S.T.A.L.K.O.R.E. This is an attempt to adapt the more crunchy parts of the famous S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games to the O.R.E. system, namely O.R.E. Reign and Nemesis. Within is just about everything GMs need to run a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, with some explanations for those new to the setting. Additions to the O.R.E. System Factions of the Zone Places of the Zone Anomalies of the Zone Artifacts of the Zone Mutants of the Zone Weapons in the Zone Armor and Equipment in the Zone Additions to the O.R.E. System Hit Locations and Accuracy The O.R.E. system usually works by having the Width of a roll determine how much damage is dealt, as well as the Speed of the attack, with the Height of the roll determining the the location hit. In order to simulate the different accuracies inherent in guns, this has been altered a bit, and now comes in two forms. The first form is a hit location-less method. The Width of a roll still determines damage, but the Height is now measured against a Difficulty rating, consisting of the gun’s accuracy at a given range. If the Height of the roll is equal to or greater than the Difficulty, then the attack is successful (unless gobbled by a faster Dodge roll!). Speed is now determined by Height as well in order to prevent undodgeable, high-powered attacks. GMs might instead wish to use the number on a waste die (dice that don’t have any matches) to determine speed, which could lead to players having to break up dice pairs and adds a bit of tactical thought to combat. The second method is a slight variation of the first. Width determines damage, Height is measured against the range Difficulty and also determines Speed, but the number on a waste die is now used to determine where the bullet lands, if it does at all. GMs should use whatever works for them, even if the Accuracy ratings end up ignored. It’s up to them! Bleeding With bullets flying around everywhere, mutants attacking with tooth and claw, and anomalies shredding suits and bodies alike, bleeding is a big problem in the zone. Bleeding can be considered an optional rule to make things a bit harder, and GMs are free to leave it out if they wish. Whenever an human or mutant is attacked, half of the damage they receive (rounded down) is further turned into Bleeding “steps”. Bleeding is an every-round, stacking effect that deals Shock damage equal to the amount of steps to either the affected location or the body as a whole, depending on what hit system is used. For example, a stalker takes 3 Shock and Killing damage to their left arm. While that’s bad enough, now they must also deal with 1 “step” of bleeding in that arm each round (3/2 rounded down = 1). During their next turn, they take 1 Shock damage to their left arm, giving them one more round to react before the Shock damage adds up and starts to deal Killing damage to that limb instead. If they take another 1 damage of Killing, they receive another “step” of Bleeding, for a total of 2 steps each round (1 / 2 with a minimum of 1). Radiation Radiation plays a big part in the STALKER games, either by blocking off paths or inflicting serious injury to the player. Radiation can be gained from food, radioactive zones, or most especially from artifacts in skin contact. In STALKORE, radiation is treated a bit differently than the video game. Radiation counts as poison, with a Potency and Major and Minor effects, a la REIGN. As Potency rises, the effects grow worse and worse. Depending on circumstances, stalkers may have to deal with immediately higher Potencies, requiring quick if not immediate action. Initially, the effects of radiation are checked every Day, with Potency rolled as a die pool. If a match comes up, the affected stalker takes 1 Shock damage (to the torso if hit locations are used). If no matches come up, the stalker gets nauseous, suffers from headaches, or gets other health issues. Once Potency rises above 10, it immediately returns to 1 and all effects are rolled every Hour. A match now deal 1 Killing Damage (again, to the torso), and no matches deals 1 Shock damage and Daze, in addition to the nausea, headaches, etc. If Potency again rises above 10 it resets to 1 and effects are now rolled every minute. Matches deal Width in Killing, while non-matches deal 1 Shock to every hit location, or 6 shock if no hit locations are used, plus Dazed, headaches, nausea, and other signs of radioactivity. Finally, if Potency reaches above 10 once more, it becomes a race against time as the stalker is literally melting from the inside out. If no aid is administered within 1 round at this point, either by artifact or drugs, the stalker dies. Psi Fields and Mental Damage STALKORE uses the Madness Meters from ORE Nemesis in order to represent the mental effects life in the Zone has on stalkers. But the Zone has other ways of hurting the mind. Psi fields are localized zones of intense psychic energy. No one knows how or why they’re formed, but to step into one unprotected is almost certain death, followed quickly by becoming a zombie. Anyone that sets foot in a psi field is assaulted by acute headaches, wavering vision, hallucinations, and more. Each psi field has an Intensity rating, just like the Madness events in Nemesis. Going from 1 to 10, the Intensity rating is the amount of dice rolled in a mental “attack” from the field on everything in it each round or minute, depending on the circumstances. The GM takes the highest match rolled and uses that for determining damage. This is resisted by a Mind + Equilibrium roll, representing how stalkers need a strong mind and iron self-control. No Speed comparison is necessary, as a psi field isn’t exactly racing to kill stalkers. If a stalker is successful, they take no damage. If they fail, their Mind score is temporarily reduced by 1. If a stalker’s Mind score ever reaches 0, they die, and subsequently become a zombie. If they leave the psi field, they automatically regain 1 Mind every hour, a process that can be aided by certain drugs or a good swig of vodka. Precautions can be taken to reduce or prevent the damage Psi fields inflict, but such preventative measures are both rare and expensive. Factions of the Zone The Zone is full of people, some scouring it for artifacts, some studying it for valuable information, and others protecting the world from it (or it from the world). These people form factions in the Zone, each encapsulating the various philosophies and viewpoints of those that seek to preserve, study, or destroy the Zone. Military - The Ukrainian military has set up a cordon around the Zone, cutting it off from the rest ​ of the world in an attempt to prevent dangerous transfers of disease, mutants, artifacts, and other unsavory situations. Though supposedly on strict “shoot-on-sight” orders, the military often turns a blind eye to stalkers operating in the Zone, though never without due compensation. Occasionally, stalkers are hired by the military to retrieve certain artifacts, mutant samples, or other desirable materials. Bandits - Both within the Zone and out, bandits represent the scum of humanity. Loyal only to ​ themselves, each band is led by whoever is strong, smart, or clever enough to get others to follow them. Bandits make a living by extorting, stealing, ransoming, and are hated by all factions save Freedom, which still holds them at arm's length. Due to the small, uncoordinated nature of their groups, bandits tend to favor ambushes and favorable odds. If a situation looks bad, they may just cut and run. Duty - One of the largest, if not the largest faction in the zone, Duty was formed by former ​ military personnel and stalkers. Duty maintains a military-like responsibility in both its members and its outlook, requiring all that join to take care of their equipment and respect authority. The overarching goal of Duty is to find a way to destroy the Zone, thus removing its danger from the world. While Duty treats most factions fairly and neutrally, both Bandits and Freedom are long-time, hated enemies. Freedom - A collection of free spirits, anarchists, and wannabe philosophers, Freedom believes ​ in free access to the Zone. Similar in size to Duty, they hate the Military, Duty, and the Ecologists, believing that if the Zone were left alone it would assume a more peaceful, beneficial posture. In spite of their peaceful stand, they fiercely defend their territory against Monolith and mutant incursions, as well as from other threats. Loners/Free Stalkers - While not a group as such, every unaligned stalker belongs to this ​ category. The Loners faction is made up of the everyday stalker, both new and veteran alike, just trying to make a living off the Zone and hoping to find something that will let them retire to a cushy life. Loners are neutral towards most factions, though Bandits are dire enemies, and Mercenaries and the Military present problems. Mercenaries - The Mercenary faction consists of one or more PMCs, each hired and brought ​ into the Zone for one reason or another.