry about than its shooter's balance.
Sniper Rifles
Black Widow
The Alliance wanted to reduce
the reload time of the original
Widow rifle, without sacrificing its stopping power.
The solution was to increase the number of shots
the gun could fire before it needed a fresh thermal
clip. Heavy for a sniper rifle, the Black Widow's
firepower more than compensates for its
encumbrance.
Javelin
Called the Javelin
by Alliance marines,
this geth weapon holds a
reservoir of ferrofluid, magnetically drawn into the
firing chamber and expelled at lethal speeds. Like a
high-pressure water-jet, the ferrofluid cuts through
nearly anything it hits with so much heat that it
resembles a beam of light, causing terrible wounds.
Kishock Harpoon Gun
An Alliance captain on her fifth
tour of the Terminus
Systems once said that
65
 Ranged Weapons - Sniper Rifles
Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
Black Widow RH Extreme 9 3 3 6 Limited Ammo 3, Scoped 2, Pierce 1, Cumbersome 3 8 $ 1,025
Javelin RH Extreme 10 3 3 7 Limited Ammo 1, Cumbersome 3, Scoped 1, Pierce 1 8 $ 775
Kishock Harpoon RH Long 10 2 0 5 Limited Ammo 1, Scoped 1, Vicious 2, Charge 1, Pierce 2 7 $ 3,675
Krysae SR RH Extreme 8 5 2 5 Limited Ammo 3, Cumbersome 4, Blast 6, Scoped 1, 7 $ 850
Pierce 1
M-13 Raptor RH Long 6 3 3 5 Cumbersome 2, Scoped 1, Linked 2 6 $ 825
M-29 Incisor RH Long 6 3 2 4 Cumbersome 3, Scoped 1, Linked 2, Pierce 1 6 $ 975
M-90 Indra RH Long 6 3 3 5 Auto-Fire, Cumbersome 2, Scoped 1 6 $ 650
M-92 Mantis RH Extreme 9 3 3 5 Scoped 2, Limited Ammo 1, Pierce 2, Cumbersome 3 5 $ 1,225
M-97 Viper RH Extreme 7 3 2 4 Cumbersome 2, Pierce 2, Scoped 2 6 $ 1,200
M-98 Widow RH Extreme 10 3 2 6 Limited Ammo 1, Cumbersome 3, Scoped 2, Pierce 2 7 $ 1,050
N7 Valiant RH Extreme 8 3 3 5 Limited Ammo 3, Scoped 2 6 $ 1,025

seeing a Kishock was the easiest way to tell if she
was being attacked by batarian mercenaries or
slavers, since "no bastard with a Kishock means to
take you alive." This powerful sniper rifle fires a
harpoon-like spike that causes massive internal
bleeding, and its miniaturized disruptors will also
destroy synthetics. The rifle’s biggest drawback is
that it must be reloaded after every shot, but for
those with steady aim and good timing, one shot is
enough.
Krysae Sniper Rifle
This turian antimateriel rifle is
modified to kill Reaper
enemies. Its specialized ammunition is both armor-
piercing and explosive. In a desperate move, the
turians released its specifications over the extranet
so that nearly anyone with a fabricator could
manufacture this weapon to help the war effort.
M-13 Raptor
The Raptor is a human version
of a turian weapon developed
for conflict on the low-gravity
world Amar. Fighting at longer ranges than expected,
the turians optimized a low-recoil, semi-automatic
rifle with a scope, and issued it to their regular
infantry, creating a hybrid weapon that was half-
assault rifle and half-sniper weapon.
M-29 Incisor
The Incisor is a sniper rifle
designed to overload active
defenses. Firing three rounds
with each pull of the trigger, the Incisor was initially
advertised as having negligible recoil, although under
real combat conditions the second and third rounds
frequently climb in difficulty. The noise of the burst
is comparable to a single rifle shot in duration,
making it no easier to locate the sniper by sound.
M-90 Indra
The Indra's low-powered
scope makes it less effective
at very long ranges, but many
soldiers believe this limitation is offset by the gun's
rapid rate of fire. The Indra is the first military-grade,
fully automatic sniper rifle. It has an extremely
efficient heat-sink system that allows a surprisingly
large number of shots to be fired before the weapon
ejects its thermal clip.
M-92 Mantis
The Mantis is a powerful
sniper rifle able to take out
most targets in a single shot.
It's incredibly accurate at long range, but rate of fire
is slow. Manufactured by Devlon Industries, the
Mantis is primarily used by police and planetary
militia groups.

66 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
M-97 Viper Capable of taking down multiple enemies with a
single well-placed shot.
The Viper is a semi-automatic,
rapid-fire sniper rifle This profile shown in the item table is for the M-100's
manufactured by Rosenkov typical use: firing standard Frag Grenades, which can
Materials. Rosenkov developed a patented be bought in packs of ten for 500 credits. However,
automated-release system that assists with the chambers can also be loaded with any other type
thermal-clip ejection, shortening the Viper's reload of grenade. When you do so, replace the Damage,
time. This rifle is popular with military snipers, who Crit, Blast, and Limited Ammo properties of this
appreciate a long-range gun that can snap off weapon with those of the grenade being fired.
multiple shots in the blink of an eye.
M-451 Firestorm
M-98 Widow The Firestorm is an anti-
Several research firms spent personnel and anti-armor
a considerable fortune trying flamethrower that can accept
to redesign the Widow sniper a wide variety of liquid fuels. It fires a sticky spray
rifle. Their goal was to retain the geth weapon's that burns at approximately 1,600 degrees Celsius
considerable firepower while reducing its recoil, so over a wide area.
that the gun could be fired without breaking a
nonsynthetic's arm. After much trial and error, one
M-622 Avalanche
company finally produced a usable model rolled out to Nicknamed the “Cryo-Blaster”,
the galactic market. the Avalanche uses modified
Cryo-Ammo technology to
N7 Valiant generate a mass effect
The Valiant is a sniper rifle containment bubble that, when detonates, deploys a
tested by Alliance soldiers mass of super-cooled subatomic particles capable of
during a series of harsh snap-freezing impacted objects.
survival exercises on the planet Kruljaven. This
streamlined weapon employs a sophisticated fire-
M-490 Blackstorm
control system that improves accuracy by stabilizing The Blackstorm, colloquially
the barrel during targeting. called the "black hole gun"
encases a few particles of
HEAVY WEAPONS matter within a high-powered
mass-increasing field, elevating them to near-infinite
ML-77 Missile Launcher mass. This creates a gravitational singularity that
Missile launchers are draws nearby enemies and objects inward for a short
surfacing with increasing time. The rapidly-increasing gravity near the
frequency among singularity's event horizon rips objects apart. The
the Terminus Systems mercenary bands, but their mass effect field soon destabilizes and returns to
origin is unknown. Each projectile features a friend-or normal mass, with explosive results.
-foe recognition system, ensuring it will find a hostile
M-920 Cain
target - though not necessarily the one in the
crosshairs. The player may spend ▵ to activate the The effectiveness and
Breach quality. The GM may spend ▿ to trigger the efficiency of mass-effect-
Guided quality on a target of his choice. based weapon technology has
rendered large-scale
M-100 Grenade Launcher deployment of highly
Rapid-fire grenade launcher explosive weaponry all but obsolete in infantry
favored by Blood weapons.
Pack vorcha mercenaries. Normandy's scientists have prototyped a modified

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 67
version of traditional high-
explosive rounds that is
applied to a 25-gram slug.
When accelerated to 5 km/s,
the round is devastating.
Though a technically inaccurate label, this prototype
weapon is nicknamed the "Nuke Launcher," and its
high-explosive matrix generates an archetypical
mushroom cloud on impact.
Arc Projector
The arc projector ionizes targets with a nonvisible
laser to ready them for a high-voltage electrical
attack. As the lightning-like bolt hits its first target,
a sophisticated autotargeting
system paints succeeding
targets with the ionization
laser, allowing the electricity
to take the path of least
resistance and arc between them. An entire enemy
strike team can be shocked to death with a few pulls
of the trigger.
The GM may spend ▾ ▾ or ▿ to activate the Auto-
Fire quality on one target of his choice.
Collector Particle Beam
The amount of energy
required to create a
destructive beam is several
orders of magnitude more
than the amount needed to launch a high-velocity
projectile via a mass effect field. This makes
weapons like the Particle Beam impossible to find
unless scavenged from a Collector stronghold.
Precise and lethal, this focused-radiation weapon
can pierce through most materials.
Cobra Missile Launcher
Though it looks identical to the M-560 Hydra, the
Cobra is a single shot launcher that fires a missile
directly at the target. It is powerful enough to
destroy a target on contact and has a small area of
effect. The downside to the Cobra is its limited
missile supply. Choose your targets carefully.
Hydra Missile Launcher
Before the introduction of the M-560 Hydra, missile
launchers either focused on bringing down a single
armored target or simultaneously neutralizing
68 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
multiple unarmored
opponents. With the Hydra, a
soldier no longer needs to
choose between the two.
The Hydra releases a barrage of miniature missiles,
each guided by an independent homing system that
seeks out exposed enemies. On impact, three shaped
charges per missile explode in sequence.
Players may spend ▴▴▴ or ▵, and GM’s may spend
▾▾▾ or ▿ to activate the Blast quality on up to 2
other targets within the weapon’s range.
Geth Spitfire
Like the geth plasma shotgun, the Spitfire is not a
true energy weapon. Instead, the minigun
magnetically flings clusters of superconducting
toroids. These donut-shaped projectiles are designed
to shatter upon impact, arcing electricity between
the fragments and flash-converting them to plasma.
The gun's punishing, automatic blasts impact with
the heat of a cutting torch.
The weapon's stopping power
has garnered the attention of
both Alliance
and quarian intelligence, who
theorize that the Spitfire may
have been designed to destroy
other geth. Enough Spitfires have
been found in the field to suggest that the weapon is
out of the prototyping stage, and that a schism
among synthetics may have forced them into
production.
Defense Turret
Available in Light, Medium or Heavy, Defense Turrets
encompass any variety of stationary anti-infantry
guns which are too heavy for the average person to
carry around.
With their high cyclic rate of fire and their excellent
penetration and stopping power, light repeating
blasters grant a squad of infantry the power to take
on the toughest foes and even to engage with light
and medium armored vehicles.
Turrets may come equipped with the Tripod Mount
attachment.
 Ranged Weapons - Heavy
Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
M-451 G Short 9 2 3 8 Cumbersome 3, Backfire, Burn 4, Blast 9, 7 $ 2,000
Firestorm Vicious 2, Sunder 1, Limited Ammo (Heavy): 5
ML-77 Missile G Extreme 12 4 4 7 Cumbersome 3, Blast 12, Guided 3, Limited 6 $ 7,500
Launcher Ammo (Heavy): 18
M-100 Grenade G Medium 8 4 3 5 Cumbersome 3, Blast 6, Limited Ammo (Frag 6 $ 1,250
Launcher Grenades): 10
M-622 G Medium 6 2 0 3 Prepare 1, Blast 6, Concussive, Vicious 2, 6 $ 2,000
Avalanche Limited Ammo (Heavy): 5
M-490 G Medium 3 6 1 5 Cumbersome 4, Backfire, Prepare 1, Slow-Firing 10 $ 3,000
Blackstorm 1, Empowered Blast 8, Ensnare 2, Knockdown,
Concussive, Limited Ammo (Blackstorm - 400):
2
M-920 Cain G Extreme 20 2 2 7 Cumbersome 4, Backfire, Prepare 3, Slow-Firing 9 $ 10,000
2, Empowered Blast 15, Breach 1, Vicious 4,
Knockdown, Concussive, Limited Ammo (Cain -
3000): 1
Arc Projector G Medium 12 4 3 5 Cumbersome 3, Backfire, Prepare 1, Auto-Fire 7 $ 5,000
(Only), Disruptive 2, Limited Ammo (Heavy): 10
Collector G Long 10 2 4 8 Cumbersome 4, Breach 1, Linked, Accurate 1, 9 $ 5,000
Particle Beam Prepare 1, Limited Ammo (Collector - 200): 5
Cobra Missile G Medium 16 3 4 7 Cumbersome 3, Blast 14, Pierce 2, Limited Ammo 7 $ 8,000
Launcher (Heavy): 1
Hydra Missile G Extreme 20 2 4 7 Cumbersome 3, Prepare 1, Breach 1, Blast 10, 7 $ 8,000
Launcher Guided 3, Limited Ammo (Heavy): 1
Geth Spitfire G Long 12 3 4 8 Auto-Fire (Only), Cumbersome 6, Pierce 1, 8 $ 4,000
Disruptive 1, Limited Ammo (Heavy): 5
Light Defense G Long 11 3 4 7 Cumbersome 4, Auto-Fire, Pierce 1, Limited 6 $ 3,000
Turret Ammo (Heavy): 5
Medium G Long 13 3 4 9 Setup 2, Cumbersome 5, Auto-Fire, Pierce 1, 7 $ 6,000
Defense Vicious 1, Limited Ammo (Heavy): 5
Turret
Heavy Defense G Extreme 15 3 4 10 Setup 3, Cumbersome 6, Auto-Fire, Pierce 2, 8 $ 7,000
Turret Vicious 1, Limited Ammo (Heavy): 5

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 69
 Melee Weapons
Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
Asari Sword Melee Engaged +2 2 2 1 Pierce 2, Vicious 3 6 $ 450
Armored Shield Melee Engaged +0 6 2 2 Defensive 1, Deflection 1, Inaccurate 1, 3 $ 80
Knockdown
Biotic Lashes Melee Engaged +1 3 2 1 Backfire, Ensnare 1, Disruptive 1, Pierce 2, 7 $ 400
Inaccurate 1, Unwieldy 3
Blunt Weapon Brawl/ Engaged +1 4 1 1 Disorient 3 0 $ 25
Melee
C-Sec Baton Melee Engaged +2 3 1 1 Disorient 3, Stun Damage 2 $ 70
C-Sec Stun Baton Melee Engaged 6 4 1 1 Disorient 3, Disruptive 1, Stun Damage 3 $ 160
C-Sec Stun Gun Melee Engaged 5 6 1 1 Stun 3, Disruptive 1, Stun Damage 3 $ 100
Improvised (Small) Melee Engaged +1 5 - 1 Inferior 1, breaks on ▾▾ or ▿ - -
Improvised (Medium) Melee Engaged +2 5 - 3 Inferior 1, breaks on ▾▾ or ▿ - -
Improvised (Large) Melee Engaged +3 5 - 4 Inferior 1, breaks on ▾▾ or ▿ - -
Krogan Hammer Melee Engaged +3 2 2 4 Sunder, Knockdown, Cumbersome 3, Vicious 3 5 $ 750
Mono-blade Knife Melee Engaged +1 2 1 1 Pierce 2 3 $ 240
Mono-blade Sword Melee Engaged +3 2 2 1 Pierce 2, Defensive 1 3 $ 480

and often frustrating prototypes.

MELEE WEAPONS
Armored Shield
A favorite of heavy troops such as the Cerberus
Guardians, this large shield can provide the wielder
protection from both ranged and melee attacks.
While it is not ideal for dealing damage, a strong
impact from a melee attack made with this shield can
knock a target off their feet.
Asari Sword
Asari huntresses are masters of silent stalking and
killing. Many combine blades and biotics, charging
forward at mind-bending speeds before swinging
their swords with enhanced power. While true asari-
made swords of this variety are rare, the thrilling
heroics portrayed in the vids have inspired collectors
and enthusiasts to seek out or produce replicas that
are almost as good as the real thing.
Biotic Lashes
These exotic empowered whips can be used to bind a
target or deliver a disrupted shock to an armor’s
kinetic barriers. In the wrong hands, the wielder is
just as likely to shock himself with these unstable
Blunt Weapon
This entry includes any blunt handheld item that can
function capably as a weapon in ordinary hand-to-
hand combat. Brass knuckles, hammers, staves, all
count as Blunt Weapons, and can be used with either
the Brawl or Melee skill.
C-Sec Baton/Stun Baton/Stun Gun
While soldiers, mercenaries, and assassins may
prefer the superior power of more impressive
weapons, there are peaceful civilized places of the
galaxy where the vast majority of people do not walk
around in head-to-toe armor. Police forces need non
-lethal options for taking down thieves, dispersing
riots, and breaking up barfights.
Improvised Weapons
Improvised Weapons function as described in
Genesys pg. 109.
Krogan Hammer
A brutal weapon, the incredible force of this
mechanized hammer is enhanced by precision
pistons and mass effect fields.

70 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
 Explosives
Name Skill Range Dam Crit HP Enc Properties Rar Price
Frag Grenade RL Short 8 4 0 1 Blast 6, Limited Ammo 1 3 $ 50
Inferno Grenade RL Short 8 4 0 1 Backfire, Blast 5, Burn 2, Limited Ammo 1 4 $ 100
EMP Grenade RL Short 8 4 0 1 Backfire, Blast 6, Disruptive 2, Sunder, Limited Ammo 4 $ 150
1, Damage is dealt to System Strain of devices, or
Strain of Synthetics caught in the blast
Flashbang RL Short 4 6 0 1 Backfire, Stun Damage, Blast 4, Concussive 1, Limited 3 $ 150
Grenade Ammo 1
Cluster Grenade RL Short 8 4 0 1 Backfire, Blast 6, Limited Ammo 1, Auto-Fire, 4 $ 100
Inaccurate
C-Sec Knockout RL Short 12 - 0 1 Backfire, Blast 10, Stun Damage, Limited Ammo 1 3 $ 125
Grenade
Homing Grenade RL Short 12 4 0 1 Backfire, Blast 12, Guided 3 6 $ 150
Lift Grenade RL Short 10 5 0 1 Backfire, Blast 8, Concussive 2, Disorient 5, Limited 6 $ 100
Ammo 1
Nightshade Blade RL Short 8 - 0 1 Backfire, Blast 7, Pierce 3, Stun Damage, Limited 7 $ 100
Grenade Ammo 1
Sticky Grenade RL Short 16 3 0 1 Backfire, Blast 4, Limited Ammo 1, Pierce 3 5 $ 100
Anti-Personnel Mech Engaged 12 3 0 3 Blast 4, Vicious 4, Limited Ammo 1 3 $ 850
Mine
Anti-Vehicle Mine Mech Engaged 25 2 0 4 Blast 2, Breach 4, Limited Ammo 1 5 $ 1,500

Mono-blade Knife/Sword Ranged (Light) weapon, or can be loaded into the M-

Crafted with a monomolecular blade, this all-purpose
knife is suitable for wilderness survival and hand-to-
hand combat. The larger version can represent any
ordinary blade such as a machete or katana.
EXPLOSIVES
Most of the explosives listed above can be rigged to
explode based on a timer or proximity detection.
Setting an explosive does not require a check until its
attack triggers.
Characters may attempt to spot a planted explosive
by making a Perception check with a difficulty equal
to the saboteur’s Skullduggery skill rating.
Characters may also attempt to disarm an explosive
by making a Skullduggery or Mechanics check with a
difficulty equal to the saboteur’s Mechanics.
Grenades
Grenades come in a dizzying array of variations but
for the most part, they all function the same way.
Grenades can be used on their own as a thrown
100 Grenade Launcher. If you choose to load multiple
grenade types into the launcher, make sure to track
the order in which the various types were loaded into
the spinning chambers.
Grenades can be set to detonate on impact or set
with a timer to detonate up to 3 rounds after being
activated at the beginning of the attacker's action.
Some also have a "dead man's" or pressure switch
that, once pressed, detonates immediately upon
release.
Anti-Personnel Mines
Cheap, easy to use, and frightfully efficient
weapons, anti-personnel mines come in a number of
forms. Mines can be set to go off on a timer, or when
they detect a creature entering engaged range.
The major drawback to anti-personnel mines is that
they can inadvertently target allies.
Anti-Vehicle Mines
Anti-vehicle mines are large, heavy explosive devices
designed to destroy tanks, rovers, and other

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 71
landborne vehicles. Modifiers: +1 Vicious
They feature both an adjustable pressure switch Hard Points: 1
that can be set to detonate at a certain weight
threshold and a proximity sensor that detects Encrypted Safety Switch
vehicles passing nearby. Use With: Any Ranged Weapon.
Anti-vehicle mines are usually deployed in groups, Modifiers: The weapon only functions in the hands of
depending on their intended use, and are used to its authorized owner. Attempts to override this
protect fortifications and encampments as well as to security feature require a Hard (◆◆◆) Hacking
deny vehicle access to battlefields and sensitive check. Failing this check causes the weapon to self-
areas. destruct, destroying itself and inflicting one critical
While quite deadly, anti-vehicle mines present little injury on the intruder.
danger to personnel, as even at their most sensitive Hard Points Required: 1.
setting, they require the weight of a vehicle to be set
off. Extended Barrel
Use With: Any Ranged Weapon
WEAPON ATTACHMENTS Modifiers: This weapon’s range is increased by one
Balanced Hilt range band, to a maximum of Extreme Range. The
Use With: Any Melee weapon weapon gains the Cumbersome 2 quality, or it
increases its existing Cumbersome quality by 2.
Modifiers: +1 Accurate
Hard Points Required: 1.
Hard Points: 1
High-Velocity Barrel
Bipod Mount
Use With: Any Ranged (Heavy) weapon
Use With: Any Ranged (Heavy) or Gunnery Weapon
Modifiers: +1 Accurate
Modifiers: Decreases the weapon’s Cumbersome
Rating by 2 when firing from a prone or crouched Hard Points: 1
position (or when the character could otherwise Kinetic Boosters
brace with the bipod).
Use With: Any Melee Weapon
Hard Points: 1
Modifiers: Decreases the Critical rating of the
Custom Holster weapon by 1, to a minimum of 1. Pierce +1.
Use With: Any Weapon Hard Points: 1
Modifiers: While it is concealed, add ■ to Perception Laser Sight
checks made detect this weapon. In addition, choose
one of the two bonuses: Use With: Any Ranged Weapon.

 This weapon may be drawn or stowed as an
incidental.
 Gain a ■ to combat checks made with this
weapon against targets that have not acted in
this encounter.
Modifiers: Allows the Shooter to aim as an incidental
once per round at short range. Decreases the
difficulty of Perception checks made to locate the
shooter by 1 ◆.
Hard Points Required: 1.

Hard Points Required: 1. Magazine Upgrade

Deadly Edge Use With: Any Ranged Weapon that does not have the
Limited Ammo property.
Use With: Mono-blade Knife, Mono-blade Sword,
Asari Sword, any melee weapon with blade. Modifiers: When the GM would spend ▿ or ▾▾ to

72 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
cause the weapon to run out of ammunition, it Hard Points Required: 2
requires an additional ▾ to have that effect apply to
this weapon. Power Magnifier
Hard Points Required: 1. Use With: Any Weapon

Omni-Bayonet Modifiers: While wielding this weapon, the character

adds a ■ to all combat checks made with Biotic
Use With: Any Ranged (Light) or (Heavy) weapon Attack or Tech Attack powers.
Modifiers: Enables the weapon to be used in melee Hard Points Required: 1.
combat with the following profile at the user’s
choice: (Melee; Damage +1, Crit 2; Range[Engaged]; Spare Thermal Clips
Pierce 2, Inaccurate 1, Vicious 1) Use With: Any Ranged Weapon
Hard Points Required: 2 Modifiers: Once per encounter, the wielder may
Piercing Mod reload this weapon as a maneuver rather than an
action.
Use With: Any Weapon
Hard Points Required: 1.
Modifiers: Increase the weapon’s damage and Pierce
Rating by 1. Supressor
Use With: Any Ranged Light Weapon
Weapon Attachments Modifiers: Enemies add ■■ to any Perception or
Vigilance checks made to determine the shooter’s
Name HP Rarity Price
location based on the sound of weapon fire.
Balanced Hilt/High- 1 5 $ 1,000
Velocity Barrel Hard Points Required: 1.
Bipod Mount 1 3 $ 100 Superior Weapon Customization
Custom Holster 1 3 $ 250 Use With: Any Weapon
Deadly Edge 1 2 $ 100
Modifiers: The weapon gains the Superior quality.
Encrypted Safety Switch 1 4 $ 350
Hard Points Required: 1.
Extended Barrel 1 5 $ 1,000
Kinetic Boosters 1 4 $ 1,000
Scope
Laser Sight 1 4 $ 500 Use With: Any Ranged weapon that does not already
have the Scoped quality.
Magazine Upgrade 1 3 $ 100
Omni-Bayonet 1 2 $ 300
Modifiers: Weapon gains the Scoped quality.
Piercing Mod 2 3 $ 1,500 Hard Points: 1
Power Magnifier 1 7 $ 1,000 Thermal Sight
Scope 1 3 $ 250 Use With: Any Ranged Weapon
Spare Thermal Clips 1 2 $ 200
Modifiers: The character may observe and target
Suppressor 1 3 $ 750 enemies to whom line of sight is obstructed by
Superior Weapon 1 7 $ 750 smoke, debris, foliage, or solid matter that is no more
Customization than 3 feet thick. At the GM’s discretion, the target
Target Tracking Sight 1 6 $ 150 might receive additional defense or even soak to
reflect the difficulty of shooting through a solid
Thermal Scope 1 5 $ 1,000
object. Certain construction materials may also
Tripod Mount 2 3 $ 250 prevent thermal sight. This attachment does not
Ultralight Materials 1 4 $ 400 improve the weapon’s ability to penetrate objects,

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 73
only to see through them.
Hard Points Required: 1.
Target-Tracking Sight
Use With: Any Ranged Weapon.
Modifiers: Remove the ■ added by the Called Shot
use of the Aim maneuver on attacks made with
weapon.
Hard Points Required: 1
Tripod Mount
Use With: Any Ranged (Heavy) or Gunnery weapon.
Modifiers: Decreases the weapon’s Cumbersome
rating by 3. May not move the weapon (except to
pivot) once tripod is set up. Setup requires 2
maneuvers, however, breakdown can be performed
as an incidental thanks to its built-in quick-collapse
mechanism.
A gun may only benefit from one mount attachment
at a time.
Hard Points Required: 1
Ultralight Materials
Use With: Any Weapon
Modifiers: Decrease the weapon's encumbrance by 1
(to a minimum of 1). Add ■■ to checks made to
detect this weapon using scanning technology.
Hard Points Required: 1

74 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
TOOLKITS Toolkits
On Genesys pg. 93, a framework is suggested for Name Enc Rarity Price
handling most questions regarding the handling of Cosmetics Kit 1 3 $ 300
tools.
Cosmetics Kit (Deluxe) 2 6 $ 1,000
The most important feature of a toolkit is the fact Doctor’s Kit 1 3 $ 250
that it enables characters to take certain actions
that they otherwise not have been able to take. Doctor’s Kit (Deluxe) 3 5 $ 600
Infiltrator’s Tools 2 5 $ 250
Without the tools available, the GM may rule that a
character may not even attempt to make a repair or Infiltrator’s Tools (Deluxe) 3 7 $ 800
perform medical procedure. Or the player may be Investigator’s Kit 1 4 $ 250
allowed to attempt it, but with a ■■ penalty.
Investigator’s Kit (Deluxe) 2 6 $ 600
Under certain conditions, possessing the right tools Technician’s Kit 1 3 $ 300
for the job can grant the character a ■ to checks
Technician’s Kit (Deluxe) 3 6 $ 800
where having those tools can present a significant
advantage. Surveyor’s Kit 1 3 $ 400

Toolkits presented here are shown in two versions:
basic, and Deluxe. The Deluxe versions of the tools
bring a little more utility to the table, and add ■ to all
checks made with the tools, rather than only some.
Cosmetics Kit
Used by make-up artists on holovid sets, as well as
spies and courtesans, this kit contains everything
your character needs to change their appearance in a
matter of minutes. It includes make-up, wigs,
headpieces, prosthetic features, contacts with
various eye colors, and a small VI tailor drone that can
make last minute alterations to a garment. For the
most part, the basic version of this kit allows your
character to either go unnoticed, or impersonate a
member of his own species.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit contains additional features
that allow your character to impersonate a different
species of its same silhouette profile. Featuring a
holographic illusion matrix that can project an image
(programmed or scanned) to fool visual inspection,
voice modulator, and a DNA spoofer that can
replicate a sample of hair or skin to fool bioscanners,
the deluxe version of this kit provides ■ to Deception
rolls made to impersonate another character, or
remain inconspicuous in a crowd. The kit may also be
used to simply improve one’s own physical
appearance, granting ■ to any social check
incorporation seduction against a target attracted to
the character’s species/gender.
Doctor’s Kit
Surveyor’s Kit (Deluxe) 2 5 $ 800
Xenologist’s Kit 1 3 $ 200
Xenologist’s Kit (Deluxe) 2 5 $ 600
Compact and rugged, Doctor’s Kits are found
anywhere a serious injury may occur. While the exact
contents may vary slightly depending on race or
manufacturer, they generally contain all of the tools
and supplies a trained medic would need to tend to a
wounded comrade of nearly any race. This includes
common medical diagnostic tools, sterile surgical
instruments, disinfectants, anesthetics, common
prescription drugs, and medigel injectors.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit also contains a collapsible
stretcher, a portable dialysis machine, a medical
scanner, and a diagnostic database accessible via
Omni-Tool. This deluxe kit grants ■ to all Medicine
checks, and individuals using it decrease the
difficulty of any Medicine checks they make to heal
Critical Injuries by 1 to a minimum of Easy (◆).
Explorer’s Kit
Containing a multi-tool, climbing gear, a camp stove,
backup firestarting materials, rope, a compact
shovel, a collapsible shelter for two, thermal
blankets, and a portable water filter, the explorer’s
kit is essential for surviving in the wilderness and
traversing through exotic planets.
Deluxe: At double the cost and encumbrance, a
Deluxe Explorer’s Kit contains motor-driven
rappelling/climbing gear, a portable heater, a

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 75
compact solar-powered water vapor extractor that
can generate enough water to keep a small party
alive as long as it can run, a portable shelter that can
house a small party, and a survival manual (physical
in case your omni-tool is destroyed) suitable for a
variety of common environments. This deluxe kit
grants a ■ to all Survival and Resilience checks made
with an applicable tool.
Infiltrator’s Kit
Spies, thieves, and hackers have their own tools of
the trade. This kit contains all the miniature
screwdrivers, laser-cutters, chemical solvents, wire-
splicing tools your character might need to break into
a device such as a door lock, a secure console, or an
elevator control panel. A chip scanner or digital
signature spoofer can help in the creation of forged
authentication tools such as ID cards or wireless door
tokens. This tool may also be used to disarm
explosives.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit contains higher quality tools
featuring VI-assisted routines for basic decryption
and lock-picking. The character may gain a ■ on any
applicable SysOps, Hacking, or Skullduggery check
made with these tools.
Investigator’s Kit
An essential tool for C-Sec officers, private
investigators, bounty hunters, and anyone dealing
with the criminal element, the Investigator’s Kit has
everything a character needs to reconstruct a crime
scene and gather evidence. The kit includes a
fingerprint scanner, sample bags and markers for
cataloging evidence, a chemical analysis tool for
detecting toxins, finding traces of explosives, or
conducting DNA tests, multi-spectrum light
emitters, magnifying lenses.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit contains higher quality tools
and a VI drone equipped with a scanner and a
holographic projector that project simulated images
of the participants in a crime scene based on blood
spatter analysis, ballistic trajectories, and
environmental damage signs. This kit also provides
access to law enforcement databases containing
profiles of known criminals (although the amount of
data provided may be depending on the character’s
own security clearance, whether legally or illegally
obtained). This deluxe kit grants ■ to Perception
checks made to survey a scene where any tool
76 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
contained my apply, as well as Knowledge
(Underworld) checks made to identify a perpetrator
based on DNA, fingerprints, or other biometric details.
Technician’s Kit
This portable toolbox contains all the basics
necessary to craft mechanical items and perform
repairs on vehicles, weapons, or synthetic
characters. This includes wrenches, pliers, nuts,
bolts, and other fasteners, measuring instruments,
wire cutters, and more. This tool may also be used to
disarm explosives.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit contains a number of power
tools such as an monomolecular-blade power saw, a
rotary tool, grinders and sanders, a welding torch and
a small hovering router drone for quick subtractive
manufacturing jobs. The tool also contains a
database of common vehicle and engine diagnostic
manuals, accessible via your Omni-Tool. This deluxe
kit grants ■ to all Mechanics checks.
Surveyor’s Kit
Cartographers, archaeologists, paleontologists,
prospectors, and scientists often carry kits that
allow them to delve into ancient ruins, explore deep
caves, or venture into uncharted jungles. This kit
contains all the sophisticated tools necessary to
perform a complete analysis of any unexplored
environment. The kit contains a multi-tool, small
picks and hammers, survey stakes, hand spades,
brushes, small containers with automated
atmospheric control, sample bags, chemicals for
performing analysis on soil, stone, and minerals, and
a portable carbon-dating scanner.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit contains higher quality tools,
and a small fist-sized scanner drone that can be
commanded to record high-definition images of the
surrounding environment for mapping or analysis.
Through their Omni-Tool, a character may also
access a database of academic journals covering
ancient cultures, religious iconography, languages,
and artifacts as well as geological profiles of various
planet types. Where applicbable, this deluxe kit
grants a ■ to all Knowledge(Social Science) and
Knowledge(PhysSci) checks made to gather
information from the surrounding environment, and
any checks made to harvest crafting resources.
Xenologist’s Kit
Often carried alongside the Explorer’s Kit, the
Xenologist’s kit contains a number of unique
implements that enable the study, capture, or
hunting of animals in the wild. This includes stun-
snares, field dressing tools, chemical lures and
repellents, specimen containers with built-in
pressure and environmental control, botanical
clippers, hydrometers, soil testing kits, a microscopic
scanner.
Deluxe: The deluxe kit not only comes with higher-
grade supplies, but also equips your Omni-Tool with a
Xenology database containing field guides,
anatomical diagrams, beast call recordings, and
academic research texts covering the majority of
known flora and fauna in the Milky Way. The kit also
contains a cataloging interface for recording and
analyzing data on new species. With this deluxe kit,
the character adds a to all Survival, Knowledge
(LifeSci) and any other checks made to interact with
plants or animals where the tools could be applicable.

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 77

OMNI-TOOLS
Omni-tools are handheld devices that combine a
computer microframe, sensor analysis pack, and
minifacturing fabricator. Versatile and reliable, an
omni-tool can be used to analyze and adjust the
functionality of most standard equipment, including
weapons and armor, from a distance. The fabrication
module can rapidly assemble small three-dimensional
objects from common, reusable industrial plastics,
ceramics, and light alloys. This allows for field repairs
and modifications to most standard items, as well as
the reuse of salvaged equipment.
A basic Omni-tool has all of the following
functions: Flashlight and scanner, Remote device
access, Medi-Gel Dispenser, Computer interface,
Camera, Communications device (audio, video, and
hologram), video game console, and rapid
fabricator.
When needed, an omni-tool 'appears' on the user's
arm (the left arm for right-handed users, and vice-
versa) as an orange hard-light hologram, which the
user interacts with directly. The hologram houses
most of the components, but the hardware to run
the omni tool is a wallet-sized device worn
somewhere on the user's body, or integrated into
their armor.
Memory Threshold: Omni-tools come equipped with a
hard drive that can be used to install additional
software upgrades and extra features. Memory
functions like Encumbrance, but for digital assets.
Any upgrade purchase you make is licensed
perpetually, so you won’t need to purchase it again if
you delete it from your Omni-tool’s memory. But
your memory threshold does limit how many
upgrades you can benefit from at any time.
Your Omni-Tool ships with a default memory rating,
but you can spend an hour or so to fine-tune it to
your specifications. A personalized Omni-Tool may
not be used by another character, but gains
additional memory equal to your SysOps skill rating.
Freeing up Space: If you choose to purchase more
upgrades than your Omni-Tool can hold, you can
delete a previous upgrade at any time. Deleting an
upgrade can be performed almost instantly, although
reinstalling it will take time.
Installing an Upgrade: Installing an Omni-Tool upgrade
takes about an hour of work and requires access to a
computer or lab. If time is not a factor, the GM may
allow a player to install upgrades without making
checks, but if the character is under a time
constraint, it requires an Average SysOps (◆◆)
check. Failure simply means that the upgrade isn’t
installed, and the character needs to try again.
Additional ▲ can represent faster installation time,
while ▾ and ▿ may be spent to cause the Omni-Tool
to suffer system strain at the end of the operation.
Deluxe Omni-Tools
Most people in the galaxy can get by with a basic
Omni-Tool, but hackers and advanced users prefer to
invest in hardware with a few more bells and

Omni-Tools
Name Enc Memory Tech System Rarity Price
Threshold Damage Strain
Basic Omni-Tool 1 5+SysOps +0 6 4 $ 100
Bluewire Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +3 8 5 $ 500
Chameleon Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +2 8 6 $ 350
Cipher Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +2 8 5 $ 350
Logic Arrest Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +2 8 6 $ 350
Nexus Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +2 8 5 $ 350
Polaris Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +4 8 5 $ 500
Savant Omni-Tool 2 8+SysOps +3 8 6 $ 1000
Spectre-Class Omni-Tool 2 10+SysOps +2 10 8 $ 10,000

78 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
whistles. All Deluxe Omni-Tools have additional
system strain. In addition, when purchasing a Deluxe
Omni-Tool, choose one of the brands below.
That tool receives a manufacturer bonus to Tech
Powers that fit the described criteria. Deluxe Omni-
tools effectively substitute for Genesys’ Magic
Implement system, and their bonuses towards Tech
Powers function according to the same rules. That
is, your character may only benefit from one
Implement bonus at a time, and the Omni-Tool does
not impose a ■ on your character’s Tech Power
checks for not having their hands free.
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Bluewire
When the character casts a Tech Attack Power
(Overload, Cryo Blast, Incinerate, and Neural Shock)
he may add the Blast effect without increasing the
power’s difficulty.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +3
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Chameleon
When the character casts the Tactical Cloak power,
the first effect added to the power increases the
difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it would
normally.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Cipher
When the character casts the Tech Barrier power,
the first effect added to the power increases the
difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it would
normally.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Logic Arrest
When the character casts the Sabotage power, the
first effect added to the power increases the
difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it would
normally.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Nexus
When the character casts the Tech Barrier power,
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
the first effect added to the power increases the
difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it would
normally.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Polaris
When the character casts a Tech Attack Power
(Overload, Cryo Blast, Incinerate, and Neural Shock)
he may add the Range additional effect without
increasing the power’s difficulty.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +4
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Savant
Whenever the character Readies a Tech Power on the
omni-tool, he may pick any effect that adds a single
+◆ to the casting difficulty of that Tech Power. If
this bonus was applied to a different power, the
bonus for the previous power is lost.
When casting this power, he may add the effect
without increasing the power’s difficulty.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +3
Deluxe Omni-Tool - Spectre-Class
When using this Omni-Tool, you must always
increase the difficulty of any Tech Powers you cast
by 1 ◆.
This Omni-Tool cannot be destroyed by ▿▿ results.
When the user casts a Tech Attack Power, he may
add the Range, Blast, or Detonating effects to the
power without increasing the power’s difficulty.
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2
Omni-Tool Upgrade Modules
Upgrade: Cypher Software
Ever wary of espionage, most of the galaxy’s
corporations either create or use commercially-
available products to secure personal
communications. Cypher software adds an extra
layer of encryption to an individual’s personal
communications over the Extranet, including emails,
messaging, and voice communication. The cyphers
are created using random ‘noise’ from the
79
background radiation of space, and are nearly
impossible to crack using brute force.
Any attempts to decrypt communications encrypted Omni-tool Upgrades
using Cypher Software without the unique decryption
key require a Formidable (◆◆◆◆◆) Hacking check. Name Memory Rarity Price
Upgrade: Integrated Toolkit Cypher Software 3 7 $ 1,500
Integrated Toolkit 2 5 $ 400
Peripheral attachments to the omni-tool abound
throughout the galaxy. Some enhance the IR/EMF Meter 3 6 $ 1,000
minifacturing capabilities of the omni-tool, providing Networked Combat 2 7 $ 2,000
the user with ready-made access to disposable Sensor
hardware, while others transform themselves into Professional Research 1 5 $ 50
sophisticated scanning implements, or even medical Suite
tools. When your character buys this upgrade,
Omni-Blade 1 3 $ 350
choose one Basic toolkit from the Toolkit section
earlier in this chapter. Your character may count as Omni-Blade Variant 1 4 $ 600
(any)
having access to that toolkit for any skill checks.
However, they may not benefit from the Deluxe Optical Enhancement 1 4 $ 250
bonuses of the more expensive Toolkit variants. Suite
Scanner 2 4 $ 500
Upgrade: IR/EMF Meter
The basic sensors on an omni-tool can detect
electromagnetic fields, but security forces and
technicians who require a higher degree of sensitivity
often upgrade their omni-tools with an IR/EMF Omni-Blades & Variants
Meter. These tools can find leaks in starship engine
Name Range Dam Crit Properties
rooms, identify explosive devices, and help find
concealed weapons. OmniBlade Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 1,
Vicious 1
A character using an omni-tool upgraded with an IR/
EMF Meter receives a ■ to any Perception checks Forked Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 2,
Lightning Vicious 1, Disruptive 2
made to detect objects that emit heat or Blade
electromagnetic radiation, including weapons,
surveillance bugs, and explosive devices. Omni-Flame Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 1,
Vicious 1, Burn
Upgrade: Omni-Blade Dual Blades Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 1,
Vicious 1, Linked
A disposable silicon-carbide weapon flash-forged by
the omni-tool's mini-fabricator. The transparent, Spiked Blade Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 1,
nearly diamond-hard blade is created and suspended Vicious 3
in a mass effect field safely away from the user's Extended Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 2,
skin. Warning lights illuminate the field so the searing Blade Vicious 1, Defensive 1
-hot blade only burns what it is intended to: the Cryo Blade Engaged +1 2 Knockdown, Pierce 1,
opponent. Vicious 1, Ensnare 1,
spend ▵ to Stagger
This Upgrade allows your character to summon a
Omni-Shield Engaged +0 6 Knockdown, Defensive
weapon as a maneuver. All Omni-Blades and their
1, Deflection 1
variants are Brawl weapons with zero encumbrance.
All attacks made with the Omni-Blade can attack
strain, although additional weapon qualities like Burn
or Linked will can only deal damage to the enemy’s

80 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
Wound Threshold. Omni-Blades can be dismissed as First developed for the salarian STG teams from
an incidental, shattering into thin air. recovered geth technology, the plans for this
upgraded scanner were commercialized by the
Variants: More technically adept soldiers frequently
Andromeda Initiative as a means of raising capital.
modify their omni-tools to maximize stopping power
The scanner projects a false-color display over the
through electrical, kinetic, or thermal energy. Some
center of the user’s HUD, allowing sensor feedback
troops integrate their weapon with their kinetic
to be visually highlighted.
barriers, transforming the omni-tool into a wrist-
mounted bludgeon; others fabricate flammable A character making a Perception check on an object
gases, held in place by a mass effect field and ignited within medium range using an upgraded omni-tool
upon impact. All prove deadly surprises for opponents scanner removes up to 2 ■■ from the pool.
who expect a disarmed Alliance warrior.
Upgrade: Networked Combat Sensor
What grunts lovingly refer to as ‘Combat Radar’ is in
reality much more complex. A VI on the omni-tool
constantly processes passive sensor data,
extrapolating potential enemy positions based on
everything from radio transmissions to ambient
noise. The positions are shown relative to the
soldier’s location on the battlefield, appearing on
their HUD as red dots.
Active Combat Sensors grant the Innate Talent:
Heightened Awareness
Upgrade: Professional Research Suite
For every profession or hobby in the galaxy, there is
almost certainly a premium publication or knowledge
network making money by providing reliable
information about it. This can be a specialized
academic journal database, direct access to a
government or Spectre-class knowledge base of
classified information, or maybe a just subscription
to a really well put-together database of Dextro-
safe cooking recipes.
Innate Talent: Bought Info
Upgrade: Optical Enhancement Suite
Designed for the military but marketed commercially
for the explorer and hunter markets, the Optical
Enhancement Suite is a handheld device vaguely
resembling binoculars. In addition to magnification,
the Suite incorporates light-amplification, infrared
imaging, rangefinding, and screen-sharing features.
A character using an Optical Enhancement Suite
removes up to 2 ■■ dice when making Perception
checks at Medium range or farther.
Upgrade: Scanner

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 81
BIOTIC AMPS Biotic Amps
Any biotic, whether enabled through biotic implants Name Enc Biotic Rarity Price
or natural abilities, can benefit from the effects of a Damage
biotic amp, and there is a growing market for Solaris 1 +3 5 $ 350
modifications and add-ons. The finest quality amps
are manufactured by asari artisans. However, Prodigy 1 +3 6 $ 700
the Systems Alliance has rapidly begun to catch up in Gemini 1 +3 5 $ 500
the development of sophisticated amps that Polaris 1 +4 7 $ 500
interface with the surgical implants that most
organics need in order to access biotic powers. Serrice Council 1 +3 7 $ 500
Sirta 1 +2 6 $ 350
When purchasing a Biotic Amp, choose one of the
brands below. Spectre 2 +2 9 $ 10,000

That amp receives a manufacturer bonus to Biotic Terminus 1 +2 8 $ 1,000

Powers that fit the described criteria. Biotic Amps
effectively substitute for Genesys’ Magic Implement
system, and their bonuses towards Biotic Powers
function according to the same rules. That is, your
character may only benefit from one Implement
bonus at a time, and the amp does not impose a ■ on
your character’s Biotic Power checks for not having
their hands free.
Biotic Amp - Prodigy
When the character uses the Telekinesis Power, he
may decrease the difficulty of the check by 1 ◆. The
character also does not add a ◆ on checks required
to use additional skills to manipulate the object.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +3.
Biotic Amp - Sirta Foundation
When the character casts the Biotic Barrier power,
the first effect added to the power increases the
difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it would
normally.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2.
Biotic Amp - Terminus
When the character casts the Biotic Domination
power, the first effect added to the power increases
the difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it
would normally.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2.
Biotic Amp - Serrice Council
When you buy this amp, choose either Knowledge
(PhysSci) or Knowledge(Life). For the purpose of
Biotic Powers with effects that improve with the
skill, the character treats their skill rating in that
knowledge skill as one step higher, to a maximum of
5.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +3.
Biotic Amp - Gemini
When the character casts the Warp Ammo power, he
decreases the difficulty of the base cast by ◆.
This does not increase the damage done by ranged
weapons with the Warp Ammo power.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +3.
Biotic Amp - Solaris
When the character casts the Biotic Empowerment
power, the first effect added to the power increases
the difficulty of the power by one less ◆ than it
would normally.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +3.
Biotic Amp - Polaris
When the character casts a Biotic Attack Power, he
may add the Range additional effect without
increasing the power’s difficulty.

82 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
The damage of Tech Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +4
Biotic Amp - Spectre Class
When using this Amp, you must always increase the
difficulty of any Biotic Powers you cast by 1 ◆.
This amp cannot be destroyed by ▿▿ results.
When the user casts a Biotic Attack Power, the
character may add the Range, Blast, and Detonating
effects to the power without increasing the power’s
difficulty.
The damage of Biotic Attack powers cast by the user
is also increased by +2

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 83
GEAR Gear
Consumables
Consumables Name Enc Rarity Price
Decryption Spike Decryption Spike 0 6 $ 100
A decryption spike looks like an ordinary universal Emergency Repair Patch 0 2 $ 25
data chip, only with a small reservoir of omni-gel Medigel 0 2 $ 25
contained inside. When the spike is physically
Military Rations 0 1 $5
inserted into a computer, it injects the omni-gel into
the enemy system, encasing the interior circuitry in a Heavy Weapons Power Cell 1/20 2 $ 100
goopy film that quickly begins to heat up, Spare Thermal Clip 1/5 2 25
overwhelming the computer’s internal cooling
Communication
system, and forcing the processor to slow down and
lag. This gives a hacker a brief advantage when Name Enc Rarity Price
bypassing security measures, as the Comm Buoy 15 6 $ 50,000
countermeasures that would normally oppose an Command Point Radio 3 4 $ 500
intrusion attempt cannot work quickly enough to
Encrypted Personal Radio 0 3 $ 250
catch up to the hacker. However, the spike burns
itself out quickly. Holo Communicator 1 5 $ 200

A character who is making a Hacking check can Medicine

expend a Decryption Spike to gain ■■ to a single Name Enc Rarity Price
check, as long as they have physical access to a
Anesthetic 0 4 $ 35
computer or terminal connected to the targeted
system. Emergency Antidote Cocktail 1 5 $ 250
Portable Trauma Center 12 6 $ 4,000
Emergency Repair Patch
Poisons
A repair patch is a ready-made unit of omni-gel
Name Enc Rarity Price
loaded into a disposable injector with an adjustable
nozzle and built-in chemical catalyst that Nerve Agent 0 7 $ 200
immediately triggers the gel’s curing process shortly Neurotoxin 0 6 $ 75
after it is sprayed onto the surface.
Neuroparalytic 0 6 $ 75
A character making a Mechanics check to construct Polonium 0 8 $ 400
or repair an item may expend one or more
applications of Omni-Gel to add an automatic Survival
success to the pool for each application spent. If Name Enc Rarity Price
used to heal damage to a synthetic being, Omni-Gel Breathing Mask and Respirator 1 1 $ 25
functions the same way as Medi-Gel.
Portable Power Generator 10 3 $ 500
Medigel Oxygen Hood 0 3 $ 50
Medi-gel (medical gel) is an all-purpose medicinal Space Suit 3 4 $ 100
salve combining an anaesthetic and clotting agent
Security
used by paramedics, EMTs, and military personnel,
produced by the Sirta Foundation. It heals various Name Enc Rarity Price
wounds and ailments, instantly sealing injuries Handcuffs 0 1 $ 25
against infection and allowing for rapid healing by Comms Jammer 4 3 $ 400
having the gel grip tight to flesh until subjected to a
Listening Bug 0 5 $ 200
frequency of ultrasound. It is sealable against liquids
- most notably blood - as well as contaminants and Tracking Beacon 0 5 $ 200
gases. While technically its properties make it illegal Wall Safe 10 4 $ 1,000

84 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
under genetic modification laws, in this case the
restriction is ignored because of the product's
beneficial properties.
Medi-gel, when applied to a wounded character,
works as the Painkiller entry in the Genesys Core
Book, page 94.
Alternately, an application of Medi-gel can be
expended as part of a Medicine check. If used in this
way, the character does not automatically heal
wounds, but the healer making the check
automatically adds ▲ and one ▴ to the results of the
roll.
Military Rations
Manufactured for portability and longevity rather
than taste, ration packs are typically bland,
flavorless affairs comprising a calorie-dense meal
packed with necessary nutrients and vitamins in a
small, easily portable bag or box. They employ a built-
in chemical heater, and generally consist of a main
entree, sides, and a dessert. Also included are
disposable eating utensils and small, single-serving
packets of spices and condiments. Each ration pack
is good for one meal. Produced in a dizzying array of
styles, the variety of rations available are suited to
the metabolisms of most species in the galaxy.
Each ration provides one day’s worth of nutrition
(although characters would much rather not survive
on such meager fare).
Heavy Weapons Power Cell
Each shot of a heavy weapon consumes one charge
of this all-purpose power cell, suitable for the
majority heavy weapons in the galaxy. Up to 20
power cells may be stored in a container that has an
encumbrance rating of 1.
Spare Thermal Clip
Spare thermal clips allow a character to ignore an
"out of ammo" ▿ result with a ranged weapon. By
spending a maneuver, a character can reload a
weapon to get back into the action. Up to 5 thermal
clips may be stored in a container that has an
encumbrance rating of 1. The clip may not be used to
reload a weapon with the Amplifying quality.
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
Communication
Comm Buoy
Instantaneous, lag-free communication across the
galaxy is possible through a network of Comm Buoys.
The buoys create a framework of faster-than-light
space, through which laser pulses transmit data,
allowing anyone within range of the buoy network to
access the Extranet. A chain of Comm Buoys are
often the first ‘luxury’ installed during the
colonization of a new system, linking it to the
nearest Mass Relay and then into the rest of the
galactic network. Comm Buoys are often the first
target of an attack or invasion, as without the ability
to transmit at FTL speeds, messages can take
months or even years to reach its destination.
The version presented here is about the size of a
small satellite, and can be deployed in orbit around a
planet, or within a planetary settlement to connect
the planet to the galactic communications network.
While this is the most common use, the Comm Buoy
can also be activated on a separate frequency from
the main Extranet, allowing any devices in range to
join a separate system-wide intranet. This mode is
sometimes favored by corporations, militaries, or
criminal elements who wish to maintain complete
control over their own private data.
Command Point Radio
Assigned at the squad or company level in most
militaries, Command Point Radios act as a high-
powered link to units beyond the range of personal
radios, including ships in orbit.
Command Point Radios add ■■ when trying to
overcome the effects of jamming, and add ■■ to
any attempt to intersect and decrypt the
signal. They can communicate with others on the
same frequency up to extreme range on the
planetary scale, and can ‘piggyback’ communications
from an Encrypted Personal Radio, extending that
radio’s range up to extreme as well, allowing a soldier
on the ground to speak to a commander in orbit
without having to relay the message.
The radio is somewhat clunky and is generally kept in
a defensible location rather than carried into the
field.
85
Encrypted Personal Radio
Radios are still the primary form of communication
for the military, search-and-rescue teams, colonists,
and anyone else who might find themselves beyond
the range of the Extranet. Militaries and mercenary
groups prefer to encrypt their communications,
encoding each radio with the same encryption key,
allowing them to communicate freely, but leaving
anyone without the key hearing nothing but static.
The radio can be handheld, installed in a helmet, or
worn as an earpiece.
A character with an Encrypted Personal Radio can
communicate with others on the same frequency up
to medium range on the planetary scale. The radio’s
encryption adds ■ ■ to any attempt to intercept and
decrypt the signal. The Encrypted Personal Radios
are designed to easily network with the Command
Point Radio.
Holo Communicator
Used across the galaxy, Holo Communicators create
a translucent hologram likeness of each participant,
and project it for the other, allowing them to
converse ‘face-to-face’ even across great
distances. Most Holo Communicators have only a
single holographic projector, allowing two
participants, but high-end ships and stations might
have three or more projectors, allowing more people
to join the conversation.
Medicine
Anesthetic
Designed to numb the body of a patient before
surgery, not all anesthetics cause complete
unconsciousness, but an individual under the effect
of an anesthetic may be groggy, clumsy, or
otherwise ineffective.
A character who is injected with, or spends several
rounds inhaling an anesthetic, must make an Average
(◆◆) Resilience check. On a failure, the character
suffers 5 strain. If the check generates a ▾, the
character also loses their free maneuver on their
next turn. With ▾▾▾, the character is staggered on
their next turn. Finally, on a ▿, the character must
make the check again on their next turn, as their
body is unable to metabolize the medicine.
86 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
Emergency Antidote Cocktail
While the substances that can poison a creature vary
widely across the galaxy, the reactions they provoke
are pretty consistent. Someone wishing to have a
medical option when they don’t know the specific
poison or venom they might encounter can elect to
carry an Emergency Antidote Cocktail. Each cocktail
contains several common antitoxins in single-use
ampules. Depending on the toxin involved, one or
more of the ampules is administered to the victim.
Having knowledge of the toxin and which ampules to
use can increase the effectiveness of the cocktail.
Someone may administer an Emergency Antidote
Cocktail to a character suffering the effects of
poison or venom. If the exact substance poisoning
the character is unknown, a character may make a
Hard (◆◆◆) Knowledge: Life Sciences or Knowledge:
Underworld (at the GM’s discretion). If that check is
passed, the poisoned character reduces the
difficulty of the Resilience check to resist the poison
by two, to a minimum of Easy (◆). If the Knowledge
check is failed, the poisoned character reduces the
difficulty of the Resilience check by only one, to a
minimum of Easy (◆).
Portable Trauma Center
Carried in a large storage locker about the size of a
typical refrigerator, this heavy container provides
everything a doctor needs to provide long-term
supervised care for a patient in a stabilized, sterile
environment. Equipped with a variety of biometric
monitors, IV bags, laboratory machines, surgical
devices, and an atmospherically sealed gurney, this
trauma center does everything a deluxe medical tool
kit can do, and much more.
While under the supervised care of a physician with
access to these tools, a wounded character recovers
at a rate of one wound every two hours. An
incapacitated character recovers at a rate of one
wound every six hours.
At the end of each twenty-four hour period, the
character may attempt a Resilience check to remove
one Critical Injury. The difficulty is equal to the
Critical Injury’s severity rating. On a successful
check, the character recovers from the Critical Injury
and is no longer affected. On a failed check, the
character retains the Critical Injury effect, but still
recovers one wound.
Poisons
Nerve Agent
Considered abhorrent, reckless, or cowardly by most
of the galaxy, chemical weapons attacks are still a
very real threat in any combat taking place within an
atmosphere. Nerve agents can be absorbed through
the skin, or absorbed into the body through mucus
membranes (such as lungs, nose, or even the eyes) if
in a gas form. They cause disruption to the nervous
system and severe damage to organs which can
easily result in death.
A character who is exposed to an nerve agent
through direct skin contact or breathing a gaseous
form must make a Resilience check. The difficulty is
Hard (◆◆◆) for a single dose, or Daunting (◆◆◆◆)
for two or more doses (or a highly concentrated
form). On a ▼, the character suffers 5 wounds, plus
two strain per ▾ generated on the check. The
character must make this check every turn while
exposure continues, and an additional 2 turns after
exposure ends.
Neurotoxin
Whether naturally occurring or artificially created,
neurotoxins affect a body’s nervous system, which
transmits the brain’s instructions throughout the
body. Long-term exposure or high concentrations
can lead to death.
A character who ingests or is injected with a single
dose of neurotoxin must make an Average (◆◆)
Resilience check. If two or more doses are introduced
into the body, the difficulty of the Resilience check
increases to Hard (◆◆◆). On a ▼, the character
suffers 5 wounds, plus one strain per ▾ generated
on the check. On a ▿, the character must make the
check again on the following turn.
Neuroparalytic
Paralysis is the loss of function in one or more
muscles. Where an anesthetic can cause the loss of
feeling in all or part of the body, a neuroparalytic
keeps the muscles from functioning altogether,
preventing an afflicted character from moving.
A character who ingests or is injected with a dose of
neuroparalytic must make a Hard (◆◆◆) Resilience
check. On a failure, the character is immobilized for 3
rounds, and suffers one strain per ▾ generated on
Chapter 9 - Equipment |
the check. On a ▿, the character must make the
check again on the following turn.
Polonium
Named for Marie Currie’s home country of Poland,
Polonium is a rare and highly radioactive metal with a
few legitimate scientific uses, and a well-
documented history of use in assassinations- the
lethal dose for an average human is only 50
nanograms when ingested or injected.
A character who ingests or is injected with polonium
must make a Daunting (◆◆◆◆) Resilience check. If
the check is failed, the character suffers 1 strain,
plus one additional strain per ▾ generated on the
check. On the following turn, the character suffers 3
strain as their own circulatory system carries the
toxin throughout their body. On the turn after that,
the character suffers 5 strain. For each of the turns
the character is suffering the effects of polonium
poisoning, they add a Setback die to any checks they
attempt. Finally, if the initial Resilience check
generates a despair, the GM may spend that to force
the character to make another Resilience check- if
this check fails, the character suffers another 5
strain.
Survival
Breathing Mask and Repirator
Only a fraction of the planets in the galaxy have an
atmosphere that can support organic life. The
breath mask is a relatively compact device that
recirculates an air supply, allowing a character to
breathe in an environment they wouldn’t normally be
able to. The mask only covers the nose and mouth,
and doesn’t provide protection from the stresses of
vacuums or extreme temperatures.
Portable Power Generator
For most armies, power is just as important as
ammunition, food, and medigel. Defenses such as gun
turrets and shield barriers need dedicated
generators. Mechs, drones, comm stations, and
other equipment demand rapid recharging under
combat conditions to remain useful. A portable
generator can recharge a depleted piece of
equipment as a maneuver, or a drone or larger piece
of machinery in an hour.
Additionally, a generator can allow a mounted gun in
87
engaged range to ignore an “Out of ammo” ▿ result. clothing may be worn underneath.
Engaged characters near the generator may ignore
the effects of the Disruptive weapon quality, Security
although the generator itself is vulnerable to attack
without additional shielding.
Handcuffs
Whether a C-SEC agent performing an arrest, or a
If a generator is destroyed, all creatures in engaged
batarian slaver preventing his wares from running
range immediately suffer the effects of the Disrupt
away, handcuffs are a common sight across the
quality.
galaxy. While the lock and construction materials
The duration of the generator’s power is up to GM used may be unfamiliar, the basic design and
discretion. function would be immediately recognizable to
someone from the 21st century.
Oxygen Hood
Breaking out of a basic set of handcuffs requires
Scientists, pilots, medics, and anyone else who might
either a Daunting (◆◆◆◆) Mechanics or
need atmospheric protection without donning a
Skullduggery check or a Coordination check to slip
restrictive suit often choose an oxygen hood
out. Handcuffs designed for elcor and hanar exist,
instead. Affixed around the neck and covering from
but are comparatively rare; these versions cost 10
below the wearer’s jaw up to the back of the
times as much, and have a rarity of 7.
wearer’s head, the hood projects a clear mass-effect
field in front of the wearer’s face and fills the space Comms Jammer
with breathable atmosphere from a cartridge
Militaries, intelligence agencies, mercenary
inserted in the collar. The cartridge will provide
companies and criminal syndicates, all have an
around one hour’s breathing time at normal exertion
interest in preventing rivals from communicating with
levels before needing to be replaced. Cartridges have
each other. Comms Jammers are frequently deployed
a Rarity of 3, and are priced at 50 Credits.
to this end. Jammers are powerful radio transmitters
As the oxygen hood only covers a character’s head, it which blanket an area with static across a wide
doesn’t provide protection against hard vacuum. range of frequencies, drowning out any attempts to
communicate. Jammers can be used to blanket a
Spacesuit
wide area (medium range on the planetary scale)
Spacesuits are sealed, often lightly-armored with a low-powered signal, or focused on a single
environmental suits worn to protect characters from target up to Silhouette 4.
the temperatures, extreme radiation, and vacuum of
If blanketing an area, a Comms Jammer requires an
deep space. Typically tailored to specific species,
Average (◆◆) Sysops check to cancel out or
they contain on-board life support systems as well
otherwise bypass the jamming when attempting to
as bio monitors that keep track of the wearer's
communicate (send OR receive) over radio within
physical state. Spacesuits have limited consumables,
range. If the jammer is focused, the difficulty of the
as they are designed for short operations, and
Sysops check is increased to Hard (◆◆◆)
typically have enough water and atmospheric gas on
board for two or three hours of constant operation. Transmitting in close proximity to the jammer can
Replacement filters have a Rarity of 3, and are priced increase the difficulty of the check by one ◆, and
at 50 Credits. being at the farthest range of the source can
decrease the difficulty by one ◆.
Many variants also include a number of small, multi-
directional maneuvering thrusters, built-in spotlights, Listening Bug
comlinks, magboots, power couplings for hand tools,
An essential tool for spies, these miniature recording
and any number of other handy accessories. Every
devices can be installed in an innocuous item such as
spacesuit sold comes with an emergency repair kit
a light fixture or under a nightstand, and left to
that allows for quick fixes of tears, leaks, and bad
record until retrieved by the operator. At the GM’s
gasket seals.
discretion, the bug can capture video, or stream the
Spacesuits may not be work with armor, however

88 | Chapter 9 - Equipment
data directly to the omni-tool, though these variants
are often more rare or come at a higher price.
Simple programming optimizes data storage and
pauses recording with no activity is detected.
Characters may attempt to spot a planted tracker by
making a Perception check with a difficulty equal to
the spy’s Skullduggery skill rating.
They can also be worn, and enemy characters add
■■ to detect a concealed recorder on a person’s
body.
Tracking Beacon
Equally useful within a densely populated city, across
an entire planet, or across the galaxy, tracking
beacons are an intel agent’s best friend when
tracking a target beyond visual range. An adhesive
disc about the size of a dime, the tagger is placed on
(or thrown at) the target, and broadcasts its current
location, speed, and direction of travel over the
Extranet (if within range of a buoy) or by radio.
Characters may attempt to spot a planted tracker by
making a Perception check with a difficulty equal to
the spy’s Skullduggery skill rating.
Wall Safe
Installed in facilities across the galaxy, Wall Safes
are a common way to secure small personal
belongings and credits. Models and size can vary, but
function using similar encryption technology.
Wall Safes can hold up to 10 encumbrance, and can be
programmed to open with a combination, biometric
scan, or voice ID. The lock can be bypassed with a
Formidable (◆◆◆◆◆) Hacking or Skullduggery

Chapter 9 - Equipment | 89
CHAPTER 10 - CYBERNETICS
Technology is an integral part of life on almost every
world in the galaxy, and for some it is an integral part
of their very bodies. Due to modern medical
advancements, most cybernetic enhancements can
be installed without being noticeably artificial.
Rather than being eccentric or flashy modifications,
cybernetics in Mass Effect tend to be highly
regulated durable medical devices that favor
reliability over raw power. Cybernetics are often
installed to replace lost limbs or organs, however
certain performance-enhancing implants have been
cleared for commercial release or developed
internally for military use.
The exception to this trend is the practice of
installing biotic implants that allow organics to
manipulate mass effect fields.
All biotics seeking to wield their abilities on a usable
level are fitted with an electronic brain implant during
puberty. Once the implant is installed, it can only be
replaced or altered through extremely dangerous
brain surgery, so most individuals keep the same
implant their entire lives. When creating your
character, discuss your character’s background with
your GM to determine how your character has
obtained their biotic power.
Installing: Cybernetics are special pieces of gear that
must be installed on a character. Unless otherwise
stated, cybernetics are installed with an Average
(◆◆) Medicine check. They cannot be removed
without surgery, requiring a second successful Hard
(◆◆◆) Medicine check.
Each stat, skill, or characteristic can only be
increased by +1 due to cybernetics, no matter how
many different cybernetics your character has that
would increase that number.
For each cybernetic implant that a character installs,
their Strain Threshold is reduced by 1.
Sabotage: One drawback of cybernetic
enhancements and replacements is that they can be
affected by Tech Powers or attacks designed to
disable technology. If hit by weapons that normally
damage synthetics only, the character is an eligible
target for the attack. Other effects like EMP blasts
or environmental disruptions can impact cybernetics.
90 | Chapter 10 - Cybernetics
Cybernetics
Name Rarity Price
Cybernetic Brain Implant 8 $ 4,000
Cybernetic Eyes 5 $ 800
Greybox 7 $ 400
Heavy Bone Weave 7 $ 1,000
Heavy Muscle Weave 6 $ 2000
Heavy Skin Weave 5 $ 800
Prosthetic Replacements 4 $ 300
The consequences of this depend on the
enhancement in question and are left up to the GM,
but they should make sense (for example, a
character with two malfunctioning cybernetic legs
would not only lose any bonuses from the legs, but
would also be unable to walk).
Cybernetic Brain Implant
Rare and highly illegal, these enhancements are
miniaturized computer implants designed to
augment the user's brainpower. The implant is
surgically installed into the brain, adding its
processing power to achieve superior reasoning
speeds as well as to store information for later
analysis. Installing and removing this implant is
especially difficult and requires a Formidable
(◆◆◆◆◆) Medicine check.
A Cybernetic Brain Implant provides +1 rank to your
character’s Intelligence rating.
A character with this implant installed is specifically
vulnerable to attacks that target Synthetics,
including Hacking-based mind-control effects like
the IFF Scrambler talent.
AI Link:
The Brain Implant can be linked to an AI character
(another player or an NPC if the GM allows). That AI
character may see and perceive everything that the
user organic sees in real time, provided a signal is
maintained. Due to their synthetic processors, this
simultaneous perception does not impact their
normal performance, even as a mobile platform.
Although the AI may still react “emotionally” to
events perceived through this method..
The AI may communicate directly into the user’s
brain, as if telepathically (although the voice may be
audible to others if the user chooses).
A linked AI may choose to take an Assist maneuver
during their turn in to provide the user with helpful
information, on a task where additional information
could be helpful.
Cybernetic Eyes
Cybernetic eyes provide +1 rank to your character’s
Perception and Vigilance, and remove ■ added to
their checks due to darkness.
Greybox
A graybox is a device which allows for the collection
and storage of a person's memories. Launched by
Synthetic Insights in 2160 CE and originally developed
to help treat Alzheimer's disease, it was determined
that its implant procedure has dangerous side-
effects: should the graybox either need to be
removed for maintenance purposes, or if it developed
software bugs, extensive brain damage would occur.
As such, its usage was ultimately restricted to
people who sorely needed eidetic memories, like
researchers and intragalactic spies.
An individual with a Greybox installed gains the ability
to record and store sensory information with the
veracity and recall of an advanced computer system.
The recorder's recall is not truly perfect as most
known species have sensory limitations that prevent
them from uploading perfectly detailed information
on everything they observe, but it is still the next-
best thing to a perfect memory.
This is not limited to sight. Everything the character
experiences, including emotions, are felt by the
character as if they’re reliving that moment. A
greybox can also be used to securely store and
transport large amounts of data. The ‘key’ to
decrypting the information could be anything the
implanted character desires - a phrase, a scent, a
memory, or any combination thereof. For that
reason, data stored in a greybox cannot be accessed
by anyone who doesn’t know the key.
Installing and removing this implant is especially
difficult and requires a Formidable (◆◆◆◆◆)
Medicine check.
Heavy Bone Weave
By reinforcing the skeleton with a synthetic weave,
Chapter 10 - Cybernetics |
bones can be made almost unbreakable. This implant
improves soak by +1.
Heavy Muscle Weave
Perforating the muscles with micro-fibers increases
overall strength and decreases the potential for
muscle damage from exertion.
Effect: Adds +1 to your character’s Brawn or Agility
rating (your choice when your character obtains the
modification).
Heavy Skin Weave
Strong synthetic fibers can be woven through the
skin, dramatically reducing the stress that a
character suffers from environmental hazards.
These fibers also act as a conduit for distributing
medicines improving a character’s healing factor.
The implant increases the character’s Resilience by
+1 and removes a ■ to Medicine checks performed on
the character.
Prosthetic Replacements
Given the often-violent nature of the galaxy and the
dangerous weapons used to settle many
disagreements, many losers (and winners) of such
conflicts wind up with fewer fingers, arms, or legs
than when they started. Others might have internal
organs destroyed, or suffer from ruined eyes.
For those seeking quality, unobtrusive replacements
for lost limbs, prosthetic replacements are among
the more popular options. These cybernetics are
designed to provide functionality identical to that of
the original limb or organ, and are installed with skin
cells regenerated to match the character’s DNA,
making them almost indistinguishable from the
organic component they replace. Limbs and major
organs (including sensory organs such as eyes and
ears) can all be replaced with prosthetic
replacements.
They do not provide any bonuses or enhancements
to the character, instead restoring him to normality.
There are two general cost entries for prosthetic
replacements; the first is for limbs, the second for
organs. However, the GM should feel free to increase
or decrease the costs depending on the specific
circumstances. Unlike all other cybernetics,
installing a prosthetic does not decrease the
character’s Strain Threshold.
91
CHAPTER 11 - CRAFTING
For characters with the right skills, crafting an item
can be a great alternative to purchasing it. For the
most part, your character will still end up spending as
much money as it would take to simply buy the
object, but crafting may allow you to bypass the
difficulties of finding rare items, replenishing
supplies while on distant voyages, or haggling with
shopkeepers.
We consider this chapter very optional for GMs, but
felt it represented a flexible system that allows
players to craft anything from hand tools to
starships. It makes sense, once you get to know it.
Still, we recommend only using this crafting system
when players want to create permanent equipment,
rather than when cobbling together improvised
devices or consumables in the field. The GM may also
allow players to skip the Design and Gathering phase,
if it’s reasonable to assume that the character would
know how to build it, and/or has all the materials
available on hand.
Complexity vs Difficulty
Rarity/ Difficulty Time Frame
Complexity
0 A few minutes
Simple (-)
1 A half hour
2 An hour
3 Easy (◆) A few hours
4 A day
Average
5 (◆◆) A few days
6 A week
Hard (◆◆◆)
7 A few weeks
8 Daunting A month
9 (◆◆◆◆) A few months
10 Formidable A year or more
(◆◆◆◆◆)
92 | Chapter 11 - Crafting
CRAFTING SKILLS
Although you’ll probably use a Knowledge skill to
design the item, we recommend that the “Crafting
Skill” be a General skill rather than a Knowledge
skill. Below, we list some sample skills and the items
that can be crafted with them:
Mechanics - Uses Mechanical Materials to craft
weapons, armor, or gear.
Medicine - Uses Biochemical Materials to create
medicines and poisons.
SysOps - Uses Electronic Materials to create high-
tech devices like Omni-Tools, scanners, and drones.
Hacking - Uses Electronic Materials to create
devices used in sabotage, such as decryption
devices, packet sniffers, or signal jammers.
Survival - Uses Natural Materials like wood, plant
matter, or animal remains to craft food, improvised
gear, or primitive weapons.
Social - Uses Common Materials like paints, dyes,
Examples
A flashlight, a basic hand tool
Rations, rope, a breathing mask, handcuffs
Medigel, a repair patch, a thermal clip,
Clothing, a basic pistol, a frag grenade, a basic
toolkit, an Omni-Blade, a persona radio,
Light Armor, a military-grade pistol or basic rifle,
Medium Armor, a rare pistol or military rifle, an
omni-tool, a computer
Heavy Armor, a technologically advanced pistol or
rare rifle, military-grade software, a biotic amp, a
hacking device, a basic poison
A technologically advanced rifle, or a heavy
weapon, a military or corporate prototype, a
deadly poison
Geth technology, Spectre-class gear
Collector technology
Reaper or Prothean technology
and fabrics to create items whose primary use is
cosmetic, such as clothing or decoration that grants
bonuses to a social check.
THE THREE CRAFTING PHASES
Crafting an item happens in 3 steps: Designing,
Gathering, and Creating.
It is not required that all phases be completed by the
same player. Groups are encouraged to get creative
in splitting these duties if one player doesn’t have all
the skills to handle it on their own.
Each of these steps may involve the players making
checks that in some way relate to the Complexity
rating of the item. Complexity is not necessarily tied
to value, but represents how difficult the item is to
design and craft, and it sets a Time Frame for how
long it tends to take to develop it at various steps of
the way.
Complexity can almost always be estimated in
relationship to the listed Rarity of the item. Your GM
may choose to move the Complexity of the item in
question up or down, depending on any special
modifications or fringe benefits you want to add, but
for the most part, Rarity is your best guide.
Phase 1: Design
In the design stage, your character is drafting plans
for the item they wish to create. The first step in the
design process is to decide on the item you want to
craft, the properties you’d like it to have, and the skill
you intend to use to physically create the item.
If the item your character wants to craft mimics the
design of an identical or similar-enough existing item
available on the market, reduce the difficulty of
Designing the item by 1 ◆.
Skipping the Design Phase
If you and the GM agree that the item you want to
craft is something that your character has access to
the design documents to, or would know how to craft
this item by heart, then this phase is not necessary.
Just record the price and Complexity of the item, and
immediately proceed to Phase 2.
The Design Check
If your item does not exist in the Equipment chapter,
then think about how the item would be created
Chapter 11 - Crafting |
using the rules found in Genesys pg 197 and
determine the price and Complexity of the
hypothetical item.
Your character must invest an appropriate amount
of time designing the item (see the Complexity vs
Difficulty table and discuss with your GM the
appropriate Time Frame for your item). These are
kept vague so that players and GMs can flexibly
adjust these as appropriate to the circumstance.
Before your character spends the time to design the
item, make a check with an applicable Knowledge
skill with a difficulty based on Complexity. The
Knowledge skill may represent your character’s
ability to actually design the item, or obtain access
to it through business and underworld contacts.
If successful, your character may begin investing
time designing the item (this can happen in the
background of the adventure, during rest periods, or
between sessions if the GM allows).
Once the time has been spent, your character
possesses the design.
Interpreting the Results
Successes: Additional ▲ can decrease the amount
of time the character must put into designing. We
recommend reducing the time spent by 25% per
additional success. So if the time frame for crafting
an item is “A few days”, a very successful roll might
reduce that to a single day.
Efficient Design: Each ▴ or ▾ can be handled
narratively, or spent to reflect a better quality of
design adding ■ or ■ to one Gathering or Crafting
check in Phase 2 and 3. ▵ and ▿ can be spent to
increase the ability, and/or decrease the difficulty
of one Gathering or Crafting check in Phases 2 and 3
by.
Back to the Drawing Board: If you fail the Design roll,
you must wait the full amount of the time it
would’ve taken to design the item before you can
try this step again.
Reverse-Engineering : If you already have an existing
or very similar version of the item in your
possession, or are allowed time to fully examine a
physical copy, you may further reduce the difficulty
of the Design check by 1 ◆, and you may use the
item’s Crafting skill rather than a Knowledge skill to
pass Design check. This does not reduce its
93
Complexity, just the difficulty and time frame for the
Design phase.
Phase 2: Gathering
In order to build your item, your character needs
material components.
These can be bought, salvaged, scavenged from the
environment, or collected after arduous hours spent
probing planets for minerals if the GM allows. In the
end you must have collected a sum of materials
whose value is equal to the value of the item you
intend to craft, and whose Rarity is equal to or higher
than the crafted item’s corresponding Complexity
rating
Skipping the Gathering Phase
If the player and GM agree that the character would
reasonably have on hand all the components needed
to create an item, you may immediately proceed to
Phase 3.
Raw Materials
With the exception of Omni-Gel, materials are graded
by Rarity, and sorted into basic categories:
Mechanical, Electronic, Biochemical, or perhaps
labeled after the unique item they intend to be put
towards. So in a crafter’s inventory, you might see
entries like:.
 Rarity 5 Mechanical Materials - $340
 Rarity 3 Electronic Materials - $450
 Rarity 1 Biochemical Materials - $200
 Rarity 5 Salvaged Military Tech - $800
 Omni Gel - $500
Alternatively, you can feel free to simply abstract all
“Materials” as usable for every discipline. The
category of the material is not as important as the
Rarity, so long as the GM agrees that a variety of
different material types can be reasonably used to
complete a project.
If tracking encumbrance becomes necessary, we
recommend that every $100 of Materials take up an
Encumbrance of 1, while Omni-Gel can be packed
down to $1,000 per 1 Encumbrance.
Buying Materials
Buying the raw materials to craft an item is simple:
94 | Chapter 11 - Crafting
treat it as you would any other attempt to buy
items, taking into account the price and
rarity. Remember to base the Rarity of the
materials around the Complexity of the item you
want to craft.
Salvaging Materials
You can break down an item into its component
parts by making a check with the same skill that
would be used to craft that item, against a difficulty
set according to the item’s corresponding Rarity on
the Complexity vs Difficulty table.
Items broken down this way grant you materials, the
value of which is pegged to credits. They can easily
be bought or sold in this way, although most
merchants won’t care to haggle over them.
If your characters possesses a Deluxe Mechanics
Toolkit or an Omni-Gel refinery, they can salvage
items into Omni-Gel, which can be universally applied
towards any craft regardless of Rarity.
Results: A single success will allow you to salvage
crafting materials or Omni-Gel equal to 15% of the
item’s default price. Two successes will allow you
to salvage the item at 30% of its value. 3
successes bring the value up of the harvested
materials to 60% of the item’s value. Further
successes increase the value by 5% each.
Time Frame: Salvaging takes time. A good estimate
can be derived by taking the Time Frame pegged to
its Complexity, and reduce it by two or three. So an
item that takes a few hours to make can be broken
down in a few minutes.
Gathering Materials
If the materials you need to create your item can be
scavenged from abandoned ruins, foraged in the
wilderness, or mined from celestial objects, your
character may attempt to spend some time
gathering the items themselves.
Whenever your party can reasonably spend some
downtime during a session gathering materials, or
have stumbled upon the materials on their
adventures, the party may spend a Story Point to
roll a check with the appropriate skill."
For example, they can use Astrocartography if
they’re mining planetoids, Survival if they’re
gathering natural resources, or Medicine if they’re in
the lab synthesizing biological compounds, etc...).
The difficulty of the check is based on the Rarity of
the materials they are trying to find (see the
Complexity vs Difficulty Table)
If successful the character finds enough resources
to amass a collection of raw materials with a value of
$100 of per ▲, and a Rarity value commensurate to
the check’s target difficulty.
If the party has downtime at the end of the session,
gathering can be attempted for as many times as
the party has remaining Story Points to spend.
Lucky Find: For each ▴ on the roll, add 20% to the
total monetary value of your haul.
High Quality: You may spend ▵, to increase the Rarity
of the materials found by 2 .
Reduced Quality: A single uncanceled ▾ means that
your party cannot spend any more Story Points in
this manner this session.
Depleted: For each ▿, you must wait an additional
session before you can try this method of gathering
again. Alternatively, the GM can use this opportunity
to trigger a random encounter or some other
appropriate challenge.
Phase 3: Crafting
If your character possess the item’s Design, and a
sum of materials whose value and Rarity are equal to
or greater than the value and Complexity of the item
you intend to craft, then you’re ready to start Phase
3.
Crafting an Item
Make a check with the Crafting Skill required to craft
the item, with a difficulty based on the item’s
Complexity on the Complexity table.
Interpreting the Results
If successful, your character may begin investing
time crafting the item (this can happen in the
background of the adventure, during rest periods, or
between sessions if the GM allows). The time
investment is based on the Time Frame column on
the Complexity vs Difficulty table.
After your character has spent the requisite amount
of time putting work towards the craft, your
character possesses the item.
Chapter 11 - Crafting |
Failure: If you fail the crafting roll, you retain the
75% of the materials, but must still wait the full
amount of time that it would’ve taken to craft the
item, before you are able to try the roll again.
Success: Additional ▲ can decrease the amount of
time the character must put into crafting the
item. We recommend reducing the time spent by
25% per additional ▲.
Advantages - Spend ▴ to retain 20% of the
materials.
Threats: ▾ represent an item of poor quality. For
every ▾▾ on the Crafting roll, the player adds ■ to
checks made with this item.
Despair: On a result of ▿ you lose the materials for
the craft, or your item gains a negative quality (GM
Discretion). We recommend something like:
 Decrease the damage of a weapon by one.
 Decrease a piece of Clothing or armor's Soak or
Defense by one.
 Increase the Encumbrance or Memory
requirement of an item by one to a minimum of
one.
 The item gains the Backfire quality
Triumph - Spend a ▵ to grant your an additional
positive quality from the list below:
 Increase the damage of a weapon by one.
 Decrease the ▴ cost on a weapons Critical or
any single other effect by one to a minimum of
one.
 Increase a piece of Clothing or armor's Soak or
Defense by one.
 Decrease the Encumbrance or Memory
requirement of an item by one to a minimum of
one.
95
CHAPTER 12 - MASS COMBAT
While the reach of the Citadel’s order reaches
through much of the Milky Way, open conflict is a
constant threat. Humanity’s very first contact with
an alien species led to a three-month war with the
turians. Pirate fleets and the geth lurk at the fringes
of galactic civilization, waiting to raid unprotected
colonies. And in the empty space between galaxies,
something even worse sleeps, waiting to bring ruin to
the Milky Way.
In a SINGULARITY campaign, a mass battle can be
used as a climactic lead-up to a dramatic conclusion,
background action while the Player Characters
complete a vital objective, or the characters can lead
the forces themselves!
This section provides a framework to allow GMs to
simulate battles at larger scales than would be
practical using the normal combat rules in Genesys.
Using the Genesys Dice, the battle can unfold
smoothly and naturally without having to simulate
every character or ship’s movement or shots. This
system can simulate several squads assaulting an
enemy position, or the combined forces of the many
races of the galaxy launching a desperate attack
against an ancient evil.
THE MASS COMBAT CHECK
Mass Combat differs significantly from normal
Genesys combat. Instead of each character in the
combat making individual actions and rolls, a single
roll in Mass Combat encompases the movement and
actions of many individuals, on both sides of the
conflict.
Battle Phases
First, the GM should have an idea of the phases
through which a battle will progress. A phase
represents a variable amount of time in a battle,
during which the combatants on each side maneuver,
fire their weapons, and otherwise perform various
actions in opposition to each other. Each phase
represents an amount of time in combat, where the
battle can change dramatically in either side’s favor.
Phases could be delineated in two main ways.
96 | Chapter 12 - Mass Combat
Event
The phases are each based around a significant
event or opportunity during the fight. For instance,
during the Battle of the Citadel, the phases would be
the arrival of Sovereign and the geth through the
relay, the geth’s assault on The Destiny Ascension,
the unlocking of the mass relay and arrival of the
Alliance’s 5th Fleet, and the final moments of the
battle where Sovereign must be destroyed or the
Citadel Relay will be activated.
Time
Each phase represents a set amount of time, with a
Mass Combat check rolled for each. A large-scale
battle that lasts half of a day might have phases an
hour or two long, where a month-long siege of a
fortified city might have phases days or even weeks
long.
While this may seem less narratively exciting, there
are times when a time-phased battle can be
exhilarating- imagine two opposing fleets of
warships escaping a system whose star is about to
go supernova. If the sun collapses on itself in an
hour, then ten-minute phases as each fleet
struggles for control of the mass relay could be
exciting indeed.
Brainstorm Outcomes and Opportunities
However you decide to break up the battle, for each
of these phases, a Mass Combat check is rolled to
simulate how the conflict is unfolding, and may
affect the following phase or phases. Before rolling,
a GM should have at least a general idea of what
would constitute a positive or negative outcome for
that phase. As success or failure on the Mass
Combat check will narrate the outcome of that
phase, what those outcomes are should be defined
beforehand. The GM should also have an idea of
what effect the Player Characters’ actions could
have on the course of battle.
Building the Pool
To perform each phase’s Mass Combat check, the
GM creates a dice pool, but instead of using a skill
and a characteristic value, the pool is based on the
current states of the active force and the enemy
force, and any other battlefield conditions that might
affect the outcome. The GM then rolls the pool, and
interprets the roll to determine the outcome of that
phase of battle.
Winner Takes All
Only in the final phase should victory or defeat be at
stake - the phases preceding it should modify the
final Mass Combat pool, as each side seeks to gain an
advantage over the other, evacuate (or take)
civilians, hold a choke-point, or otherwise work
towards the downfall of the opposition.
Of course, circumstances may unexpectedly change
such that a victory for one side or the other becomes
incredibly unlikely. If so, don’t feel the need to draw
War Assets
Force
Example (ground)
Strength
 Several squads of veteran mercenaries
Trivial  A few hundred low-ranking gang members
(◆)  A platoon of Alliance Marines (30 men)
 A trio of Mako IFVs
 A dozen Rachni warriors
Significant  Thousands of lightly armed civilians
(◆◆)  A company of Alliance Marines (120 men)
 A handful of Mantis Gunships
 An elcor Combat Engineer Company
 A squad of Asari Commandos
Imposing  A Battalion of Alliance Marines (500-700
(◆◆◆) men)
 A troop of Armored Cavalry (12 Grizzlies and 3
Makos)
 The krogan Aralakh Company
 The turian Blackwatch
Staggering
 A Brigade of Alliance Marines (3,500 men)
(◆◆◆◆)
 A salarian STG task-force
An army of Batarian pirates and slavers

Vast
A Division of Alliance Marines (10,000 men or
 
(◆◆◆◆◆)
more)
 Any force larger and more skilled than those
Overwhelming
listed above
Chapter 12 - Mass Combat |
things out simply because you planned a different
resolution. Being flexible in that manner is the key to
having battles with great tension and pacing, while
also maintaining a sense of authenticity.
Step 1: War Assets
War Assets represents a force’s manpower,
equipment, and training levels. The more manpower
a force has, the better their weapons and vehicles,
and the higher their training levels, the more ◆ are
added to the pool for the Players’ side, or the more
◆ dice are added for the opposition.
This pool only represents the forces currently
engaged in the conflict, not the state of an army or
faction as a whole. For instance, The Human
Systems Alliance Navy is one of the most powerful
Example (space)
 A squadron of fighters
 A pair of Leatherstocking-class Fast
Attack Ships
 A Wing of fighters
 A squadron of Saxa Gunboats
 A single frigate
 A carrier’s entire complement of fighters
 A squadron of Turian Corvettes
 A pair of frigates
 A cruiser
 A reaper destroyer
 A small flight of frigates
 A pair of cruisers
 A carrier with an escort
 A single dreadnought
 A single Reaper
An entire fleet
 Any force larger and more skilled than
those listed above
97
military forces in the Galaxy, but an Alliance three-
ship patrol deployed in a backwater system wouldn’t
have the same dice pool in Mass Combat, as the pool
would only reflect their current forces.
Take a look at the examples in the table to get an
idea of how many ◆ and ◆ dice to add to the pool.
If there are multiple elements involved on one side
(i.e. A company of Alliance Marines, supported by
several IFVs), calculate the war assets based on the
most imposing or important element of those forces,
and increase the pool by an additional step to
represent the supporting units.
A particularly large unit (such as an entire fleet) or
several diverse units operating in a combined-arms
fashion (such as a team of Blue Suns mercs with
Mantis air-support and a Grizzly tank) upgrade the
size of the War Assets pool by two, to better
represent the increased threat.
Remember, when building the Mass Combat dice pool,
you must calculate the War Assets for each side,
first.
Step 2: The Commander
While the War Assets reflect a force’s size and
power, those elements alone do not determine the
outcome of a battle. A talented leader overseeing
the battle can overcome a disadvantage in physical
assets, given proper planning, insight, and most
importantly Leadership.
Force Readiness represents the effectiveness of
each side’s commander - their ability to plan the
battle, react to enemy forces’ movements, and lead
their troops through the uncertainty and horror of
battle.
Designate a Commander on each side of the battle.
This is the person who is directing the flow of the
entire battle. While there may be several ‘leaders’ in
a force, the Commander is, through rank or
experience, the overall authority during the battle.
Each side’s Force Readiness is equal to the
Commander’s Leadership skill.
Each phase, upgrade the Mass Combat dice pool once
per level of Force Readiness. In order to upgrade the
dice pool in this way, The Commander must be able to
give orders to the forces, and have a decent idea of
98 | Chapter 12 - Mass Combat
the overall strategic situation, either by being on the
ground with the troops, observing from a command
post behind the front, or from even farther away,
using holographic maps and radio
If the Commander is unable to communicate with
their troops, or is no longer able to read the
strategic state of the battle, the dice pool is not
upgraded. However, if the Commander has left
orders that can be acted upon in the absence of
communication, the dice pool can be upgraded by
half the Commander’s Leadership, rounded down.
This reduced upgrade only lasts for as long as the
Commander’s orders are relevant.
Multiple Leaders
If there are multiple leaders working in council,
choose one to act as the main Commander (the one
ultimately making the decisions and giving the
orders) and have the others contribute in the next
step.
The role of Commander can change hands between
phases if the situation calls for it. If a new person
takes on the responsibility, the force will use their
ranks in Leadership, but unless the troops have been
prepared for this change, confusion in the chain of
command adds a ■ to the dice pool for the first
phase under the new Commander.
Step 3: Boosts and Setback Dice
Once you have added the ◆ and ◆ to the Mass
Combat pool for the makeup of the two forces, and
upgraded those dice based on the leaders’ abilities,
you now add Boost and Setback dice to the pool to
account for any additional elements in the battle.
These additional elements are not as defined as the
other dice in the Mass Combat pool, and are
ultimately up to the GM. If a bank of fog obscures an
advancing enemy, or a force must cross an open
riverbed while under fire, that may represent a ■ die.
An allied force occupying a chokepoint, or a unit of
stealthy scouts providing recon of the battlefield,
might add a ■ instead. Psychological factors can
also influence the pool - a surprise attack, the loss
of a leader, a cause that the troops all rally around,
or the possibility of civilian casualties, could all add
■ or ■ to the pool, depending on the forces.
Resolving the Pool
At the end of each phase, the GM rolls the Mass
Combat pool for that phase’s combat. The GM
interprets that check and determines how each force
fares during that phase of battle.
Refer back to Step 1 - what were the objectives of
each force?
On a success, the friendly faction meets its
objectives for the phase, or prevents the opposing
force from achieving theirs.
and exist outside of a force’s normal command
structure. PCs are, generally speaking, braver and
better skilled than their comrades in the Mass
Combat, and are better suited to tasks that
influence the outcome of the entire battle, rather
than simply exchanging fire with the rest of the
grunts.
The players and GM should work together to
determine what the PCs are doing each phase of the
battle, and what effect their success or failure may
have on the course of the battle.

If the roll results in a failure, then the enemy force
achieves its goals, or blocks the friendly faction.
The more ▲ or ▼, the wider the margin of victory. ▴
and ▵ can be spent narratively, or you can use the
Mass Battle Results Table for inspiration.
The Players
So in a chaotic battlefield, where hundreds or even
thousands of soldiers are maneuvering and
exchanging fire, where does a small party of PCs fit
in?
Unless they’re the Commander, the Mass Combat roll
should never be substituted for the Players’ actions -
the results of the pool should instead determine the
flow of the overall battle around them.
PCs are by their very natures extraordinary people,
The actions of the Player Characters might add ■ or
■ to the Mass Combat pool, especially if they’re
acting in a support capacity or performing special
operations: assassinating officers, sabotaging
defenses, providing logistical help, or scouting
ahead of the main force.
Alternately, the PCs could bolster the troops on the
battlefield, supporting in whichever way their
characters best can. They might help troops hold a
vital front, defend a communications dish, or
frantically work to repair the main gun on a wrecked
Grizzly IFV. At the GM’s discretion, these actions
would all modify the War Assets in the final phase of
the Mass Combat, the current phase, or even both!
PCs might also use the chaos of the battle as cover
to slip past enemy lines and complete a separate
mission. In this case, the GM should make the Mass

Mass Battle Results

Result Options
 All characters in the friendly force recover a strain
▴ or ▵  The PCs notice a feature of the enemy force (an officer, heavy weapon, or vehicle) and its position on the field
 The Commander notices a weakness in the enemy’s plan or disposition. Add a Boost to the next phase’s Mass Combat
▴▴ or ▵ Check
 The friendly force is able to exploit the landscape to pin down the enemy, downgrading the War Assets difficulty on the
next phase’s roll
▴▴▴ or
 An important piece of enemy equipment, or a vehicle, is disabled
▵  The Commander makes a rousing speech or springs a trap upon the enemy, upgrading the Force Readiness of the next
phase by one
 Force the enemy to its breaking point. On the next check, spend a second triumph to cause key elements of the
▵ opposition to break ranks and flee
 Friendly reinforcements arrive, permanently increasing War Assets by a single step for the rest of the battle
 Friendly reinforcements arrive in an advantageous position, striking from an unexpected direction, or preventing an
enemy maneuver
▵▵  An opportunity presents itself for the PCs to change the entire course of the battle. The enemy Commander appears,
an ancient skyscraper is brought down on the opposing forces, or a critical flaw in the enemy’s plan is exploited. The
possibilities and outcomes depend on the circumstances and narrative.

Chapter 12 - Mass Combat | 99

Combat roles without the Players’ involvement, and
either intersperse the narration of the course of the
battle as the players press on with their own
objective, or, if the party will be out of
communication, silently make note of the progress
of the battle to reveal to the players when they are
once again able to make contact with their allies.

100 | Chapter 12 - Mass Combat