Fallout 2d20 PDF⁚ A Guide to the Wasteland
The Fallout 2d20 PDF is a comprehensive guide to the official Fallout tabletop roleplaying game. This guide is designed to immerse players in the post-apocalyptic world of the Fallout universe, offering them a unique experience tailored for an authentic wasteland experience.
Introduction
Welcome to the wasteland, a world ravaged by nuclear war, where survival is a constant struggle. In this unforgiving landscape, you are a Wastelander, a survivor forced to navigate the dangers of a world filled with mutated creatures, irradiated landscapes, and the remnants of a lost civilization. This is the world of Fallout⁚ The Roleplaying Game, a tabletop experience that captures the essence of the beloved video game series, allowing you to forge your own path in this post-apocalyptic world.
Fallout⁚ The Roleplaying Game utilizes the 2d20 system, a dynamic and engaging ruleset designed for storytelling and character driven adventures. The 2d20 system allows for a wide range of playstyles, from gritty survivalism to heroic acts of courage and sacrifice. This system allows for both tactical combat encounters and roleplaying opportunities, ensuring that every session is filled with excitement and suspense;
This guide serves as your companion to the Wasteland, providing all the information you need to create your character, explore the Commonwealth, and navigate the dangers that lie ahead. It covers the core rules of the 2d20 system, detailed character creation guidelines, a comprehensive overview of the Commonwealth, and a deep dive into the factions, creatures, and locations that make this world so unique.
Prepare for a journey filled with danger, intrigue, and the chance to make a difference in a world on the brink. Your story begins now.
The 2d20 System
The 2d20 system is the foundation of Fallout⁚ The Roleplaying Game, offering a streamlined and engaging approach to tabletop roleplaying. This system, developed by Modiphius Entertainment, is known for its intuitive mechanics and its ability to facilitate both tactical combat and character-driven storytelling.
The core of the 2d20 system revolves around rolling two twenty-sided dice (d20s) and adding modifiers based on your character’s attributes, skills, and other factors. The results of these rolls determine the success or failure of actions, adding a layer of unpredictability and tension to the game. The system also incorporates a unique “Action Point” system, allowing players to strategically allocate their actions for maximum impact during combat and other situations.
The 2d20 system is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing for a wide range of player choices and narrative outcomes. Whether you’re navigating a tense social encounter, engaging in a fierce firefight, or scavenging for resources, the 2d20 system provides a dynamic and engaging framework for your Fallout adventures.
Throughout this guide, you’ll learn the intricacies of the 2d20 system, from basic skill tests to complex combat rules. This knowledge will equip you to navigate the challenges of the Wasteland and shape your own story in this post-apocalyptic world.
Creating a Character
In Fallout⁚ The Roleplaying Game, your character is your window into the Wasteland, a testament to your survival amidst the harsh realities of a post-nuclear world. Creating a character is more than just selecting stats and skills; it’s about crafting a unique individual with their own motivations, strengths, and flaws. This process allows you to embody the spirit of the Fallout universe, shaping your own journey through the dangers and opportunities that await.
The character creation process begins with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system, a cornerstone of the Fallout franchise. This system encompasses seven core attributes⁚ Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck. Each attribute contributes to your character’s abilities, determining their physical prowess, mental sharpness, and overall resilience. You’ll also choose an origin, selecting from a diverse array of backgrounds that shape your character’s starting skills, providing context for their journey into the Wasteland.
As you build your character, you’ll delve into a vast array of skills, each representing a specific expertise that your character can hone. From Lockpicking to Melee Weapons, from Medicine to Barter, these skills define your character’s capabilities, offering a range of options for interacting with the world. You’ll also select perks, unique abilities that enhance your character’s strengths and provide additional advantages in the Wasteland.
The creation process culminates with choosing your character’s starting equipment, equipping them with the tools and weapons they need to navigate the perils that lie ahead. This is where you begin to personalize your character, outfitting them with the gear that best suits their playstyle and the path they choose to take in the Wasteland. The character creation process is a vital step in shaping your Fallout experience, a chance to create a unique individual ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth, a sprawling region encompassing the ruins of Boston and its surrounding areas, serves as the primary setting for Fallout⁚ The Roleplaying Game. It’s a landscape scarred by the Great War, where remnants of pre-war civilization clash with the brutal realities of the Wasteland. The Commonwealth is a tapestry woven with the threads of human resilience, technological marvels, and the haunting specter of past horrors.
In the heart of the Commonwealth lies the once-proud city of Boston, now a shadow of its former glory. Crumbling skyscrapers pierce the sky, their rusted skeletons a stark reminder of the war’s devastation. Within the city’s ruins, pockets of civilization have emerged, forming settlements that struggle to survive amidst the dangers of the Wasteland. These communities, each with their own unique challenges and opportunities, offer a glimpse into the human spirit’s ability to adapt and rebuild.
Beyond the city’s confines, the Commonwealth stretches out into a vast expanse of wilderness, dotted with forgotten settlements, abandoned factories, and treacherous wastelands. This unforgiving terrain is home to a diverse array of creatures, from mutated animals to the remnants of pre-war technology, each posing a unique threat to those who dare venture into its depths. The Commonwealth is a world of constant danger and unexpected encounters, where survival hinges on resourcefulness, cunning, and a healthy dose of luck.
But the Commonwealth is not merely a wasteland of decay and despair. Amidst the ruins, pockets of hope flicker. Technology, a testament to pre-war ingenuity, still holds the potential for progress. The Commonwealth is a place where those who dare to dream can strive to rebuild a better future, even amidst the shadows of the past.
Vault-Tec
Vault-Tec, a pre-war corporation, played a pivotal role in shaping the world of Fallout. Known for its expertise in construction and engineering, Vault-Tec specialized in building massive, reinforced bunkers, known as Vaults, designed to provide a safe haven for humanity in the event of a nuclear apocalypse. These Vaults were marketed as luxurious, self-sufficient communities, offering a chance for survival and a fresh start.
Vault-Tec’s true motives, however, extended beyond mere survival. The company conducted numerous experiments within the Vaults, using unsuspecting inhabitants as test subjects. These experiments ranged from social dynamics and psychological manipulation to the study of radiation’s long-term effects on human biology. While some Vaults were designed to provide a safe haven, others were used as laboratories, designed to test the limits of human endurance and explore the potential for genetic manipulation.
The legacy of Vault-Tec is a complex and controversial one. While some Vaults successfully protected their inhabitants, others became breeding grounds for instability, leading to the emergence of mutated creatures and dangerous cults. The company’s unethical practices and manipulative strategies continue to haunt the Wasteland, leaving behind a legacy of mistrust and suspicion.
In the Fallout 2d20 game, Vault-Tec plays a significant role. The company’s legacy influences encounters with Vault dwellers, the discovery of hidden secrets, and the exploration of abandoned Vaults. Players may encounter survivors of Vault-Tec’s experiments, uncover the company’s sinister history, and grapple with the ethical dilemmas of a corporation that promised safety but ultimately delivered a very different reality.
Encounters and Plots
The Fallout 2d20 system offers a rich tapestry of encounters and plots to engage players in the Wasteland. These encounters can range from simple skirmishes with raiders or mutated creatures to complex, multi-faceted quests involving powerful factions and ancient secrets. The game encourages a dynamic and unpredictable narrative, where every choice made by players can have far-reaching consequences.
Encounters in Fallout 2d20 can be tailored to the specific themes and challenges of a given campaign. Players might encounter fellow survivors seeking help, desperate settlements facing existential threats, or powerful factions vying for control over scarce resources. These encounters can also introduce new characters, locations, and plot threads, expanding the scope of the game world and deepening the immersion for players.
The game’s robust system for crafting plots offers Game Masters (GMs) a wide range of tools to create engaging and challenging narratives. GMs can leverage existing lore, character backstories, and player choices to craft unique and compelling storylines. They can also draw inspiration from the rich history of the Fallout universe, incorporating iconic locations, characters, and events into their campaigns.
Whether players are facing off against a horde of feral ghouls, negotiating a trade deal with a powerful merchant, or uncovering a long-forgotten secret hidden within a derelict vault, encounters and plots in Fallout 2d20 are designed to challenge players, test their skills, and immerse them in the harsh and unforgiving world of the Wasteland.
Managing the Rules
The Fallout 2d20 system, while robust and detailed, is designed to be flexible and adaptable to different playstyles and preferences. The rulebook provides clear guidelines for managing the game, but it also encourages GMs to tailor the rules to fit their specific campaign setting and player group.
One key aspect of managing the rules is understanding the balance between realism and narrative freedom. The game’s mechanics are designed to create a believable and challenging wasteland experience, but GMs can also choose to adjust the rules to accommodate specific plot points or character abilities. For example, a GM might choose to allow a character with high Intelligence to bypass a complex puzzle or grant a character with high Charisma a bonus to persuasion rolls.
Another important aspect of managing the rules is ensuring that the game remains engaging and fun for all players. GMs should be mindful of the pacing of the game, the difficulty of encounters, and the balance of power between characters. It’s also crucial to maintain a healthy balance between narrative storytelling and rule-based mechanics, ensuring that the game remains enjoyable for everyone involved.
The rulebook provides a wealth of resources for GMs, including detailed descriptions of the game’s mechanics, tips for running encounters, and examples of common scenarios. GMs can also draw inspiration from the Fallout video games, adapting existing locations, characters, and storylines to fit their tabletop campaign. Ultimately, managing the rules in Fallout 2d20 is about creating a fun and immersive experience for everyone at the table.
Denizens of the Wasteland
The Fallout 2d20 PDF provides a detailed look at the diverse and often dangerous inhabitants of the post-apocalyptic wasteland. From the hardy Wastelanders struggling to survive to the mutated creatures lurking in the shadows, this section offers a glimpse into the tapestry of life, or rather, existence, that exists after the bombs fell.
The book dives into the unique characteristics and motivations of each faction, offering GMs a toolbox to craft compelling encounters and storylines. Wastelanders, driven by survival and hope, might be encountered in settlements, trading posts, or venturing out on scavenging expeditions. Raiders, driven by greed and violence, might be found in fortified camps, ambushing travelers, or seeking to plunder settlements.
The Brotherhood of Steel, a militaristic order dedicated to preserving pre-War technology, presents a fascinating challenge for players. Their rigid adherence to their code and distrust of outsiders could lead to conflict or collaboration. The book also explores the horrifying nature of Super Mutants, the result of genetic experiments gone wrong, and the enigmatic Synths, advanced robots with artificial intelligence, offering GMs a range of possibilities for creating truly memorable encounters.
The descriptions of each faction delve into their motivations, beliefs, and societal structures, allowing GMs to create believable and engaging NPCs. This section also includes statistics for various creatures and characters, making it easy for GMs to integrate them into their campaigns. The Fallout 2d20 PDF ensures that the wasteland is a living, breathing world, teeming with unique and memorable characters, ready to challenge and surprise players at every turn.
The Brotherhood of Steel
The Fallout 2d20 PDF devotes a section to the Brotherhood of Steel, a militaristic organization dedicated to safeguarding pre-War technology and preserving knowledge from the pre-apocalypse; The book delves into the Brotherhood’s history, their rigid hierarchy, and their complex relationship with the outside world. They view themselves as guardians of technology, often clashing with those who misuse or seek to exploit it, particularly Raiders and those who threaten their control over advanced weaponry.
The Brotherhood’s presence in the Commonwealth is explored in detail, with a focus on their outposts, their methods of recruitment, and their internal conflicts. GMs will find a wealth of information on creating Brotherhood NPCs, from seasoned paladins to tech-savvy scribes. The book provides guidance on their unique skills, weaponry, and combat tactics, allowing players to encounter this powerful faction in diverse ways.
The Fallout 2d20 PDF emphasizes the Brotherhood’s role in the larger world, highlighting their potential as allies or adversaries to players. Their strict code, unwavering dedication to their cause, and the dangers posed by their advanced weaponry can create thrilling encounters and challenging scenarios. GMs can utilize the provided information to craft encounters where players must navigate the Brotherhood’s complex motivations and decide whether to align themselves with their goals or challenge their authority.