No Place Like Home
The following is a brief summary of the Serenity rules likely to be most commonly used in this campaign. Additional rules are available upon request, but I am attempting to stay away from any possible copyright infringement.
Plot Points: Plot points may be used to enhance actions, reduce damage, add to the story, or increase the pool of advancement points.
Spending a plot point on an action allows the player to roll an extra d2. Each additional point beyond the first raises this extra die by one step. The bonus received from this die can be no less than the number of plot points spent. Sometimes, each plot point spent on an action will raise the die result by one point instead of granting an extra die (see House Rules for details).
Immediately after taking damage, the player may elect to spend plot points to roll a die (size determined by number of points spent just as when enhancing actions) and reduce the damage by the number rolled.
The player may at any time introduce a new element into the story (or alter an existing element) by spending an appropriate number of plot points. What constitutes an appropriate number varies according to the effect of the change. The player should post the desired change along with the number of plot points to be spent. The GM will then determine the actual nature of the change. Occasionally, a proposed change may be vetoed by the GM, in which case all plot points will be returned.
At the end of every Chapter, any plot points the player has in excess of 6 are immediately converted to advancement points. These advancement points may be used to improved attributes and skills or to remove certain complications (though this second use must be accompanied by roleplaying).
Combat: Combat is broken up into three second turns during which each involved character can take at least one action. Each action taken beyond the first has a cumulative -1 step penalty applied to the skill die of the action. If the skill associated with the action would drop below d0, that action cannot be attempted (a Skill can’t get any worse than untrained). Other limits may also apply (e.g. a weapon’s rate of fire). Actions that do not count against the per turn action total include walking 15 ft., innate defense, and maintaining a hold. A character can hustle 30 ft. in a turn as one action or run 30 ft. plus the result of an Agility/Athletics(Running) roll as two actions.
A character can block a melee attack or dodge any attack as an action. If neither defensive action is taken, the player may choose whether to rely on Innate Defence (unskilled Agility roll) or to be an Easy target (difficulty 3). If the player chooses to take only defensive actions in a turn, each action receives a +2 step bonus. See House Rules for further discussion of how defensive actions are handled in this game.
Special attack actions that can be taken in a turn include aiming, called shot, disarm, feint, grapple, throwing a weapon, burst and autofire, and covering. A character using autofire (concentrated or spray) cannot take any other actions that turn. If the player chooses to take no defensive actions in a turn, each attack action receives a +2 step bonus.
Damage: Damage is divided into stun and wounds. If a character takes more than his life points in wound damage, he is in danger of dying. Stun damage in excess of the difference between a character’s life points and wounds taken can result in unconsciousness. Once per day, a player may roll unskilled Vitality or Willpower and immediately remove the result in stun damage. Removing wound damage without medical assistance requires long periods of rest and at least one Edurance roll (difficulty determined by the severity of the injury). If the Endurance roll is botched (all dice show 1), the character will take additional wound damage. Additional details about damage and healing are available upon request.