Main Sequence Trifold - 2024 Update

I’ve had sci-fi on the brain a bit and have been wanting to revisit our original WyRM-based passion project. This update saw quite a bit of tweaks and a few drastic changes. Overall, it still carries the philosophy of “Quick & Dirty, Rules Necessary” and should be easy to adjust existing characters. The main goal of this revision was to clarify procedures and reel in some of the unwieldy modifiers.

GENERAL TWEAKS

• Attempted to clean up typos, incorrect values, mismatched terms (from when I copied stuff from “WYRED” to MS)
• Weapons: Weapon damage has been adjusted. Some weapon types have been consolidated or re-branded. For example: Light & Heavy pistols are now replaced with just “Handguns”.
• DL Adjustments: Clarified action rolls must meet or beat the DL. DL values adjusted. An Average Attribute + Basic Skill can pass a Routine check 66% of the time.
• Syntax: All DLs and skill checks are written in full. For example: Performing first aid is a “Routine (8) Medicine check”.
• TAGS: Tag modifiers adjusted to +2.
• Money is now rated in generic Credits (¤)
• Stat values on Planetside Vehicles have been tweaked.
• Cinematic Ammo: I presented both Matt’s original approach as well as my own take on the house rule.

BIG CHANGES

• IMPACT: Any reference to the “degree of success” of an action check is now referred to as the Impact of the roll. This is a lot easier to digest.
• EXTENDED CHALLENGES: Reworked to have both a DL and a Point Value (rated 5, 10, 15). The Impact of a roll is reduced from the point value of the Challenge.
• SKILLS: There are no longer specialized fields with skills – if you have “Vehicle” it applies to all you drive, “Knowledge” is a broad education and recall skill. I’ve added ENGINEER, MEDICINE, ASTROGATION to the skill list so those aptitudes are front and center (and not some obscure side skill).
• RATES OF FIRE: Reeled in the ridiculous 90s-inspired rules. Semi-automatics now just “double tap” against a single target; burst fire adds a bonus towards a single target. Full-Auto has been limited to three targets in a close range. This is both to streamline combat and inspired by many chats with combat veterans.
• AUGMENTATIONS: Optional rule that starting characters may choose them as a TAG choice.
• SPACESHIPS: Defined pricing procedures for spaceships. Essentially turned most ship operation procedures into either Tech + Astrogation or Tech + Engineer rolls.

Other Uploads

• Record Sheets: Contains a sheet both for player characters, as well as a sheet for tracking a spaceship, vehicles and drones.
• The Vault: The original pocket mods (and device-friendly) versions of WYRED and Main Sequence from over a decade ago. Posted for archive purposes, as well as to have the original rules on hand.

Remember the text of all of these releases are under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 License, so feel free to hack them apart and make them your own.