Strain BASIC is a sur'i'al horror roleplaying game to play in any dark setting under the following premise +ou are not power&ul heroes, ou are &lawed sur!i!ors*
Character Creation 1. With the GM and other players, decide the type of horror setting you will play in, whether it’s fantasy, sci-fi, modern, or something else. 2. Determine how your characters all know each other. . !n the "ank 1 #pecialties spaces on the character sheet, write down any $ words that each descri%e some aspect of your character’s %ackground, appropriate to the setting. &. Gi'e your character a name and a physical description. (eel free to write down the description on the %ack of the character sheet, or )ust keep it in mind. $. *nless your GM says otherwise, your character starts only with the clothes on their %ack.
Something is hunting ou, its &orm obscure* %eapons wont sa!e ou and supplies are scarce* Help is out o& reach* -& ou go o&& alone ou will die* )he world is dark and realit is &ragile*
Example Specialties: Murder, Hunting, Forests, Drugs, Sex, Music, Hiking, Climbing, Building, Brawling, Science, Space, Chemistr, Ca!es, Explosi!es, Sailing, Farms, "uns, Blacksmithing, "ambling, Stealing, #ni!es, Smuggling, $rmor, %ar&are, Fire, Camping, Fashion, 'ibraries, Cooking, Exca!ating, Horses, (obilit, Hacking, Machiner, )orture*
How to Play
Psychosis
+he #train system uses 1-sided dice only. ou start the game with #tress, the minimum. s #tress increases, so does your chance of failure. / #tress is the ma0imum, and each point gained a%o'e that would instead %e gained as $ Doom points. our Doom score is your percentage chance of dying when you fail in a life or death situation.
ny time you would gain a #tress point a%o'e the limit of /, you gain $ Doom, %ut also %egin to suffer from 6sychosis. While suffering 6sychosis, #tress takes twice as long to remo'e and you lose contact with reality, no longer a%le to use any #pecialty. ou’re only cured of 6sychosis if your #tress is reduced to .
When you try to o'ercome an o%stacle, a'oid danger, or attempt something dangerous, make a #kill +est hoose to roll one, two, or three dice. "olling multiple dice increases your chance to succeed. !f you roll a 1 on any of the dice, you gain 1 #tress per die rolled. fter gaining any #tress or Doom, the highest rolled die then determines success or failure. !f you ha'e a #pecialty that is rele'ant to the #kill +est, add its rank to the highest rolled die.
Doom ou start the game with a Doom score of 1, the least amount possi%le. ou gain Doom points from gaining too much #tress, and from in)uries. When you fail a #kill +est in a life or death situation, make a Death roll "oll 2 dice, one at a time. +he first die displays the tens digit of the result, and the second displays the ones digit. !f the result is less than or e7ual to your Doom score, you’re dead. Make a new character.
Injuries
Skill Test Outcomes omplete #uccess 3ighest rolled die 4 #pecialty rank 5 1 or higher. 6artial #uccess 3ighest rolled die 4 #pecialty rank is %elow 1, %ut not %elow your #tress score. ou succeed, %ut with a minor conse7uence applied %y the GM. Disaster 3ighest rolled die 4 #pecialty rank is %elow your #tress score. ou fail and suffer a se'ere conse7uence applied %y the GM. ritical #uccess !f you roll a 1 on any of the dice without rolling a 1, you succeed and learn a new #pecialty, one rank higher and more specific than the #pecialty you )ust used. +his new #pecialty should contain a detail from the action you )ust performed. (or e0ample, "ank 2 Mountain lim%ing from "ank 1 Mountains. ou can learn up to $ #pecialties of each "ank, with the ma0imum "ank %eing $.
Disadvantage !n situations where actions are particularly difficult, such as attacking in complete darkness, or running with an in)ured leg, you or the GM may apply Disad'antage to your #kill +est. +his means omplete #uccess is impossi%le, and instead counts as a 6artial #uccess. (or facing this difficulty, you gain 1 e0perience point that can %e spent at the end of the session to recei'e a %enefit.
Advantage !n situations where success is assured, %ut not without risk, the GM may apply d'antage. +his means Disaster is instead a 6artial #uccess, and any other result is a omplete #uccess.
s a conse7uence from a #kill +est, the GM may decide that you recei'e an in)ury, re7uiring you to roll 1 die and add the result to your Doom score. !f you suffer a mortal in)ury %y rolling a Disaster on a #kill +est, you are also re7uired to make a Death roll after adding points to your Doom score. Descri%e your in)uries as gruesomely as possi%le, and write them d own. !f you ha'e an in)ury that is rele'ant to a #kill +est, you suffer Disad'antage. haracters with #pecialties that imply medical or curati'e a%ilities could help treat in)uries, such as %y splinting %roken legs, cauteri8ing %leeding wounds, or neutrali8ing poison. +his can remo'e Disad'antage, %ut this does not remo'e Doom points.
Resting When you’re in a safe area, you and the other characters may choose to rest and reco'er. 9ach of you must roll a die. !f no%ody rolls a 1, the area remains safe and you each remo'e 1 #tress. "esting again re7uires another die roll from e'eryone, %ut with an additional die each. !f anyone rolls a 1, the situation %ecomes significantly worse, such as %y %ecoming weakened from deadly spores in the en'ironment, suffering food poisoning after eating a meal, %eing disco'ered %y a horrific threat, or e0periencing some other awful re'elation. !f you are suffering 6sychosis, you only remo'e #tress on the second and e'ery other dice roll. !t is encouraged to only roll the dice after role-playing for a %it.
Items !tems are ranked on a scale of 1 to $, d etermined %y the GM %ased on the item’s :uality, where 1 is poor and $ is unreal. *se an !tem on a rele'ant #kill +est to gain 41 to the result of the highest rolled die. lternati'ely, choose to add the !tem "ank to the highest rolled die without a #pecialty, %ut ritical #uccess will not earn you a new #pecialty. When wearing armor, the amount of Doom you would gain from an in)ury may %e reduced %y the armor’s :uality "ank, as long as it makes sense for the situation.
Sending !"erience Points t the end of e'ery game session, you earn $ e0perience points in addition to any you earned from Disad'antage. +he GM may also award a %onus e0perience point for e0ceptional roleplaying, reaching a milestone in the story, or for achie'ing significant goals. ou may choose to spend your e0perience points in any of the following ways $ points to gain a new #pecialty as if you rolled a ritical #uccess, or to redefine an e0isting #pecialty. $ points to remo'e 1 #tress. 1 point to remo'e 1 Doom. $ points to roll a die and remo'e the result from Doom.
rtwork, Writing, and ;ayout %y
21? tramentis Games #train @asic and all associated marks, artwork, and illustrations are the property of
=ersion 1.2?.1?
Running the #ame $d!ice &or the "M
!"aggerate
Character De ath
!mmerse yourself in the world. ct strange when you portray B6s. 9'oke horror and unease with your descriptions. @e poetic, use the medium creati'ely. "am%le to make your players ignore you while you mention terrifying details, raise your 'oice to catch their attention. +ry to play in an en'ironment with a dark am%iance, use appropriate lighting and soundtracks. !mmerse the players in the world. (acilitate role-play %y asking 7uestions a%out the characters’ thoughts and emotions.
Death should not %e pleasant or fun, it should %e punishing, %ut it should only result from the player’s decision that had a clear alternati'e. eep this in mind when creating C%stacles and when asking for #kill +ests.
Create O$s tacles our )o% as GM is not to decide the fate of the characters, %ut to create C%stacles where the players and their dice rolls decide the fate of their characters. n o%stacle could %e an en'ironment, a person, a creature, a trap, a pu88le, or anything else you can think of. @etween o%stacles, where players aren’t going to %e interacting or making any meaningful decisions, narrate and get them to the ne0t o%stacle.
When a player character dies, that player w ill ha'e to make a new character and you will ha'e to find a way to introduce them. onsider asking the player pri'ately how they would like their new character to %e introduced, and possi%ly gi'ing their character a Dark #ecret, such as disease carrier, parasite host, pyromaniac arsonist, canni%al, practices occult ritual sacrifices, keeps capti'es in a dungeon, or anything similar. +he player character with a Dark #ecret should not %e working against the other characters, %ut using it to create an interesting story .
Creating Horror
Include Player Ideas When a player asks if something e0ists in a scene, pause and consider if it fits. +ry to include it, %ut feel free to add a downside. !f it doesn’t fit, try to offer an alternati'e that does. !f the player attempts something that doesn’t seem realistic, ask the other players if it is to them. ;et the players decide what is realistic.
Conse%uences +hink a%out the onse7uences that the players will face from their decisions, and if a player attempts something that has an apparent onse7uence, ask for a #kill +est. !f there’s no logical onse7uence, don’t roll the dice. !t’s either tri'ial and should automatically succeed, or it’s impossi%le to succeed and should not % e attempted.
!"amles o& 'inor Conse%uences $d!ersar per&orms an action En!ironment becomes more dangerous .ecei!e an in/ur %eapon re0uires attention1reload, un/am, gets stuck in ob/ect, etc*2 E0uipment becomes damaged, lowering 0ualit b 3
!"amles o& Severe Conse%uences( .ecei!e a mortal in/ur Separation &rom group .un out o& ammo Break4lose an item $lert the enem
+he premise presented in the intro is designed to outline a sur'i'al horror e0perience. *se it as a recommendation, %ut keep in mind that e'ery group and scenario is different, so 'ariations are certainly possi%le. dditionally, you should try to keep a story arc in mind, %ut allow it to 'ary %ased on the e'ents in the game. Be'er follow a plot line strictly, allow the players to change the story with their actions. What follows is a recommended structure to create an effecti'e horror story.
Start with a normal setting Descri%e a scenario that is grounded in reality, generally with low tension, or low risk. 6icture the location in your mindEs eye with as much detail as possi%le, as if it is a real place and you are in 'irtual reality, a%le to descri%e it to the players so they might picture something similar. ppeal to as many of the fi'e senses as you can. $n abandoned wagon on a road through a dark &orest* )he smell o& mildew, the sound o& creaking limbs, the humid air clinging to &lesh*
Create strange details s the players e0plore, allow them to notice strange details. +hese oddities should hint at the nature of the horror, %ut they donEt necessarily ha'e to make sense - it is fine for a weird detail to remain une0plained. +ry to make the players feel uneasy. $ li&e5like doll nailed to the inside o& the wagon* )ree limbs swaing in the wind like puppeteers 5 except, there is no wind* )he road suddenl stops, little stake5like &ootprints leading o&& into the &orest* "alloping hoo& beats echoing through the trees*
)oreshadow Cnce the players ha'e seen at least one strange detail, clues a%out the horror can %e a %it more hea'y-handed. (oreshadow the threat %y demonstrating how this threat has i mpacted the world. +he foreshadowing should confirm the playersE suspicions that something is wrong and there is in fact a dangerous threat near%y. +his can %e in the en'ironment, it can %e in the actions of creatures or people, or it can %e in the perception of the characters. Blood wires dangling &rom the tree limbs* $ corpse, hollowed out to be onl skin and bones, but with its wounds mostl
Running the #ame $d!ice &or the "M
!"aggerate
Character De ath
!mmerse yourself in the world. ct strange when you portray B6s. 9'oke horror and unease with your descriptions. @e poetic, use the medium creati'ely. "am%le to make your players ignore you while you mention terrifying details, raise your 'oice to catch their attention. +ry to play in an en'ironment with a dark am%iance, use appropriate lighting and soundtracks. !mmerse the players in the world. (acilitate role-play %y asking 7uestions a%out the characters’ thoughts and emotions.
Death should not %e pleasant or fun, it should %e punishing, %ut it should only result from the player’s decision that had a clear alternati'e. eep this in mind when creating C%stacles and when asking for #kill +ests.
Create O$s tacles our )o% as GM is not to decide the fate of the characters, %ut to create C%stacles where the players and their dice rolls decide the fate of their characters. n o%stacle could %e an en'ironment, a person, a creature, a trap, a pu88le, or anything else you can think of. @etween o%stacles, where players aren’t going to %e interacting or making any meaningful decisions, narrate and get them to the ne0t o%stacle.
When a player character dies, that player w ill ha'e to make a new character and you will ha'e to find a way to introduce them. onsider asking the player pri'ately how they would like their new character to %e introduced, and possi%ly gi'ing their character a Dark #ecret, such as disease carrier, parasite host, pyromaniac arsonist, canni%al, practices occult ritual sacrifices, keeps capti'es in a dungeon, or anything similar. +he player character with a Dark #ecret should not %e working against the other characters, %ut using it to create an interesting story .
Creating Horror
Include Player Ideas When a player asks if something e0ists in a scene, pause and consider if it fits. +ry to include it, %ut feel free to add a downside. !f it doesn’t fit, try to offer an alternati'e that does. !f the player attempts something that doesn’t seem realistic, ask the other players if it is to them. ;et the players decide what is realistic.
Conse%uences +hink a%out the onse7uences that the players will face from their decisions, and if a player attempts something that has an apparent onse7uence, ask for a #kill +est. !f there’s no logical onse7uence, don’t roll the dice. !t’s either tri'ial and should automatically succeed, or it’s impossi%le to succeed and should not % e attempted.
!"amles o& 'inor Conse%uences $d!ersar per&orms an action En!ironment becomes more dangerous .ecei!e an in/ur %eapon re0uires attention1reload, un/am, gets stuck in ob/ect, etc*2 E0uipment becomes damaged, lowering 0ualit b 3
!"amles o& Severe Conse%uences( .ecei!e a mortal in/ur Separation &rom group .un out o& ammo Break4lose an item $lert the enem
+he premise presented in the intro is designed to outline a sur'i'al horror e0perience. *se it as a recommendation, %ut keep in mind that e'ery group and scenario is different, so 'ariations are certainly possi%le. dditionally, you should try to keep a story arc in mind, %ut allow it to 'ary %ased on the e'ents in the game. Be'er follow a plot line strictly, allow the players to change the story with their actions. What follows is a recommended structure to create an effecti'e horror story.
Start with a normal setting Descri%e a scenario that is grounded in reality, generally with low tension, or low risk. 6icture the location in your mindEs eye with as much detail as possi%le, as if it is a real place and you are in 'irtual reality, a%le to descri%e it to the players so they might picture something similar. ppeal to as many of the fi'e senses as you can. $n abandoned wagon on a road through a dark &orest* )he smell o& mildew, the sound o& creaking limbs, the humid air clinging to &lesh*
Create strange details s the players e0plore, allow them to notice strange details. +hese oddities should hint at the nature of the horror, %ut they donEt necessarily ha'e to make sense - it is fine for a weird detail to remain une0plained. +ry to make the players feel uneasy. $ li&e5like doll nailed to the inside o& the wagon* )ree limbs swaing in the wind like puppeteers 5 except, there is no wind* )he road suddenl stops, little stake5like &ootprints leading o&& into the &orest* "alloping hoo& beats echoing through the trees*
)oreshadow Cnce the players ha'e seen at least one strange detail, clues a%out the horror can %e a %it more hea'y-handed. (oreshadow the threat %y demonstrating how this threat has i mpacted the world. +he foreshadowing should confirm the playersE suspicions that something is wrong and there is in fact a dangerous threat near%y. +his can %e in the en'ironment, it can %e in the actions of creatures or people, or it can %e in the perception of the characters. Blood wires dangling &rom the tree limbs* $ corpse, hollowed out to be onl skin and bones, but with its wounds mostl stitched up* Figures mo!ing between the trees in the &orest, onl seen in peripheral !ision*
Hidden danger +he threat is real and it is coming right now. !t is clawing at the %arricade, it is crawling towards you, it is coming... @ut you canEt see it. +his is where the players think their fears are %eing confirmed, they are facing impending doom. #ometimes this can %e a false alarm, releasing the tension as it turns out to %e nothing, %ut this should %e the case only on occasion.+ou hear mo!ement e!erwhere in the &orest, the creaking o& the wood intensi&ies, buckling and snapping as i& in a storm* -t sounds like something is crashing through the trees, coming right &or ou*
Revelation +his is the crescendo of horror, where the tension reaches its critical point and clima0es with the horror %eing re'ealed. +he players now face the source of the horror. eep the descriptions 'isceral, focused on the sensory details. !nstead of descri%ing e'erything, highlight distur%ing aspects of the horror in order to imply its true nature. Be'er descri%e the full picture, always imply. )he &orest has gone dark* $ thick, stick black substance drips onto ou* Serpentine &orms descend upon ou, creaking and cracking* )he come &rom the soil beneath ou as well, wrapping around our ankles* )he smell o& wet wood and &ungus* )he stab at ou, whip at ou, splintering, snapping* )he &orest has come ali!e***
*ame
Stress
+ Items
,
-
.
/
0
1 Injuries
*ame
Stress
+
,
-
.
/
Items
0
1 Injuries
Doom Experience Points
Secialties
