GM Page

The Premise

// Explain the basics of the setting. If it’s not made clear elsewhere, give a reason for the characters to stick together, and hint at what they’ll spend their time doing.

Back Page

// If you’d like to mimic the style of the original micro RPGs this SRD is based on, the back page (or the left half of one side of a letter-sized sheet of paper) can fit 4 tables of 20 items each. A GM can use these to generate ideas for an improvised session, like, “[Name] has hired you for [Job] at [Location], but there’s a [Twist]!” An example table is offered below.

Adding To Rules

// This SRD is very brief, with the hope experienced RPG players will fill in the gaps confidently, and RPG newcomers will be free of too many preconceived notions. Anything left vague is deliberately open to interpretation. (Like: Can you get help dice from an ally AND circumstances on one roll? Your call!) Expand or clarify as needed. My own principles for new rules are to minimize addition and subtraction, avoid too much bookkeeping (on top of tracking credits, hindrances, number of bulky items, and which items are broken), and strive to use terms either self-evident in meaning or invitingly vague.

► Roll d20 for a contact, client, rival, or target

1 Arcimboldo, quirky tech dealer & tinkerer
2 Aurora, wealthy collector of unique items
3 Blackout, quiet evidence removal specialist
4 Bleach, wry janitor android turned assassin
5 Bron, dour security chief with a metal arm
6 Bullet, no-nonsense android gun runner
7 Carryout, cocky courier with fast cyber-legs
8 Fisher, eager street kid looking for a crew
9 Ginseng, people-loving drug dealer
10 Hot Ticket, extremely cautious fence
11 Kaiser, grinning loan shark in a silver suit
12 Osiris, tired, street-level sawbones
13 Powder Blue, android fxer, generous rates
14 Reacher, sharp mercenary tac squad leader
15 Rhino, thickheaded, bighearted bodyguard
16 Sam, plucky journalist, likely to get killed
17 Shifter, hard-working chop-shop owner
18 Walleye, businesslike information broker
19 Whistler, smiling cabbie/getaway driver
20 “X,” unfappable broker for an unnamed corp

► Roll d6 to try to find a job. Spend ₡1 to re-roll.

  • 1–2 Nothing. Spend to re-roll, or risk debt.
  • 3–4 Found a job, but there’s a catch.
  • 5–6 Choose between 2 jobs.

Finding Jobs

// Many teams don’t need to look for paying work (e.g., military units). If your game does use this setup, though, dangerous jobs should pay more to cover 1–3 credits in “expenses” for medical treatment, fixing/replacing broken gear, re-rolling unsavory jobs, or getting through dry spells with no jobs. Also, in the table above, the phrase “owe somebody” is intentionally vague, but may be worth clarifying or alluding to elsewhere (e.g., put a loan shark in your “Contacts” table).

Jobs

// The list of jobs (or missions, situations, quests, etc.) should be tailored for your setting, and suggest scenarios where every character’s skills will be useful. Common job templates include “deal with an unusual threat,” “investigate something seemingly inexplicable,” or “retrieve a thing from a location for a person.” They serve as “gameable lore” — elements that hint at a setting, ready-made for use in play.

License

// This SRD is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license (CC BY 4.0). You’re welcome to use this text and layout in your own game, provided you do the following:

Give Credit

// See that tiny text along the bottom of the page? That’s where I cram the version number and credit for licensed content (like the cover art). You’re welcome to put it elsewhere in your game, but be sure to include it somewhere — like, “24XX rules are CC BY Jason Tocci.”

Use 24xx, Not 2400

// You can say your game is “compatible with 2400” or “for use with 2400,” but please don’t use material directly from 2400, or name your game so it looks like it’s part of my 2400 series (unless you have explicit approval).

No Bigotry

// Please don’t use any text from this game, the 24XX logo, or my name in any product that promotes or condones white supremacy, racism, misogyny, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, or other bigotry against marginalized groups.

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