Grade

Your grade is equal to the total number of career grades you have taken, and the largest dice pool you can form during play is defined by your grade. A starting character with 5 career grades is grade 5, and has a maximum pool size of 5d6. 

• Player characters usually start play at Grade 5.

Some NPCs, civilians, or weak monsters may be lower than grade 5, and their maximum dice pool is equal to their grade.

Maximum Dice Pools

Grade Maximum DIce Pool (MDP)

1 1d6

2 2d6

3 3d6

4 4d6

5 5d6

6-7 6d6

8-10 7d6

11-14 8d6

15-19 9d6

20-25 10d6

26-32 11d6

33-40 12d6

Starting Grade

A typical character begins at grade 5, which includes an origin and four career grades. However, the GM may wish to start the game at a different grade.

Starting characters at grade 1 will be young, with only an origin. They will be below average in terms of competency, but have limitless scope to grow. Alternatively, starting at grade 2 can give characters an origin and the start of a career. A new cadet or a teenaged moisture farmer longing for adventure might fit this approach.

A character’s maximum dice pool cannot be reduced to lower than 3d6, no matter how low their grade, though an NPC’s or monster’s dice pool can. A grade 4 character has a maximum dice pool of 4d6, and a grade 3 or lower character has a maximum dice pool of 3d6.

Starting characters at grade 10 will be highly competent, experienced professionals. These characters know what they’re doing, and they’re good at it. They’ve likely already maxed out one entire career – perhaps they could be ex-military

or reformed criminals. A grade 10 character has a maximum dice pool of 7d6. 

The GM can set any starting grade. You may find you enjoy certain styles of game over others, and the starting grade can be a major factor in this. It is recommended, however, that all players begin with characters of the same grade so that none overshadow the others.