This page contains rules for the Unisystem. Most are adapted from other rpg systems, especially GURPS, since it is the one I am most familiar with.

Resistance (Age)
1-point per level Physical Quality
     This is a new subset of the Resistance Quality. A character with Resistance (Age) withstands better the ravages of time on his body. For very 10 years after 30, a character is required to subtract 2 levels from his Attributes. This 10-year interval is increased by the Resistance (Age) Quality. Every level of this Quality adds 1 year to the interval. So, a character with Resistance (Age) 1 would subtract 2 Attribute levels every 11 years after 30, while someone with Resistance (Age) 5 would do so only every 15 years.

Pacifism
Variable Mental Drawback (adapted from GURPS)
     The character is opposed to violence. His degree of commitment will determine the value of the Drawback. If the character will never lift a hand against another intelligent being and will also try to discourage others from engaging in violence, it is worth 6 points. If he will only fight to defend himself or those under his protection, using an appropriate amount of force, it is worth 3 points. If he can fight whenever he wants, even starting a fight, but cannot kill anyone, it is worth 3 points. Note that the last type includes leaving a wounded foe to die. The character will also discourage others from killing. If he actually kills someone, or feels responsible for a death, he will suffer a nervous breakdown. Roll D10 x 2 and have the character be useless during that many days. During this time a Simple Willpower Test will be required from the character to offer any sort of violence toward anyone, for any reason.

MECHANICS

Knockback
     Games with high power levels, such as Armageddon or a typical super-hero campaign, often have people being knocked back several meters and through walls. To simulate this staple of the genre, here is a new rule.
     When someone is hit with a blunt attack (slashing/stabbing, bullets and most energy attacks do not cause significant knockback), he is knocked back for a number of meter/yards (m/y) equal to the Strength Attribute of the attacker minus the Constitution Attribute of the defender, multiplied by the number of Success Levels. Only Success Levels of Very Good (Fourth Level, 15-16) or more count as a multiplier. That means that attacks that score three or fewer Success Levels do not generate a knockback effect.
     A character who is knocked back into a solid object suffers damage equal to D6 (3) x m/y knocked back, up to what was absorbed by the object. If the object breaks, the character proceeds on his trajectory. If he hits another object, apply the remaining damage. If the second object also breaks and there’s knockback damage remaining, the character (also taking this damage) proceeds on. This repeats itself until the knockback damage is used up or the character reaches the end of the knockback distance, whichever happens first. Remember to subtract the damage absorbed by the object from the total knockback distance. This can be done by dividing the absorbed damage by the number rolled on the die.
      Example: Superbman (Str 90) hits Captain Destruction (Con 15), scoring 5 Success Levels. The Captain is knocked back 150 m/y (90-15 = 75, multiplied by 2 Success Levels), straight into a 2-inch brick wall (AV 11, DC60) 20 m/y away. Rolling the die, the Chronicler comes up with 350 points of damage (3 x 150). The wall withstands 71 points, which are also suffered by the character, and breaks. The character will now fly for 107 (the initial 20 m/y + 23 m/y [71/3 = 23.6]) more m/y and stop. Unless there’s another 2-inch brick wall, again at another 20 meters. This one will also soak another 71 points.

Back to Unisystem

Well, enjoy it! And if you want, you can drop me a line at fred@planetfred.net or leave a comment at the PatchComm.