Danny Millard Charts and Tables, RPG, The Terminator The Terminator RPG Session 0 Guide

(Adapted, in part, from Haze-Zero’s Guide on Reddit)

Preface

Whether you’re a new Game Director or an old salt, there are certain conversations that it pays to have with your players prior to embarking upon the campaign of a lifetime. There are a number of topics that should be addressed, especially when you have a new group.

Some people use massive checklists and surveys. This may appear to go on forever, but it’s something you can do in about an hour with your players. It’s very important to set expectations ahead of time, give prospective players time to read it, and then have frank discussions as needed before you begin.

This is one such document that I put together for my players in the “2029: Future War Terminator RPG Podcast” game, which will show you live play under the subtitle, “War Stories”.

Topic List

Experience

Earning EXP – When are EXP points issued? After each session. Do we get EXP even if we don’t crush machines? Yes! Sometimes, winning the day means making progress without firing a single shot. It’s the progress that matters.
Level-up – Only between game sessions and upon completion of the given mission.

Player, Behavior, Game Behavior & Director Expectations

Alcohol – Can players drink at the table? Yes. Do you care if your players get drunk? Absolutely! If you’re not with it, you and your entire party may DIE STUPIDLY. What happens when someone gets drunk? They get killed. What happens when a player arrives at the session and they are already drunk? They do not get to play. Should there be consequences and if so, what are they? Director’s Discretion. We’re all responsible for ourselves, so we need to behave accordingly.
Narcotics – Same considerations as Alcohol, but nothing illegal, and if you become too impaired, you and your team may die stupidly.
Cellphones & Digital Devices – Do you allow them at the table? Yes. What happens when a player gets a call they must take? So long as it isn’t excessive, we can wait. Do you allow headphone use at the table? Yes.
Player Attention – What happens if a player is constantly distracted? They die stupidly. What happens if they constantly delay the game because they are NOT paying attention? We have a polite discussion. Should there be consequences for when this becomes a problem, if so, what are the consequences? We have a less polite discussion.
Disruptive topics – Are real-life topics like religion, politics, porn, or sex ok at your table? Only in limited amounts, preferably in regard to the game. Are there other disruptive topics? It’s ok to talk about these kinds of things before the session starts, but not during the session.
Unannounced dice rolls – I’ll tell you when to roll. It keeps things a bit simpler and easier to adjudicate during the flow of play.
Dice rolls against one another – Sometimes, there is an interpersonal matter that the PCs need to deal with (especially in character). Roleplay it. Work it out or have a fistfight. I don’t care, although every moment of these antics has consequences. The enemy gets ahead of you. The beeping package starts beeping faster. You draw attention to yourselves. I have a number of party tricks at my disposal from more than 45 years of Director experience. I’m not saying you can’t argue or fight it out. Just try to keep the experience enjoyable and don’t make the Director feel “creative”.
Player Vs Player – Is disunity between characters allowed? YES! What about an argument between characters?YES! Is combat between two or more PCs allowed? Yup! What happens when character tension finally breaks out into violence between those two characters? The same kind of things you might expect in real life. PLEASE try it in front of a cop.
PC Secrets – Are players allowed to keep in-game secrets from other players? Yes. It’s highly encouraged in some cases. Are characters allowed to keep in-game secrets from other characters? If I can, anybody can. If so, who decides what secrets are allowed? Everyone.
Player Expectations, Types, Goals & Diversity – What happens when one player’s expectations ruin the fun of another player? Then it isn’t really fun, is it? Be considerate. Be kind. Be brothers and sisters and have everyone else’s back. Does every player at your table need to be there for the same reasons as every other player? Not always. What I expect, as a Director, is for each player to get as much enjoyment as possible from the experience. Read the room. Never forget that there is a nearly endless stream of bigger, badder mechanical and biological villains out there waiting to remorselessly kill you and take your stuff. I recognize that everyone has their concept of the perfect game, the perfect character, and the ideal victory over the machines. All things are possible and I’ll do my best to read you and offer those things – within the reasonable scope of the game. I never forget that YOU are the heroes and every problem has a solution, even if it sucks sometimes.
Player Discomfort – Occasionally things may happen in-game that make a player uncomfortable. I get that and will do my very best to accommodate all of you during play. There may be times when everyone agrees about a particular topic in session 0, but when it surfaces in-game, the player may find out that they are NOT comfortable with it after all. Please trust that I’ve got your backs. I’ll do whatever is necessary to make things acceptable for all players.
Having said that, I will warn you that NPCs will use language and have attitudes that reflect the prejudices and injustices of whatever time period you find yourself in. It’s meant to reflect how much things have changed in just the last few decades. I don’t intend to beat anyone over the head with it, but there are things in this campaign that may shock you, especially if you travel far enough back in time. There could be Sundown towns and counties, social unrest, bad police interactions, criminals, anti-gay bluster, fear reactions to AIDS, segregation, and lots of ugliness. It’s a backdrop – not the story – so you are free to react as you see fit and get involved if you feel you must. Many of my younger players are dumbfounded when things like this are sprinkled into the plot, but mostly in the, “OMG! People actually acted like that?” sense.
Player Agency – I’m a big fan of it to an extent. I’m open to a great many possibilities and typically reward smart, independent thinking. Sometimes, you have no choice but to come at a problem “sideways.” Having said that, machines don’t think the way we do and tend to use their given capabilities in unexpected ways. You can make your own decisions and govern your actions within the bounds of the rules, so long as things don’t give rise to exploits and abusive situations.
Game Balance & Fairness – Terminators don’t feel pity, fear, remorse, or pain and they absolutely will not stop… ever… until you are dead. This game is not meant to be balanced or fair. PCs will die. Sometimes, a bad die roll will put you beneath the dirt. Death is not usually glorious. Rely on your Fate and your Body, Brains, and Bravado as much as you dare, but nothing’s a decent substitute for cleaver thinking. Fortunately for you, I am also NOT a Terminator. We’re here to create a fantastic story and have a great time! I don’t always agree with the Rules As Written (RAW) and there are absurd things that can happen that are strictly permitted (or not) by the rules. I don’t make such alterations lightly, but when something like that comes up – expect the outcome to be as close to common sense as I can get.
Rules Debates – As a Director, how do you handle rules debates? I appreciate it when players or other Directors offer me constructive criticism on something I may have missed. It makes me a better Director and hopefully builds player respect for me as a Director. Does the game pause to look up rules? Sometimes it undoubtedly will. Despite my decades of experience running games, it might surprise people to know that I don’t have the rulebook memorized. A few moments to search for the pertinent ruling is a practical thing. Does the Director make a quick ruling to keep the game flowing and then look up the rule later? Generally, no. It’s no fun, in my experience as a player, to have a mule-headed Director who can’t admit to a mistake – especially if that mistake stands a good chance of hurting the PCs. I can make snap rulings without hesitation, but since we’re educating people about proper gameplay, it helps to get it right.
Spotlight Sharing – Are players allowed to have spot-light focus or will the spot-light only be focused on the party as a whole? Everyone will have plenty of opportunities to shine! I distribute knowledge and opportunities among all players. This includes the wallflowers who sit in the corner and only speak up once or twice in the entire evening. Everyone has a role to play on the team and that’s the only way you’ll ever defeat the machines.
Meta-knowledge – Do you allow it? More often than you might think. Too much knowledge of the Terminator ‘Verse can sometimes help you, but that same knowledge is to be relied upon at your own risk – and that of the entire party. I know many of these things just as well as you do and I’ve had lots of time to think about the scenarios I’ve built. Years, in fact. These aren’t yer grandma’s endoskeletons! One thing I love to do, BTW, is hide more easter eggs than any three people will ever hope to spot. Please look for them and call them out! That’s one way to make the Director’s game experience most rewarding!
MinMaxing – What is your stance on this as a Director? Go for it! As past groups will testify, it’s a losing proposition in this game. If you can twist up metal with your bare hands, that’s great. But…. when you try to explain to the pissed-off COP that you couldn’t possibly have snapped off that padlock with your bare hands, don’t be surprised when the COP says, “If anybody could do it, my first suspect is going to be the guy who’s been sipping Schwarzenegger’s protein shakes. Turn around and put your hands on the wall.”
Character Party fit – That ‘loner’ character? Are they allowed? I take on all comers. But in this game, he/she/they who plays alone often dies alone.
Murder Hoboes – What is your stance on this as a Director? Is it allowed? Yes! Always. One of the best murder hoboes in a game in the 90s quickly was discovered by the police, apprehended, tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison with NO POSSIBILITY of ESCAPE or PAROLE. He was an instant convert! He didn’t even object. He was like, “I get it,” and started writing up his new character. The rest of the group nodded appreciatively and played on.
Other behavior rules – Feel free during play to snack, etc. Please turn off your mic while chewing or draining the bottom of the milkshake cup. Also, have fun! As the Director, I want you to be funny, quirky, serious, stubborn, creative, brilliant, haunted, sensitive, vulnerable, bitter, vengeful, forgiving, or any of a million things! You’re the heroes of the story even when the world perceives you as villains. YOU know what is at stake! You’re here to save humanity from the machines and I am here to give you that opportunity. Enjoy it!

The Director

Director Style – As a Director, what is your style? I’m a bit on the gritty, dark side part of the game in the future. You will all want to keep active notes. Someone should always be typing or you’ll miss quite a bit. Refer to those notes often! Clues are as plentiful as easter eggs if you look for them. I will never come unprepared for a session. With a time-travel scenario like The Terminator, many of my plot elements are dropped as early as the first mission and may become significant after a year of play. I can’t be as clever as Skynet in real-time, so I compensate with an overabundance of planning combined with a healthy amount of inspiration. Keep track of your ammo counts because I will. If I notice a significant difference in our numbers, I’ll take over the job. Agency is fine, but ammo is a critical factor.
Player Absences – I’m good for running this game with as many as 8 players, so there’s room for expansion. My primary requirement is that everyone do everything possible to attend. Of course, we all know that if one or another of us has a real-life problem to deal with, that takes priority. It’s never convenient and we all get that.
Player Narrative Authority – Although it may not seem so as of the very beginning of the game, you will all have a decent amount of latitude with the narrative as the game progresses. The opening being the way it is and the likelihood that your adventurers all met at an inn listening to a dwarven woman sing her heart out isn’t really a good opening for this genre.
Pet Peeves – Yes. I have them. Chewing or slurping into a hot mic is a big one, although none of you have tripped that trigger to date. LOL Rudeness (out of character) is bad for me, which includes racist, homophobic, sexist, and religious slurs or hate speech. Again – something none of you have ever tripped, nor would I expect you to. However, it is important to know that in whatever period you find yourself, the NPCs will use the language and bear the attitudes of the times. This is intentional – and you’re free to react to such things and draw conclusions as you deem appropriate. Not everyone is meant to be likable and I feel it’s unrealistic for them to be more perfect versions of the human beings at the time. Sometimes it will be shocking. It’s usually depicted in a nod to what people historically dealt with, which I think conveys a sense of how much times have changed in just the past few decades. It will never be out of character and I do not hold those ideas, personally.

Ethic Concerns & Topics

Preface – This part will cover mature topics which may or may not trigger people.
Gender – Will reflect the times. Many of which will be drawn from my personal experiences and things I’ve witnessed in the past half-century.
Attraction & Sexual Orientation – As adults, everyone is free to play whatever kind of character they choose. Attitudes in the game (mostly in the past) will be reflected as accurately as possible, warts and all. Not everyone in the dark future is ok with this, but if you encounter someone like that, react as you feel appropriate. Characters after J-Day will not have access to hormone blockers, top or bottom surgery, etc. as they would have in the real world. Go far enough in the past and those things wouldn’t have developed yet – or are considered too taboo for many medical personnel to have anything to do with.
Rape, Sexual Assault – Nothing about this is planned in my campaign. Were something to happen, there will be minimal detail (if any) and it would most likely be conveyed as something that happened to a character in the past. Under no circumstances will it be described in real-time.
Racism, and Prejudice – Though not playing a central role in the story, such things will be included where and when they occurred historically.
Slavery – In the future war, acts of slavery may be encountered. They will not be permitted within the group or the resistance. If you come across it, it’s either in a Disposal Facility or conducted by your enemies in one form or another.
Conclusion – If you have lines that you are concerned may be crossed, please let me know and I will address them.

Character Creation

7 Easy Steps –

Choose a name and role for your character.
Spend 7 Points on your Primary Stats in addition to the base Stats from your selected role.
Assign +2 hope to your highest corresponding score in Body, Brains, and Bravado and +1 hope to your lowest score.
Assign 3 hope points to Body, Brains, and Bravado as you wish. (No more than 2 in any one stat.)
Your Director will determine starting build points and you may use them to purchase skills.
Choose your character’s Traits, with a limit of 3 positive Traits and 3 negative. A character should have a minimum of 1 of each. If there is a positive balance, those points may be spent on Skills, but if there’s a negative balance, remove that many points. (This is not quite the RAW, but it allows the character to build a little on skills or traits in a way that offers some flexibility.)
Equip your character and kick ‘em out into the fight!

Creation Stats – Per “The Terminator RPG” and “T2 RPG” Rulebooks.
Alignment – Consider your character’s life experiences and how they affected your character’s development. Try to act and make decisions that fall in line with those ideas.
Stat rulings – Only a single STAT may ever reach 6. Only a single skill may ever reach 4. Such stats must be constantly and actively maintained or they will drop back down to 5 and 3, respectively, with no option to recover lost experience points. This does not preclude the option of regaining those stats later, but the experience cost must be paid again to do so.
Other Creation Rules – Crosstrain where you can. For instance, when the medic catches a stray artillery round to the face, you had better know how to bandage a wound.

Races & Classes

Races Allowed/Disallowed – Humans only… at least in my games. It might be cute to make someone into an infiltrator, but as a Director, I think that the tension and terror are much more real when you don’t know whether or not “Carl” or “Carla” is planning to kill you the moment your back is turned.

Game style, Character Lifestyle

Type of Game – Please don’t refer to it as “Homebrewed”. I’ve always hated the expression because I feel it cheapens the work that I do – as if it would be impossible to equal or surpass the original material or the stuff being kicked out into the gaming society as a whole. I’m anything but that.
Campaign Length – My campaign, as a whole, can successfully operate for at least an entire year (or more) as it’s currently written. It’s a mix of elements from my original writing, events in the movies and TV shows, and the Campaign Guide.
In-game politics & factions – If you’re reading this, you ARE the Resistance. Some characters in the game will be based loosely on real-life counterparts. Expect any canonical characters and groups you have already seen and more that you haven’t.
Start/Standing – You’re all starting as nobodies. If you survive, you may become famous. That could be a bad thing – just so you know where things stand.
Character Context – Warriors are valuable assets. Nobody has time for finishing school. Dating is a joke, but somebody has to be responsible for continuing the Human Race. No still means no and usually is backed up by an anti-tank weapon.

Fate, Feats, Special Abilities

Body, Brains, and Bravado – The very first burst of gunfire that comes your way will very likely be enough to end you right there and then. I won’t mention to you that you may escape death by using the feats available to you. Think outside of the box and spend accordingly.
Special Abilities – Do not forget to make use of your class Special Ability! It gets ignored far more than it should.
Fate – Learn how to use it BEFORE you start.

Initiative

Individual Initiative – Each player rolls 1 d10 and adds their Initiative Bonus to the Roll. The Worst initiative declares their actions first and the best initiative declares actions last. Then the actions are carried out with the best initiative going first and the worst role going last.

Hacking

If you are playing a Hacker or any other character that intends to engage Skynet in the cyber realm, get a copy of the Hacking rules and read them thoroughly. It’s a bit of a tricky system to understand, but once you do you will find the experience very rewarding. It’s best if every player knows how it’s done, but it can also be cool if you possess that skill and can use it in a way that looks almost like magic to the rest of the party. Your call. 😉

Death

Death – Sooner or later, somebody is going to die. Skynet prefers sooner.
Resurrection? – Not gonna’ happen. Of course, there are probably as many versions of you out there as there are possible timelines. It could happen, but don’t assume this version is like the one that just got jibbed and they will try to shiv you if you attempt to tickle them.
Replacements – There will be opportunities in the game for you to jump into the skin of an NPC and carry on the fight. I’m not fond of this possibility, but it could be the best way to get you back into the game when the dice betray you and you’re all out of points to spend.