Genefunk

2090

A BIOPUNK WORLD MADE FOR

GeneFunk
2090
Game Designer: James Armstrong
Editor: J. Boone Dryden
Graphic Design and Layout: James Armstrong and
Simeon Cogswell
Cover Art: William Liberto and Trung Tin Shinji
Variant Cover Art: Nate Artuz
Interior Art: Nate Artuz, Abel Bardalez, Tony
Carter, Cazrael, Shredder Dima, Shai Daniel, Wesley
Gardner, William Liberto, Enmanuel Martinez, Eddie
Mendoza, Brad Maesa, Hoang Nguyen, Trung Tin
Shinji, Sonnaz, Dean Spencer
Chase Rules: adapted under CC from Geek Related
(geekrelated.com)
Creative Consultants: Mike Armstrong, Rafael
Dreher, Mark Grover, Jaimie Mack, Carson McGorry,
William Poole, Brian Shiel, David Winburn
Custom Genomes: Robert McCavanagh
(Coelhomortos) Chance Prestie (OsaLaska) Brian
Shiel (Leviathan)
Custom NPCS: Mike Armstrong, Sean Armstrong,
Guillaume Carmes, Scott Dudiak, Dreyton Far, Mark
Grover, Reed Houle, Andrew Jensen, Tor Oscar Worren
Playtesting: 0) Jeremy Cannon, Joe Lorer, Eben
McCrea, Jared Paddock 1) Bryce Holcomb, Jeff Mac,
Devin Martyniuk 2) Mike Armstrong, Aaron Bell,
Ryan Bruce, Kiara Calladine, Meghan Carr, Andrew
Demoline, Mark Grover, Reed Houle, Robbie Keith,
Landon Perlett 3) Alex Curtis, DeltaCodex, Andrew
Jackson, Mail 540, Joshua McDermott, William
Poole, Chance Prestie, Cruise Slater, Scott Tulloch,
Phillip Tyrson, David White, Andrew Wright 4) Ron
Beament, Elijah Booth, Bronwyn Burr, Sam Hallett,
Tyris Roberts, Ozzy Sanderson, Aimee Varga 5) All the
wonderful Discord folk!
Molecular Mentor: Dr. Neil Chilton
RPG Godfather: Denis Benard
Printing: Friesens (www.friesens.com), One Printers
Way, Altona, MB, R0G 0B0, Canada
ISBN: 978-1-9992765-0-8
First Printing: January, 2020
Publisher: CRISPR Monkey Studios
Contents
Introduction.....................................................4
Timeline.......................................................... 5
Chapter 1: Character Creation...........................11
Backgrounds.........................................................12
Make Your Own.................................................12
Academic..........................................................12
Artist.................................................................13
Ideologue..........................................................14
Investigator.......................................................15
Military Veteran............................................... 16
Outlaw..............................................................17
Religious Disciple............................................. 19
Slum Dog......................................................... 20
Stargazer...........................................................21
Technician........................................................ 22
Trust Fund Kid.................................................. 23
Generating Ability Scores.................................... 24
Character Development........................................ 25
Beyond 1st Level................................................... 25
Multiclassing....................................................... 26
Feats.................................................................... 28
Chapter 2: Genomes........................................ 33
Engineered.......................................................... 34
Canary.............................................................. 35
Coelhomortos................................................... 36
Companion...................................................... 37
Espion.............................................................. 38
Eucypher.......................................................... 38
Feral................................................................. 39
Leviathan.........................................................40
OsaLaska...........................................................41
Sherlock........................................................... 42
Spartan - Infantry............................................. 43
Spartan - Naiad................................................. 43
Spartan - Wraith............................................... 44
Titan................................................................. 44
Traceur............................................................. 45
Mutts................................................................... 46
Genetic Enhancements Table............................ 47
Genetic Flaws Table.......................................... 48
Optimized............................................................ 57
Transhuman........................................................ 58
Unmodified.........................................................60
Chapter 3: Classes........................................... 63
Biohacker............................................................ 65
Cytomancer...................................................... 67
Dr. Frankenstein............................................... 68
Protean Grinder................................................ 69
Codehacker...........................................................71
Cracker............................................................. 73
Puppeteer......................................................... 74
Synergist.......................................................... 75
Crook................................................................... 76
Dealer.............................................................. 79
Hitman.............................................................81
Robber..............................................................81
Engineer.............................................................. 83
Gadgeteer......................................................... 86
Gearhead.......................................................... 87
Roboticist......................................................... 88
Gunfighter............................................................91
Gunslinger....................................................... 93
Sniper.............................................................. 93
Soldier............................................................. 94
Hardcase............................................................. 95
Damage Sponge................................................ 99
Gangster........................................................... 99
Unarmed Fighter............................................ 100
Samurai............................................................. 102
Suit.................................................................... 107
Commander.................................................... 113
G-Man............................................................. 113
Shark.............................................................. 114
Chapter 4: Goods and Services........................117
Starting Equipment............................................. 118
Armor................................................................. 118
Weapons............................................................. 123
Gear....................................................................134
Services..............................................................139
Drugs..................................................................142
Poison................................................................144
Vehicles..............................................................146
Robots and AI..................................................... 151
Chapter 5: Upgrades.......................................155
Bioware Upgrades Table...................................... 157
Cybernetic Upgrades Table..................................158
Daemon Upgrades Table......................................163
Chapter 6: Daemons...................................... 165
Chapter 7: Using Ability Scores...................... 169
Ability Scores and Modifiers............................... 169
Advantage and Disadvantage.............................. 169
Proficiency Bonus.............................................. 169
Ability Checks.....................................................170
Contests..............................................................170
Skills..................................................................170
Using Each Ability.............................................. 172
Saving Throws.................................................... 177
Chapter 8: Completing Contracts.................... 179
Cadres.................................................................179
Mosaic................................................................179
 Cadre Formation and Recruitment......................179 Appendix A: Conditions................................ 298
Taking Contracts................................................ 180 Appendix B: Bots..........................................300
Mosaic Score....................................................... 181 Appendix C: Bioengineered Bestiary............... 302
Lifestyle.............................................................. 181 Appendix D: Corporate Logos.........................308
Inspiration..........................................................182 License........................................................ 309
Movement..........................................................183 Character Sheet............................................ 310
Chases................................................................185
The Environment................................................187
Falling.............................................................187
Suffocating......................................................187
Vision, Light, and the Senses............................187
Food and Water...............................................188
Interacting with Objects..................................188
Resting...............................................................188
Story Hooks....................................................... 190
Chapter 9: Combat........................................ 193
The Order of Combat...........................................193
Suprise............................................................193
Initiative.........................................................193
Your Turn........................................................193
Reactions........................................................194
Movement and Position......................................194
Actions in Combat...............................................196
Making an Attack................................................197
Attack Rolls.....................................................197
Unseen Attackers and Targets..........................198
Ranged Attacks...............................................198
Melee Attacks..................................................198
Cover..................................................................199
Damage and Healing...........................................199
Vehicle Combat.................................................. 203
Underwater Combat........................................... 205
Chapter 10: Hacking..................................... 207
Running a Hack................................................. 207
Hack Lists.......................................................... 210
Hack Descriptions............................................... 212
Chapter 11: Brave New World......................... 245
The Syndicates................................................... 245
Aegis and World Peace........................................ 251
Confederated Trade Blocs....................................252
Megacities..........................................................254
The Argos Effect..................................................255
Cyberspace........................................................ 256
Immortality........................................................261
Biotech Revolution............................................. 263
Themes to Explore............................................. 269
Chapter 12: Non-Player Characters................. 273
Challenge Rating 1/8–2........................................ 278
Challenge Rating 3–7.......................................... 290
Challenge Rating 8–17........................................ 294
 Introduction
magine a world in the distant future, 2090: where
I technology has entirely shaped the very essence
of human nature, and where fiscal interests, the
international arms race, and consumerism have
entirely shaped that same technology. This is the world
of GeneFunk 2090.
Supercomputer in your Bloodstream
The human condition as a whole has become some-
thing somewhat different. Almost every single human
has been modified to have a powerful supercomputer
coded directly into their DNA and physiology, one that
has merged with their consciousness. The internet has
become as real as the physical world, and hackers have
become manipulators of the very stuff of the human
psyche, probing and rearranging memory and mind
the way a potter molds clay.
Plasticity of Genes and Form
Large sections of the human population have had their
genes chosen before birth to breed success, while oth-
ers have had foreign DNA included to produce wholly
different physical traits that were once thought inhu-
man. On top of all the innate genetic tweaking, individ-
uals modify themselves through cyberware surgeries
and biohacks, to the point where some are considered
entirely “posthuman”.
Violent, Shallow, and Unequal
Multinational corporations have gobbled each other
up, producing ever larger entities until only nine re-
main, each of which is a superpower bigger than most
4 // Introduction //
of the world’s countries. Corporate executives have the
power to shatter entire governments in the name of
their company’s share value and their own ambition.
Gangs and organized crime saturate every urban envi-
ronment. This world, bloated from overpopulation and
consumer greed, has become one of the most violent
eras in human history. The rich segregate themselves
from the poor, and the tension caused by this wealth
gap is causing the world to burst at the seams.
Virtual Immortality
Recent innovations have allowed the rich to undergo
a process that maps their entire nervous system, con-
nectome, endocrine complement, DNA and gene ex-
pression, and every other feature relevant to the hu-
man mind. This digitization of consciousness allows
the world’s wealthy and powerful to essentially live
forever, switching from one bioengineered shell to an-
other as they see fit.
Cadre of Professionals
You and your allies are a cadre, a lean start-up corpora-
tion that specializes in investigation, intelligence, pro-
tection, and violence. To keep their hands clean, the
syndicates often outsource this kind of work to smaller
outfits, like yours. Your cadre’s skill set is in high de-
mand in this intrigue-filled world, being sought after
by mega-corporations, nation-states, organized crime,
or wealthy individuals. As an autonomous entity, your
cadre of elite agents takes contracts as you see fit, navi-
gating the shadows of corporate espionage and savage-
ry with competence and panache.
 Timeline
What follows is an abbreviated account of some import-
ant technological and political events that occurred n
between now and the time the game takes place.

2030-2040
Genetic Revolution. Genetically optimized “design-
er” babies start to appear among the world’s financial
elite. The Genome Accord, a document forbidding any
modification of the human genome using non-human
DNA, is approved by the United Nations.
Aegis System Inception. In 2038, a terrorist group
launches a ballistic nuclear missile from Liberia aimed
at the USA. Luckily, the missile malfunctions and det-
onates 150 kilometers from the American East coast
in the Atlantic Ocean. In 2039, with the help of other
countries, the USA spearheads Aegis, a network of sat-
ellites armed with particle beam weapons. These satel-
lites are able to destroy threats such as enemy aircraft,
sea vessels and missiles, from orbit.
Fuel Breakthrough. The energy efficiency of hy-
drogen fuel cells breaks a threshold where it becomes
economically viable enough to change the fuel station
infrastructure and mass-produce fuel cell vehicles. By
2040, 1/20 of all of the earth’s land vehicles are pow-
ered by hydrogen fuel cells.
Biometrics Ubiquity. Facial, retinal, vocal, and DNA
recognition is incorporated into most security systems
and government identification methods.
Brain-Computer Interface. Seamless brain-comput-
er interfaces (BCIs) are developed and mass-marketed.
These devices can be worn as earpieces, headgear, or
collars, and they begin to replace keyboards, mice, and
even monitors to some extent with the assistance of
heads-up display goggles and contact lenses. It allows
for data to be perceived in the user’s field of vision rath-
er than on a monitor, revolutionizing communications
and the video game industry.
Drone Delivery Ubiquity. Delivery companies start
using drones more often than not for smaller items.
Rise of 3D Printing. 3D printing starts to become
widespread and mainstream as a method of creating
perfectly proportioned modular parts for both indus-
trial and biological applications.
Universal Translator. A real-time universal trans-
lation of all of the world’s major languages becomes
a regular feature on phones. By the end of the decade,
communication between people speaking different
languages becomes a non-issue, and by 2090, the
translators are able to recognize all known languages
and reproduce the speaker’s voice and translate tone
relatively well.

// GeneFunk 2090 // 5
Intro 2041-2050
Global Pandemic. In 2043, a massive avian influen-
Character za pandemic sweeps across the world, killing 5% of
Creation the global population. Based on genetic analysis, it is
thought to be ancient, released from melting icecaps.
Genomes A vaccine is developed by Omnitech researchers in a
matter of months after the initial outbreak, putting an
end to the pandemic.
Classes Economic Crash. The hysteria, riots, and chaos
during the time surrounding the flu pandemic are
Goods and monumental, causing economies to crash. To boost
Services the world’s devastated post-plague economy, anti-trust
laws are temporarily waived by most countries, and
Upgrades businesses are given many governmental incentives.
Everything takes a back seat to rebuilding the economy.
The Corporate Wars. A period of cutthroat com-
Daemons petition between MNCs (multinational corporations)
during the post-plague years begins. This competition
Ability to absorb other companies and dominate internation-
Scores al trade turns violent and causes countless small-scale
skirmishes, assassinations, and orchestrated proxy
Completing
wars through sovereign nations. During its most in-
Contracts
tense periods, it drastically affects politics around
the world. Over the next 20 years, almost all smaller
Combat
companies end up being annexed or acquired by 9
megacorporations, or syndicates, who finally come
Hacking
to agreements with each other in 2063, creating a
global oligopoly.
Medical Revolution. A series of important develop-
Brave New
ments in nanotechnology and biotechnology revolu-
World
tionize medicine. New tissues and organs can be made
to order, nerve damage can be repaired and almost all
NPCs
diseases can be cured. By 2045, cures have been found
for AIDS and most types of cancer.
Appendices Sleep Switch. Sleep-deprived people everywhere
benefit from a device that activates the “sleep switch”
in the brain, causing deep slumber to commence with-
in minutes of the device’s activation. The same device
can also ensure operators of heavy machinery do not
fall asleep and remain awake.
Aegis System Completed. A basic orbital satellite
Aegis system is fully operational in 2049, protecting
all its member countries from invasions and ballistic
missile attacks.
Transgenic Discrimination. Despite the Genome
Accord, transgenic humans are created by many syn-
dicates for cheap efficient labor, or as super soldiers.
This first occurs in China and Russia, but many other
countries allow companies to do this once it proves to
be successful. Many are made to be sterile or infertile
and are often treated as subhuman.
6 // Introduction //
Driverless Ubiquity. By the end of the decade, al-
most all cars are driverless, and many countries start
to put heavier restrictions on humans driving cars.
2051-2060
Transgenic Rights. Transgenic humans around the
world start to demand universal human rights, fu-
eling riots and armed standoffs. In 2051, the UN and
its member countries declare that transgenic humans
have the same legal and political rights as naturally
born people. Despite these measures, transgenic hu-
mans remain the targets of violence from religious
fundamentalists who see them as unnatural.
Genoism. A new term emerges to describe bigotry
towards transgenic people, and favoritism towards
genetically optimized people. Despite being illegal
in most countries, genetic tests are illicitly obtained
during hiring processes, court cases, and even the
dating scene.
Transcontinental Russian-American Railway. The
Bering Express is completed—a 103-kilometer under-
ground high-speed railroad that connects Chukotka
(Russia) to Alaska (USA).
BCI Becomes the New Phone. Brain-computer in-
terfaces (BCIs) make keyboards, mouses, monitors,
and smartphones obsolete. Images generated by the
BCI directly manifest in the user’s field of vision, dis-
pensing of the use of even VR goggles or contact lens-
es. Senses beyond mere audio and visual can now be
activated digitally, allowing for touch, taste, and smell
sensations. People start to refer to BCIs as “phones” as
older smartphones lose market share.
Age of Cyborgs. Fully functioning prosthetic limbs,
eyes, and ears are mass-produced and relatively easy
to obtain for those that require them. Though expen-
sive, it becomes possible to have elective surgeries to
incorporate prosthetic body parts that are superior to
the originals—thus begins the age of cyborgs.
Ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence. Robots become
increasingly popular among businesses, governments,
and the wealthy to act as secretaries, assistants, care
workers, and soldiers. Automated and remote-control
drone pilots almost completely replace traditional pi-
lots for combat aircraft and tanks.
Self-Repairing Synthetics. Automobiles and other
impact-prone machinery are constructed with “smart”
alloys and synthetics in their outer layer that naturally
return to their original shape over time without repair.
Unification of Korea. In 2054, North Korea is peace-
fully reunited with South Korea after a complete col-
lapse of North Korea’s economy and a public revolt.
The new unified Korea suffers the expected economic
drain as South Korea’s wealth is partially reallocated
to the integration of North Korea’s population. Many
of the alienated soldiers and secret service of former
North Korea constitute a new mafia, one of the world’s
largest crime syndicates.
Private Army Reaches One Million. By 2057, Ronin
International, the biggest PMC (private mercenary
company) achieves a near-monopoly, and including
its subsidiaries, has an active roster of over one mil-
lion soldiers.
Vegan Bioterror. An animal rights terrorist group
enacts a plot involving weaponized alpha-gal being put
into several major cattle and pig processing plants, re-
sulting in hundreds of thousands of people developing
allergies to red meat.
Moon Base. In 2059, a permanent international
moon base called Luna Armstrong is established as a
center for scientific research, with plans for including
tourism in the future.
Anti-Trust Laws Reinstituted. In 2063, to maintain
Pareto efficiency and stop cartels from forming, an-
ti-trust laws are re-instituted in most countries, prohib-
iting collusion, price-fixing or further mergers and ac-
quisitions. By this time, 9 multinational corporations
completely dominate global business, yet still compete
with each other. They are dubbed “the syndicates”.
Weaponization of Aegis System. A series of mo-
tions are carried that allow the Aegis System to include
weaponized satellites to defend member nations, and
orbital particle beam and mass driver satellites are
launched and activated throughout the decade. Al-
most every country seeks Aegis membership, fearing
the consequences of being excluded. This is hailed by
many as the “end of war”, or the “end of history”.
Specialized Police Forces. Due to the especially
dangerous nature of enhanced cyborg and genetical-
ly modified criminals, special police forces similar to
SWAT are formed.

2060-2070
Creation of the World Digital Sea. As coders make
more sophisticated VR programs that cater to all
five senses through BCI phones, a new information
platform emerges that specializes in the storage and
placement of these shared hallucinations. Program-
mers at Omnitech create the World Digital Sea (WDS)
as an infrastructure made specifically for interfacing
with these new holistic VR apps and programs. This
user-friendly environment is designed to simulate
the real world, and data is accessed spatially and has
virtual 3D locations. The WDS becomes the preferred
way of using the internet for people seeking social or
cinematic experiences. The World Wide Web remains
popular and can be accessed while in the digital sea.
As years progress, so does the sophistication and viv-
idness of the WDS, to the point that some incarnations
are indistinguishable from reality.
Robot Relationships. Androids that appear and act
uncannily human start to take the place of more primi-
tive, boxy-looking or uncanny valley models. This also
creates a very large consumer market for androids as
sex toys, and even life partners. Towards the end of the
decade, some countries allow robot marriage.
Space Elevator. In 2061, construction begins on
“The Beanstalk”, a 1 km base tower with an attached
tether reaching up to a space station in orbit. The proj-
ect is completed by 2067, and it allows for the easy de-
livery of satellites and space exploration vessels beyond
earth’s atmosphere. Within the coming decades, space
stations are set up orbiting Mars, Titan, and Europa.

// GeneFunk 2090 // 7
Intro Lunar Tourism. By 2070, Luna Armstrong opens as Bushido Culture. A subsidiary of Ronin, Bushido,
a tourist destination for the rich, and is capable of sus- develops an advanced mercenary training program
Character taining up to 500 tourists in luxury accommodations. emphasizing complete loyalty to a contract, contraven-
Creation Hybrid air/space shuttles are produced that are able to ing the duplicitous reputation of mercenary corpora-
leave and enter the earth’s atmosphere as well as land tions. The graduates and employees of this subsidiary
Genomes on and take off from the moon. company are known as samurai and have become the
Nanobot Revolution. Technological developments most sought-after and elite mercenaries on the planet.
allow for programmable nanobots that can perform Enchanted Forest. A large area of forest in the Pe-
Classes specific processes at a microscopic or even molecular ruvian Amazon, protected by mountains, is found to
level. These nanobots are used industrially in the cre- contain hundreds of incredible and dangerous trans-
Goods and ation and maintenance of near-perfect constructions. genic flora and fauna. Its originator remains a mys-
Services This effectively allows mechanical objects to “heal” tery, though it is suspected that unofficial business by
damage, as the native nanobot colony recognizes de- Apollo Laboratories has something to do with it. The
Upgrades fects, and can restore the object to its original condition. forest, called Bosque Oscuro by the locals, has become
a hotbed of illicit biohacking experiments and drug
2071-2080 manufacturing. Attempts to control the forest by law
Daemons Internal Nanocomputers (Daemons). In the early 2070’s, enforcement have all been fruitless and have resulted
Omnitech develops and markets an internal nanocom- in many mysterious deaths.
Ability puter that is created and maintained by a complement Fountain of Youth. Life-prolonging science reaches
Scores of different nanobots. These nanobots lay down a net- an apex when Apollo Laboratories develops molecular
work of carbon nanotube filaments throughout the techniques that produce “immorbidity”; aka immor-
Completing
user’s entire body, from the tips of the fingers and toes tality. Age can no longer kill someone if they are rich
Contracts
to the depths of the brain. They also create several pro- enough to afford a subscription to the monthly treat-
cessing cores throughout the brain and belly, consti- ments, and aging can even be reversed to a great extent.
Combat
tuting the network’s CPU. Finally, a DNA computer is Daemons Become Internal Doctors. In addition to
encoded directly into the user’s genome, allowing for being an internal computer and phone, daemon na-
Hacking powerful parallel computing. The capabilities of this nobot complements start to include medicinal com-
new computer greatly overshadow even the most so- ponents as different daemon manufacturers compete
phisticated BCIs. Market share is initially low, but by for market share. By the end of the 2070’s, it becomes
Brave New
the end of the decade, they begin to displace BCIs as the norm for daemons to include these medicinal na-
World
the main personal computer. It is not long before these nobots. They aid in tissue repair and immune system
internal computers become the new “phone”. The term function and have diagnostic elements that can mon-
NPCs
“daemon” is used to refer to these internal computers, itor and regulate personal health, including hormone
and it catches on in the public.
Appendices VR Prisons. To save money and space, many pris-
ons house prisoners in small pods, where they are im-
mersed in a closed network VR environment for the
duration of their sentence. Nanobots prevent the pris-
oners' muscles and bodies from atrophy.
Underwater Settlements. Wide-scale work stations
and housing projects are developed in oceans, lakes,
and seas. Atlantis, the largest of these communities, is
based on mining, tourism, and scientific research and
was created off the coast of Brazil. It provides homes
and jobs for over 3,000 people.
Mind Hacks. The first “mind hacks” start to appear.
Because of the intimate relationship that now exists
between a person’s mind and their daemon, hackers
are able to manipulate thought processes, emotions,
and other bodily functions. This is immediately de-
clared a capital offense by almost every country, and
carries stiff penalties, even extending into execution.

8 // Introduction //
levels and gene expression. As a result, mortality
plunges, and people are able to heal from even very se-
rious injuries in just a day or two.
2081-2090
Daemon Market Saturation. By the early 2080s, despite
the dangers of mind hacks, daemons achieve complete
market saturation, with outlying holdouts who refuse
to get one being considered neo-luddites.
The Second Corporate Wars. The tensions between
the big 9 syndicates begin to rise again as they start to
seek dominance over one another, with violence esca-
lating even more quickly and extremely than the first
corporate wars.
Wealth Inequality. The stratification between rich
and poor is staggeringly high, which has been exac-
erbated by genetic and social stratification. Though
absolute poverty is low, wealth inequality has nev-
er been higher.
Violence. Subsidiaries vying for market share hack,
bomb, sabotage, and assassinate their competitors or
even up their own corporate ladder. A great deal of
bloodshed occurs through proxy agents like organized
crime, gangs, and mercenaries. The wealth inequality
also fuels violence, with gangland shootings and terri-
torial disputes becoming so common that they barely
even register as news. It is considered to be the most
violent peacetime era in human history.
Rise of Cadres. Cadres are small start-up corpo-
rations or groups of individuals that take syndicate
money to perform tasks either too small or too politi-
cally dangerous for the megacorps to undertake. Very
often the work involves intelligence, violence, or theft.
Their niche is acting as proxy agents for the syndicates,
providing a way for the syndicates to keep their hands
clean. Many consider cadres to be little more than glo-
rified gangs, but their role in the corporate ecosystem
is undeniable.
Mosaic Cadre App. A subsidiary of Ronin Interna-
tional called Mosaic develops an app for cadres that be-
comes the industry standard. It mediates contract ne-
gotiations, has a cadre ranking system, and functions
as a platform for recruiting new members.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Telepresence Sports. What started as daemon-con-
trolled drone racing has expanded into a variety of
other sports with remote-controlled automata as the
athletes. Fighting with giant mechs and bioengineered
beasts with remote human piloting are very popular in
certain parts of the world.
Uploading Consciousness. In 2086, a research
team working for Hexie performs the first successful
copy of a human consciousness from a biotic human
brain to a computer matrix in a prosthetic body. The
owner of the original consciousness was a terminally
ill patient who wished to live longer, and the copying
occurred mere hours before his death. The copy of this
man reports that he feels like he is the same person
and feels “human”. The world’s religious, social, and
philosophical thinkers debate furiously about the im-
plications of this new technology and the ways to deal
with someone’s copied consciousness. In 2087, inter-
national laws are enacted to prevent the activation of
a copied human consciousness while the original, or
another copy, is still alive. Almost all countries follow
suit by enacting their own laws restricting this be-
havior with severe punishments. Most countries' le-
gal systems consider a copied consciousness, dubbed
“psychomimes”, to be people. While most nations grant
psychomimes the same rights and duties as any oth-
er person, some countries consider them just another
program and grant no rights at all. Many religions con-
sider them soulless.
Phoenix Unlimited. In 2086, a subsidiary of Hexie
called Phoenix Unlimited offers a service of making
monthly copies of your consciousness, to be activated
in a VR world or prosthetic body of your choosing upon
your death. The psychomimes are free to explore the
WDS or be infused into a prosthetic body at a later time
of their choosing. The technology is extremely expen-
sive and abhorrent to many. The mind digitization
process is the most coveted and heavily guarded trade
secret on the planet, with all of the other syndicates vy-
ing to reverse engineer it. By 2090, Phoenix Unlimited
has registered over 120,000 human minds within its
mainframe’s VR worlds.
World Population. There are over 11 billion people
on earth by 2090.
9
Chapter 1: Character Creation
n the world of GeneFunk 2090, your character is a skilled mercenary, and along with a few other skilled
I mercenaries, you are owners of a small mercenary company called a cadre.
Cadres take contracts from corporations, governments, crime syndicates, or individuals. These contracts
may involve bodyguarding, couriering sensitive packages, espionage, investigation, assassination, heists, or any
other number of dangerous and violent activities. What kind of character are you?
1. Choose your Genome
Select one of the following genomes:
Engineered. (pg. 34-46)
Canary (pg. 35-36)
Coelhomortos (pg. 36-37)
Companion (pg. 37-38)
Espion (pg. 38)
Eucypher (pg. 38-39)
Feral (pg. 40)
Leviathan (pg. 40-41)
OsaLaska (pg. 41-42)
Sherlock (pg. 42-43)
Spartan – Infantry (pg. 43)
Spartan – Naiad (pg. 43-44)
Spartan – Wraith (pg. 44)
Titan (pg. 44-45)
Traceur (pg. 45-46)
Mutts. (pg. 46-57)
Optimized. (pg. 57-58)
Transhuman. (pg. 58-59)
Unmodified. (pg. 60-61)
2. Generate Ability Scores
Choose one of the methods below, de-
scribed further on page 24, and then
apply modifiers from your genome:
Specialized. 15, 15, 14, 10, 8, 8
Stratified. 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8
Balanced. 14, 14, 13, 12, 10, 10
Odd Heavy. 14, 13, 13, 13, 13, 8
Even Heavy. 14, 14, 14, 12, 10, 8
Random. 4d8, discard the lowest two
dice, six times.
3. Choose your Background
Select one of the following back-
grounds, or make your own:
Make your own. (pg.12)
Academic. (pg. 12-13)
Artist. (pg. 13-14)
Ideologue. (pg. 14-15)
Investigator. (pg. 15-16)
Military Veteran. (pg. 16-17)
Outlaw. (pg. 17-18)
Religious Disciple. (pg. 19-20)
Slum Dog. (pg. 20-21)
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Stargazer. (pg. 21-22) Level Cash Level Cash
1 — 11 シ 800,000
Technician. (pg. 22-23)
2 シ 25,000 12 シ1,000,000
Trust Fund Kid. (pg. 23-24) 3 シ 50,000 13 シ1,200,000
4 シ 100,000 14 シ1,500,000
4. Choose your Class 5 シ 150,000 15 シ1,800,000
Select one of the following classes 6 シ225,000 16 シ2,100,000
(and archetypes if you are level 3+): 7 シ300,000 17 シ2,500,000
Biohacker. (pg. 65-70) 8 シ400,000 18 シ3,000,000
9 シ500,000 19 シ3,500,000
Cytomancer (pg. 67-68)
10 シ650,000 20 シ4,000,000
Dr. Frankenstein (pg. 68)
Protean Grinder (pg. 69-70)
Codehacker. (pg. 71-76) 6. Character Details
Cracker (pg. 73-74) Fill in any of the remaining fields on
Puppeteer (pg. 74-75) your character sheet.
Synergist (pg. 75-76) Choose a name. Whatever sounds
Crook. (pg. 76-83) cool!
Dealer (pg. 79-81) Record your maximum hit points.
Hitman (pg. 81) Determined by your Class, Con-
Robber (pg. 81-83) stitution modifier, and possibly
Engineer. (pg. 83-90) other features.
Gadgeteer (pg. 86-87) Record your initiative. Determined
Gearhead (pg. 87-88) by your Dexterity modifier, possibly
Roboticist (pg. 88-90) modified by other features.
Gunfighter. (pg. 91-95) Record your speed. 9 base, possibly
Gunslinger (pg. 93) modified by other features.
Sniper (pg. 93-94) Record your Armor Class. Deter-
Soldier (pg. 94-95) mined by your Dexterity modifier
Hardcase. (pg. 95-101) and/or armor, possibly modified by
Damage Sponge (pg. 99) other features.
Gangster (pg. 99-100) Record your Damage Reduction.
Unarmed Fighter (pg. 100-101) Determined by your armor, possibly
Samurai. (pg. 102-107) modified by other features.
Suit. (pg. 107-115) Record your Proficiency Bonus.
Commander (pg. 113) Determined by your level.
G-Man (pg. 113-114) Character Development Questions.
Shark (pg. 114-115) Answer some or all of the questions
on page 25 to flesh out your char-
5. Choose Equipment acter. (pg. 25)
At First Level. Determined by your
Background and Class. 7. Design your Cadre
Beyond First Level. You gain Work with the other players to come
additional starting money based up with the details of your cadre.
on the table below. You can then (pg. 179) Record your Starting
spend the money on the gear, Mosaic Score. Determined by your
services, and upgrades described in level (pg. 180)
Chapters 4 and 5.
11
Intro Backgrounds
Every story has a beginning. Your character’s back-
Character ground reveals where you came from and how you be-
Creation came enmeshed in cadre work. It also describes your
place in the world. Your gunfighter might have been
Genomes a grizzled soldier or paid mercenary. Your suit could
have been an academic or a wine entrepreneur. Your
crook might have gotten by as a street magician or
Classes a prostitute.
Choosing a background provides you with import-
Goods and ant story cues about your character’s identity. The most
Services important question to ask about your background is,
“What changed?” Why did you stop doing whatever
Upgrades your background describes and join a cadre? Where
did you get the money to purchase your starting gear,
or if you come from a wealthy background, why don’t
Daemons you have more money? How did you learn the skills of
your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people
Ability who share your background?
Scores The sample backgrounds in this chapter provide
both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and
Completing
languages) and roleplaying suggestions.
Contracts
Skill , Weapon, and
Combat Armor Proficiencies
Each background gives a character proficiency in two
Hacking skills, weapon groups, or armor groups.
If a character would gain the same skill, weapon,
or armor proficiency from two different sources (like
Brave New
class or genome), he or she can choose a different skill
World
proficiency from their class list instead.
NPCs Vocational Proficiency
In addition to the proficiencies described above, each
Appendices background also has an associated vocational profi-
ciency, which describes general expertise associated
with their profession.
Vocational proficiency allows you to add your profi-
ciency bonus to any task that is directly related to your
background. If a task is covered by both a skill and
vocational proficiency, you may add your proficiency
bonus to your ability check twice.
For example, if you choose the Artist background,
and select painter as your art medium, you can add your
proficiency bonus from both your Performance skill
and your Artistic Talent vocational proficiency when
making checks related to painting art. Likewise, if you
choose the Ideologue background, and had proficien-
cy in Persuasion, any Charisma (Persuasion) checks in-
volving your Personal Ideology vocational proficiency
would benefit from double your proficiency bonus.
12
Additional L anguages
Everyone starts out being able to speak one language
of their choice, but some backgrounds also allow char-
acters to learn additional languages.
Equipment
Each background provides a package of starting
equipment (in addition to the equipment provided
by your class).
Suggested Characteristics
A background contains suggested personal character-
istics based on your background. You can pick charac-
teristics, roll dice to determine them randomly, or use
the suggestions as inspiration for characteristics of
your own creation.
Customizing a Background
You might want to tweak some of the features of a back-
ground so it better fits your character or the campaign
setting. To customize a background, you can replace
one feature with any other one, and choose a total of
two skills, weapon groups, or armor groups, as well as
one vocational proficiency. Alternatively, you can swap
out one proficiency to learn two additional languages.
Finally, choose two personality traits, one ideal,
one bond, and one flaw. If you can’t find a feature that
matches your desired background, work with your GM
to create one.
Sample Backgrounds
What follows are some examples of backgrounds that
players might have.
Academic
You spent years in university studying your discipline.
Books, research, and learning the mysteries of human
nature and the universe are your life. You likely have
a masters or doctoral degree in some academic disci-
pline, and you may have even been a professor.
Proficiencies: Depending on your specialty (see
below), pick two skills from the following: Bureau-
cracy, Life Science, Social Science, Physical Sci-
ence, or Computers
Vocational Proficiency: Academic Specialty
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A vintage print of your favorite book, dig-
ital library of 100’s of books, glasses, and シ1,000
// 1. Character Creation //
Specialty
To determine the nature of your academic training, roll
a d8 or choose from the options in the table below.
d8 Specialty d8 Specialty
1 Anthropologist 5 Literature Scholar
2 Biologist 6 Philosopher
3 Chemist 7 Physicist
4 Historian 8 Psychologist
Feature: Research Focus
You’ve spent thousands of hours on literature reviews,
so your search-fu is excellent when it comes to finding
primary sources of research. If you are looking for in-
formation even tangentially related to your specialty,
you know exactly where to look and whom to speak to
if you want to go deeper. Your GM might rule that the
knowledge you seek is behind a paywall, or that it is in
a classified database.
Suggested Characteristics
Academics are single-minded and conscientious, per-
haps even obsessive, about their pursuit of knowledge
and expertise in their subject area.
d8 Personality Trait
1 Verbose. I always use academic jargon.
2 Enthusiastic. I always bring up the latest
research I’ve been consuming.
3 Teacherly. I am a natural teacher of my disci-
pline and try to help explain things.
4 Skeptical. I am a hardened skeptic.
5 Patient. I am slow to cast judgment and need
to wait for evidence.
6 Curious. I am obsessed with mystery.
7 Nerdy. I am very awkward in social situations.
8 Career Minded. I’m incredibly ambitious and
want to succeed at everything I do.
d6 Ideal
1 Truth. As a species, we are the universe’s way
to examine itself.
2 Humility. Knowing as much as you do, you
realize how little you know.
3 Logic. There is an objective world out there,
and feelings muddle it, you aim to avoid bias.
4 Diligence. You only get what you want by
putting your nose to the grindstone.
5 Power. Knowledge is a powerful currency, and
you seek it ravenously.
6 Evolution. Knowledge is a tool for growth, you
use what you learn to improve yourself.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
d6 Bond
1 It is my duty to protect my mentor.
2 I know groundbreaking research that could
upset the very foundations of society.
3 I am devoted to a library, university, or dig-
ital site.
4 My life’s work is a series of papers in a specific field.
5 I need to repay a major debt to a colleague.
6 I am deeply in student loan debt.
d6 Flaw
1 My obsession with my research is unhealthy
and all-consuming.
2 I have an attraction to all things grotesque and
disturbing, and am amused rather than horri-
fied at life’s dark things.
3 I would sell my own children to become a pres-
tigious intellectual in my field.
4 I over-engineer solutions, focusing on the inge-
nious method rather than the goal.
5 I am blunt to the point of being obnoxious.
6 I can be arrogant and stubborn, especially
relating to my field of study.
Artist
You are a creative spirit, who needs to produce art for
an audience. While the details of your art form can vary,
you are possessed by the creative muse to bring beauty
and soul into this world. Bringing form to emotion and
human experience is the essence of life for you.
Proficiencies: Performance, and either Acrobat-
ics for physical artists or Persuasion for visual or
musical artists
Vocational Proficiency: Artistic Talent
Equipment: Supplies necessary to create your art (mu-
sical instrument, paints and canvasses, a portfolio, de-
sign software, etc.), a folder filled with fan mail, シ1,500
Medium Speciality
An artist works in particular mediums to evoke pathos
in the audience.
Choose one to three mediums you work with, or
roll on the table below to define your specialties.
d10 Art Medium d10 Art Medium
1 Actor 6 Author
2 Painter 7 Poet
3 Comedian 8 Musician
4 Dancer 9 Director
5 Singer 10 Acrobat
13
Intro Feature: Limited Fame
For anyone interested in your medium, you are some-
Character thing of a celebrity. People that recognize you are in-
Creation clined to help you for free, and you have advantage on
any Charisma checks made against them. Additionally,
Genomes you can wrangle up a place to perform quite easily, as
long as it is a venue appropriate to your medium.
Classes Variant: Professional Fighter
Being a professional fighter has elements of perfor-
Goods and mance, and you are trained to make the arts of combat
Services into a spectacle the crowd can enjoy, right down to the
smack talk during press conferences and weigh-ins.
Upgrades Using your Limited Fame feature, you can find a place
to perform in highlights combat for entertainment—
perhaps in an octagon, arena or secret pit-fighting club.
Daemons You can replace Acrobatics with Athletics.
Ability Suggested Characteristics
Scores Artists are exemplars of affect, intuitively knowing
the deep code to human emotion. They can pull on
Completing
heartstrings, bring tears to eyes, or enrage the audi-
Contracts
ence. They tend to appreciate beauty and the wonder
in the world.
Combat
d8 Personality Trait
1 Emo. I always bring up my feelings and ask
Hacking
how others are feeling.
2 Narcissist. I love to be the center of attention.
Brave New 3 Shy. While I’m confident when I perform, I tend
World to be introverted outside of my performances.
4 Humorous. I love witty banter and roast-
NPCs ing people.
5 Elitist. I think people who don’t appreciate art
are dead inside and aren’t really conscious.
Appendices
6 Perfectionist. I am my own harshest critic.
7 Depressive. If I don’t produce art, I get sad.
8 Flakey. I am flighty and dance from idea
to idea.
d6 Ideal
1 Beauty. My art is a paraphrase of the wonder
already present in the world.
2 Imagination. Bringing novelty into the world is
our role as a species.
3 Pride. My art is fueled by my ego, I must show
the world that I am the best.
4 Greed. Riches and fame? Yes please.
5 Service. It’s all about my fans, truly.
6 Honesty. Art is truth, truth is art.
14
d6 Bond
1 I have a rival that some think is better than me.
I must destroy them.
2 Worldwide fame is my goal, no matter what.
3 Someone plagiarized my work, passing it off as
their own. I will get revenge.
4 I am tight with a cohort of fellow performers
and would do anything for them.
5 An AI is creating some amazing art, but it un-
dermines human creativity; it must be deleted.
6 My magnum opus must be finished at all costs.
d6 Flaw
1 I’m in it for the romantic opportunities, to my
own detriment.
2 I take criticism far too personally.
3 My work is heavily inspired by another, perhaps
it’s even derivative.
4 I’ve trash-talked some nasty individuals, and
they want me dead.
5 I have extreme erratic mood swings.
6 My art is fueled by my dark and tragic past.
Ideologue
You have devoted your life to a specific cause, or ideolo-
gy. It could be religious, political, or social in nature (or
all three). All of your goals are in some way colored by
your passion of this ideology, using it as a lens through
which all truth must pass. Everything is a means to im-
plement the goals of your worldview. You aren’t nec-
essarily religious, but you pursue your doctrine with a
religious zeal.
Choose a specific religion or ideology when you se-
lect this background. It could be a specific political party,
social movement, cause, world religion, or philosophy.
Were you raised with these views or recruited along the
way? Perhaps a mentor that you respect inducted you.
Maybe you are even the leader of a small cell of revolu-
tionaries, or a cult group devoted to the upcoming tech-
nological singularity. Perhaps you are a transgenic or AI
rights activist, or an anti-transgenic zealot.
Proficiencies: Intimidation, Social Science
Vocational Proficiency: Personal Ideology
Equipment: Symbol of your ideology (necklace,
armband, tattoo), a manifesto or holy book of your
ideology, シ1,000
Feature: Group Power
As a collective, the devotees of your ideology are pas-
sionate about the cause and are enthusiastic about aid-
// 1. Character Creation //
ing any ally that promotes the one true way. You can
call upon your group to provide shelter, protection, or
to harass and attack your enemies, or provide informa-
tion about them. Of course, sometimes this requires
you to somehow advance the cause in return.
Suggested Characteristics
Ideologues are engaged, passionate, and righteous.
Their characteristics tend to be geared towards zeal-
otry, collective effervescence, and propagation of
their world view.
d6 Ideals
1 Purity. We shouldn’t be swayed by tempta-
tions that would compromise our beliefs.
2 Charity. We should always try to help those in
need, no matter what the personal cost.
3 Passion. Endless energy can spring forth from
conviction.
4 Honesty. I only tell the truth in almost every
circumstance.
5 Faith. I trust in my mentors, my other peers,
and my gut.

d8 Personality Trait 6 Aspiration. I’m not a perfect follower of my

1 Evangelical. I am evangelical about my cause,
injecting it into every conversation I can.
2 Spartan. I tend to be a minimalist; material
things are distractions from the cause.
3 Closed-minded. I get angry with anyone who
questions my world view.
4 Sycophantic. I admire a leader of my
movement and often quote their teachings
and ideas.
5 Persuasive. I persuade others to my beliefs by
playing to their desires.
6 Kin-focused. While my ideology is essential to
me, friends and family come first.
7 Opportunistic. I aim to turn my cadre into an
instrument for my cause, ideally willingly.
8 Idealist. I’m a true optimist, believing the
world is progressing towards my doctrine.
dogma, but I am always becoming more devout.
d6 Bond
1 I would die (or kill) to see my cause achieved.
2 Someone deeply betrayed the cause, and I
need to take care of them.
3 I need to make enough money to fund a specif-
ic goal of my doctrine.
4 I would do anything for the person who first
opened my eyes to the truth.
5 The local cell of my movement is my family,
and I do what I can to help them.
6 There is an opposing ideology out there, and I
need to fight it wherever it surfaces.
d6 Flaw
1 I can’t help but be harsh towards nonbelievers,
treating them unfairly.
2 My belief in my cause can make me blind
and foolish.
3 I put my ideology before myself and my
loved ones.
4 I will relentlessly try to destroy anything that
opposes my views.
5 I judge members of my own beliefs especially
harshly and will punish any deviation from
orthodoxy.
6 I need to constantly signal my devotion
and virtue.

Investigator
Investigators are responsible for solving crimes after
the fact or determining if there even is a crime in the
first place. You might be a police officer, private detec-
tive, corporate intelligence agent, insurance fraud in-
vestigator, or any other trade that involves uncovering
potentially illegal mysteries.

Proficiencies: Insight, Investigation

// GeneFunk 2090 // 15
Intro Vocational Proficiency: Interrogation d6 Ideal
Equipment: A uniform in the style of your unit and 1 Utilitarianism. The ends justify the means, always.
Character indicative of your rank, a set of handcuffs, シ1,000 2 Punishment. Rules are there for a reason, and
Creation violators get what’s coming to them.
Feature: Seasoned Detective 3 Justice. Life is unfair, but I try to tip the scales
Genomes Your experience in enforcing the law and dealing with in the right direction.
lawbreakers gives you a feel for local laws and crimi- 4 Power. Being an enforcer in the system is
nals. You can easily spot and speak with law enforce- the best way to avoid being the victim of
Classes ment, and just as easily pick out the dens of criminal that system.
activity in a community, although you’re more likely 5 Truth. Investigation is about solving mysteries
Goods and to be welcome in the former locations rather than the and bringing truth to light.
Services latter. The GM might have law enforcement act more 6 Service. I serve my contract, city, country, cor-
favorably towards you. poration, or agency with everything I have.
Upgrades
Suggested Characteristics d6 Bond
Investigators are motivated by duty and curiosity, the 1 My honor is my life.
Daemons thrill of solving a riddle and ferreting out secrets. 2 An unsolved case forever haunts me.
3 My partner was killed in the line of duty, and I
d8 Personality Trait
Ability need to avenge them.
Scores 1 Perfectionist. I’m a consummate professional.
4 I know someone is guilty of the vilest of crimes,
2 Somber. I’ve seen some dark shit in my day,
but they got off scot-free.
Completing and now I’m not exactly “carefree”.
5 I still owe a debt to my old colleagues if they
Contracts 3 Edgy. My gallows humor is as dark as it comes.
ever call on me.
4 Ruthless. I prefer playing bad cop to good cop.
6 I have a soft spot for any victim who can’t
Combat 5 Cool. I’ve lost partners on the job, and now it
defend themselves.
takes a bit for me to warm up to my colleagues.
6 Violent. I use physical coercion, because it d6 Flaw
Hacking
works and because it’s fun. 1 I am uncompromising to the extreme in my
7 Patronizing. Catching people in lies is sublime. application of the rules.
Brave New
8 Blunt. I have no time for pleasantries, I get 2 I am hypocritical and break the same laws
World
right to the point. I enforce.
3 I abuse my power, using my position for my
NPCs
own benefit.
4 I am sadistic, and when I get a chance to pun-
Appendices ish others, I enjoy it immensely.
5 I follow the letter of the law and am blind to
the intention of the law.
6 I am ruthless.

Military Veteran
You’ve spent years working within a military operation.
You’ve seen battle and bloodshed, and you have been
trained and disciplined within your unit to be a lethal
killer. Work with your GM to determine the specific
military outfit you worked for. Was it a standing army,
a coast guard, or a militia? Or it might have been a syn-
dicate’s private army or a Ronin mercenary company.

Proficiencies: Choose two from Athletics, Drive, Me-

dium Armor, and Ranged Martial Weapons
Vocational Proficiency: Military Procedures
Equipment: An insignia of rank, a uniform, シ1,000

16 // 1. Character Creation //
Chapter 3: Classes
layer characters are extraordinary people, marizing the benefits you gain at every level, and a de-

P driven by a thirst for excitement into a life

that others would never dare lead. They are
risk-takers, compelled to mercenary work and to take
tailed explanation of each one.

on the challenges that lesser men and women can’t
stand against.
Class is the primary definition of what your char-
acter can do. It’s more than a profession; it’s your char-
acter’s calling. Class shapes the way you think about
the world and interact with it and determines your re-
lationship with other people and powers in the world.
A gunfighter, for example, might view the world in
pragmatic terms of strategy and maneuvering and see
herself as just a pawn in a much larger game. A hacker,
by contrast, might see himself as a meddling troll, try-
ing to mess with a corporation’s unfolding plan. While
the gunfighter has contacts in a mercenary company
or army, the hacker might have links with the hacker
underground, hardware manufacturers, chop shops,
or software engineers.
Your class gives you a variety of special features,
such as a gunfighter’s mastery of firearms or a crook’s
stealthy attacks. At low levels, your class gives you only
two or three features, but as you advance in level you
gain more and your existing features often improve.
Each class entry in this chapter includes a table sum-
Class Roles
Gameplay in GeneFunk 2090 largely revolves around
acquisition, investigation, social interaction, and com-
bat. The rough roles each class has during gameplay
are described below, but it is important to note that
your choice of genome, ability scores, backgrounds,
feats, and skill proficiencies can allow your character
to fulfill any of these roles, regardless of class. General-
ly, the fewer roles you have, the better you are at them,
through specialization.
Buffs. Enhancing the abilities of yourself and the
members of your cadre.
Damage. Taking out enemies in combat, be it
through melee, ranged, or area-effect damage.
Debuffs. Diminishing or neutralizing the abilities
of your enemies and those you want to exploit.
Face Work. Expertise at social interaction and ma-
nipulation, talking your way in and out of things.
Healing. Restoring hit points and removing nega-
tive conditions.
Information. Retrieving and assessing knowledge
that is useful or essential to complete your jobs.
Resources. Obtaining gear and equipment, either
through crafting or acquisition.

Class Summary
Hit Primary Save Armor/Weapon
Class Roles Die Abilities Proficiencies Proficiencies
Biohacker Buffs, debuffs, healing, melee & d8 Int Int & Dex Light armor, simple weapons
area damage, information
Codehacker Buffs, debuffs, infiltration, infor- d8 Int Int & Wis Light armor, simple weapons
mation, face work (synergist)
Crook Face work (dealer), Information, d8 Dex Dex & Int Light armor, simple weapons
single target damage, resources
Engineer Area damage, buffs, debuffs, d8 Int Con & Int Light armor, simple weapons
information, resources
Gunfighter Ranged damage, tanking d10 Dex Dex &Con All armor, simple weapons,
ranged martial weapons
Hardcase Melee damage, tanking d12 Str & Con Str & Con Light & medium armor,
simple weapons
Samurai Melee or range damage, tanking d10 Str or Dex Str & Dex Light & medium armor,
simple weapons, martial
melee weapons
Suit Buffs, face work, information, d8 Cha Wis & Cha Light armor, simple weapons
resources

// GeneFunk 2090 // 63
Intro The Engineer
Hack Slots Per Level
Character Proficiency Hacks
Creation Level Bonus Features Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st +2 Hacking, Technical Expertise 3 4 — — — —

Genomes
2nd +2 Construct Gear 4 5 — — — —
3rd +2 Engineer Archetype 5 6 — — — —
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 6 7 — — — —
Classes 5th +3 Builder Contact 7 7 1 — — —
6th +3 Archetype Feature 8 7 2 — — —
Goods and 7th +3 Tech Upgrade 9 7 3 — — —
Services 8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 10 7 4 — — —
9th +4 Structural Exploit 11 8 5 1 — —
Upgrades 10th +4 Archetype Feature 12 8 5 2 — —
11th +4 Tech Upgrade 13 8 5 3 — —
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 14 8 5 4 — —
Daemons
13th +5 Builder Contact (2nd) 14 9 5 5 1 —
14th +5 Archetype Feature 15 9 5 5 2 —
Ability
Scores 15th +5 Tech Upgrade 16 9 5 5 3 —
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 17 9 5 5 4 —
Completing 17th +6 Archetype Feature 17 10 5 5 5 1
Contracts 18th +6 Tech Upgrade, Builder Contact (3rd) 18 10 5 5 5 2
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 19 10 5 5 5 3
Combat 20th +6 Patented Hacks 20 10 5 5 5 4

Hacking
Technical Expertise
You gain expertise in Mechanics. Your proficiency bo-
Brave New
nus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses
World
this proficiency.
NPCs Hacking
Starting at 1st level you are able to use hacks to modify,
Appendices create, and enhance technology.
Intelligence is your hacking ability, and you use
your Intelligence whenever a hack refers to your hack-
ing ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence mod-
ifier when setting the saving throw DC for a hack you
run and when making an attack roll with one.
•• Hack save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your
Intelligence modifier
•• Hack Attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier
Hack Slots
The Engineer table shows how many hack slots you
have. To use one of these hacks, you must expend a slot
of the hack’s level or higher. You regain all expended
hack slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level hack alert
and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level hack slot available,
you can run alert using either slot.
Hacks Known
At 1st level, you know three 1st-level hacks of your
choice from the engineer hack list (Chapter 10: Hack-
ing), as well as the arc drone and tase hacks. You learn
additional hacks as shown on the Engineer table.
Construct Gear
You can fabricate your own devices and gadgets, either
repairing second-hand stuff that people have thrown
away or making it from scratch in a DIY fashion.
Instead of buying any item listed in the gear section
of Chapter 4, you can make it yourself, paying only half
of the money for it. Using this feature takes 1 hour for
every シ1,000 in the listed price (minimum 1 hour).
The listed price of the gear may not exceed シ5,000 x
your engineer level. This feature can't be used to con-
struct weapons or armor.
In addition, you must have access to an appropri-
ate area to work, and the proper tools (you couldn’t use
this feature while hiking in the mountains, unless the
GM rules otherwise).

84 // 3. Classes //
 A side effect of this DIY gear is that you must roll a
1d20 every time you use it; on a roll of a 1, it malfunc-
tions and doesn’t work for 1 minute. You may attempt
another roll after this time has elapsed.

Engineer Archetype
The engineer archetype you choose reflects your ap-
proach to engineering. Your engineer archetype choice
grants you features at 3rd level and then again at 7th,
10th, 15th, and 18th level. The individual features of this
feature are detailed at the end of this class description.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th,
12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can in-
crease one ability score of your choice
by 2, or you can increase two ability
scores of your choice by 1. As nor-
mal, you can’t increase an abil-
ity score above your maximum
using this feature.

Builder Contact
Starting at 5th level, you gain a contact who is some-
how connected to mechanics, construction, or en-
gineering. This could be a street racer, autobody me-
chanic, electrician, contractor, junkyard tinkerer, or
anything else you can think of. You get an additional
contact at level 13 and 18.

Structural Exploit
At 9th level, you can see design flaws in machines, and
exploit them to your advantage. Any time you inflict
damage on a droid, drone, or vehicle, you inflict the
maximum damage instead of rolling dice for dam-
age. This ability works no matter what the source of
the damage is.

Tech Upgrade
At 7th level, you acquire an upgrade from chapter 5:
Upgrades. You gain an additional upgrade at 11th, 14th,
and 18th level. You gain these upgrades through your
connection to potentially illicit channels, so you can
get upgrades that are restricted or banned.

•• 7th level: You may select an upgrade worth up

to シ 50,000
•• 11th level: You may select an upgrade worth
up to シ 100,000
•• 14th level: You may select an upgrade worth
up to シ 200,000
•• 18th level: You may select any upgrade

// GeneFunk 2090 // 85
 Gadgeteer Quick Build
Genome: Optimized
Class: Level 1 Engineer
Background: Trust Fund Kid
Saving Throws: Con and Int
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 16 16 16 9 12
HP: 16 Speed: 9 AC: 17 DR: 0
Skill Proficiencies: Computers +5, Investigation
+5, Mechanicsexp +7, Persuasion +3, Physical
Science +5, Social Science +5, Stealth +5
Hacks Known: arc drone, cushion, frictionless spray,
noxious cloud, tase
Attacks: 10mm Handgun. +5 to hit, 13/39 m.,
3d4+3 P damage (close, light, reload 12)
Equipment: 10 mm handgun, dark vision goggles,
gadget hack kit, freezing spray, magazines
(10mm x4), mechanics tools, nanofiber vest
hack, you can either spend an extra シ500 to add
your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll when
the explosive actually detonates, or another シ2,000
so that anyone caught in the blast radius must make
their saving throw at a disadvantage when they first
must make a save.
Sublime Mods
Starting at 17th level, your tech upgrades are especially
potent. When you use the Armor Plating, Armor Smith,
or Gunsmith hacks, the effects are doubled if you spend
twice as much money.
Gearhead
Gearheads are obsessed with vehicles. They excel at
both the mechanical enhancement and piloting of.
Racecar drivers, body shop grease monkeys, chop shop
mechanics, and getaway drivers all find a home with
this archetype.
Driver
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Drive skill. If
you already have this proficiency, or you gain it at a
later time, you can add twice your proficiency bonus
to Drive ability checks. In addition, you get a +3 bonus
to Move checks in a Chase (see Chapter 8: Completing
Contracts) while driving a vehicle, and the ram maneu-
ver in vehicle combat inflicts additional damage equal
to your proficiency bonus.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Gearhead Quick Build
Genome: Spartan Naiad
Class: Level 1 Engineer
Background: Military Veteran*
Saving Throws: Con and Int
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 18 16 14 10 8
HP: 16 Speed: 9 AC: 19 DR: 0
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics +4, Computers +4,
Drive +6, Mechanicsexp +6, Perception +2
Hacks Known: AP ammo, arc drone, gunsmith,
linked battlemind, tase
Attacks: 11mm Handgun. +6 to hit, 14/42 m.,
2d8+4 P damage (close, light, reload 10)
10 gauge Shotgun. +6 to hit, 50/150 m., 2d10+4 P
damage (reload 8, shotgun, two-handed)
Equipment: 10 gauge shotgun, 11 mm handgun,
gadget hack kit, magazines (10 gauge x4,11mm
x4), mechanics tools, plate vest*
*Medium Armor Proficiency from Military Veteran
background
Soup-Up
Starting at 3rd level, you can modify vehicles, like
cars, motorcycles, planes, etc. You learn the following
hacks for free:
•• Armor Plating
•• Tough Tires
•• Upgrade Vehicle Handling
•• Upgrade Vehicle Speed
•• Weapon Mount
If you already know one or more of these hacks, you
may immediately select any other hack of your choice
for each one you already know.
Additionally, you can think of other modifications
to vehicles at the GM’s discretion, usually involving a
small bonus to the vehicle’s function, changing its ap-
pearance, adding an additional function, etc.
Vehicular Restoration
Beginning at 3rd level, restoring cars, bikes, and oth-
er vehicles to pristine status is a passion and talent of
yours. You can use the Construct Gear class feature on
vehicles as well as gear, and there is no listed cost max-
imum when you use it to construct vehicles (though it
still takes you the normal amount of money and time).
Additionally, vehicles acquired in this fashion do not
have to roll a 1d20 to see if they malfunction.
87
Intro Most suits who become protagonists do so out of
ambition. They are young up-and-comers wanting to
Character prove themselves to the world, settling for nothing
Creation less than being the best. Guile, wealth, power and
status are the bread and butter of the suit. To achieve
Genomes these goals, suits are always looking for the next chal-
lenge to dominate.

Classes Class Features

As a suit, you get the following class features.
Goods and
Services Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per suit level
Upgrades Hit Points at 1st Level: 13 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Consti-
tution modifier per suit level after 1st
Daemons

Proficiencies
Ability Armor: Light armor
Scores Weapons: Simple weapons
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Completing
Skills: Choose four from Acrobatics, Athletics, Bu-
Contracts
reaucracy, Computers, Deception, Drive, Insight, Intim-
idation, Investigation, Life Science, Mechanics, Percep-
Combat
tion, Performance, Persuasion, Social Science, Stealth

Hacking Equipment
In addition to the equipment granted by your back-
ground, you start with either シ7,000 or the follow-
Brave New
ing equipment:
World

•• 9mm, 10mm, or 11mm handgun

NPCs
•• Spy pack
•• Reinforced clothing
Appendices •• シ2,500
P ower Network
Suits are always backed by a powerful organization of
some sort. It could be a government agency, a branch
of the military, a powerful corporation, an ideological
group, or a shadowy crime syndicate. At level 1, decide
which power network you associate with and have
power in. Listed below are some examples, but you can
choose another powerful group if you like.
Government or Military Agency. The details are up
to you, including imagining an agency with your GM
that fits the world. Below are some examples:
FBI, CIA, NSA, MI5, INTERPOL, Ministry of Security,
Mossad, Intelligence Bureau, Joint Cipher Bureau, Finan-
cial Intelligence Unit, Cyber Security Bureau, Department
of Defense, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms

108 // 3. Classes //
 The Suit
Proficiency Sneak
Level Bonus Favors Attack Features
1st +2 2 — Inspiration (d6), Power Network, Call in a Favor
2nd +2 2 1d6 Moxy, Sneak Attack
3rd +2 3 1d6 Career Path, Contact
4th +2 3 1d6 Ability Score Improvement
5th +3 3 2d6 Promotion, Inspiration (d8)
6th +3 4 2d6 Career Path Feature, Contact (2nd)
7th +3 4 2d6 Contagious Moxy, Adaptive Learning
8th +3 5 3d6 Ability Score Improvement
9th +4 5 3d6 Career Path Feature, Contact (3rd)
10th +4 5 3d6 Ability Score Improvement
11th +4 6 4d6 Promotion, Inspiration (d10)
12th +4 6 4d6 Ability Score Improvement
13th +5 7 4d6 Career Path Feature
14th +5 7 5d6 Promotion, Easy Inspiration,
15th +5 7 5d6 Inspiration (d12), Contact (4th)
16th +5 8 5d6 Ability Score Improvement
17th +6 8 6d6 Career Path Feature
18th +6 9 6d6 Promotion, Contact (5th)
19th +6 9 6d6 Ability Score Improvement
20th +6 10 7d6 Superior Inspiration

Corporations. Each megacorporation has dozens
of subsidiaries devoted entirely to intelligence, securi-
ty, or financial espionage. You can imagine a mandate
and name of one of these to fit your campaign with
your GM. Below are the “big nine” syndicates that con-
trol over half of the world’s business:
Apex International, Apollo Laboratories, Ronin, Cornu-
copia, Worldgroup Holdings, Infinity Industries, Unicom,
Omnitech, Hexie.
Crime Syndicates. The world’s larger organized
crime syndicates have sophisticated intelligence and
business wings, providing a good ecosystem for suits.
Below are some examples:
Camorra (Italian mafia), North Jopok (North Korean
mafia), Ndrangheta (Italian mafia), Sinaloa (Mexican
cartel), Solntsevskaya Bratva (Russian mafia), Yamaguchi
Gumi (Yakuza).
Alternatively, your patron could be an up-and-com-
ing smaller, but hungry and capable, corporation or
crime syndicate.
Call in a Favor
As an important asset, you can tap your relationship
with your power network to pull strings to tilt things in
your favor. It pays to have friends in high places. Some
of these favors have a suit level prerequisite that must
be met in order to use them.
The number of favors you have is shown on the Suit
table. At the start of each game session, you regain all
of your favors.
Aegis Particle Beam
Prerequisite: Level 17
As an action, you can use the orbital Aegis network to
rain hot death upon your enemies. The particle beam
does 20d6 + 70 heat damage on a failed Dexterity sav-
ing throw, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Cha-
risma modifier. You choose the size of the beam, it can
anywhere from a 1.5 to 12-meter radius cylinder cen-
tered on a point of your choosing.
If the target area involves individuals that are in-
doors, the GM determines how much of the damage is
mitigated by the buildings’ structure (often ½).
Calling in a favor to use an AEGIS particle beam
costs three favors instead of one.
Background Check
Prerequisite: Level 5
You can contact your patron to ferret out any information
that exists on a person you inquire about, either on pub-

// GeneFunk 2090 // 109

Chapter 5: Upgrades
n 2090, many people opt to include as many
I functioning technologies within themselves as
possible. Modifications to an individual’s genome
or other biological modifications are referred to as
biohacks, while mechanical implants and alterations
tend to be called cyberware; both are subtle, effective
and stylish. Many opt to get a new upgrade instead
of a new car.
Non-genetically-modified humans in particular
have taken to upgrades, perhaps to feel more on par
with transgenic people. Beyond the obvious specific
utilities of upgrades, being cybered up proves that you
have cash and having cash, and the status associated
with it is what it’s all about.
Upgrades are of particular social importance
among criminals and soldiers, soldiers often being up-
graded for free during their military service. Because
of this, law enforcement in 2090 has special agencies
with heavy firepower and resources to deal with en-
hanced criminals or ex-soldiers who have lost their
way. High-end upgrades are available in almost all me-
tropolises, though some of the more combat-based up-
grades are monitored, restricted, or outright banned.
Maximum Number of Upgrades
Characters cannot have more than eight different up-
grades. There is only so much space to cram technolo-
gy in the human body. However, you are able to remove
one and add a different one.
Installation
To purchase and install an upgrade you must be in an
appropriate facility, which are common in large cities.
It typically takes 24 hours to install a particular up-
grade, and you suffer 2 levels of exhaustion until you
take a long rest.
Upgrade Types
Upgrades are generally categorized into three groups:
bioware upgrades, cybernetic upgrades, and daemon
upgrades. The lines between these three groups are a
little fuzzy, since many upgrades tend to incorporate
elements of all three.
Bioware Upgrades
Bioware upgrades involve genetic manipulation or
modification of living tissues. While some bioware up-
grades involve synthetic materials, they are primarily
biological in nature, with artificial elements playing
// GeneFunk 2090 //
a supporting role. The Bioware Upgrades table shows
the cost and other properties of common bioware in
GeneFunk 2090.
Cybernetic U pgrades
Cybernetic upgrades generally involve surgical im-
plants or robotic parts, including prosthetic limbs.
Plastics and metal are typical in cybernetic upgrades.
The Cybernetic Upgrades table shows the cost and oth-
er properties of common cyberware in 2090.
Daemon U pgrades
Daemon upgrades always directly interface with your
internal supercomputer. They are typically chip im-
plants or nanocolonies that augment the way your
daemon functions, often providing improved mental
capabilities.
People without a daemon are unable to acquire
these upgrades.
Upgrade Brands
The same upgrade comes in a variety of qualities, de-
pending on the manufacturer and brand. For instance,
Vitruvian is a more budget brand for cybernetic up-
grades, while Omnitech and Apollo spare no cost for
premium quality, and cater to a very wealthy clientele.
A character can’t have the same upgrade from two
different brands. For instance, a character can’t have
medicomps from both Apollo and Nightingale at
the same time.
Bioware Upgrades
Olfactors
Your sense of smell has been biohacked by TruHound
to have countless folds for increased surface area. The
result is that your olfaction is now even more acute
than a bear’s.
You can recognize people’s unique scent, track
them easily (as long as it hasn’t rained), and gain in-
credible details about anything you might eat or drink.
While tracking people, you also learn their exact num-
ber, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through
the area. If you are downwind of someone, it is impos-
sible for them to hide from you, or keep themselves
disguised without some major alteration of their scent.
Additionally, you have advantage on Wisdom (Percep-
tion) checks that rely on smell.
155
Intro Amped Senses
All of your senses have been biohacked by Sentinex to
Character get a boost, providing you with much more empirical
Creation information about your environment. You gain advan-
tage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investi-
Genomes gation) ability checks.
Additionally, your passive Perception and Investi-
gation gain a + 5 bonus.
Classes
Cellular R ejuvenators
Goods and These handy little biobots swim around your body and
Services streamline the efficiency of rest, speeding along all of
the biochemical processes accomplished during sleep.
Upgrades Proteon. You only need to spend 4 hours of down
time to take a long rest.
Hexie. You only need to spend 2 hours of down time
Daemons to take a long rest.
Apollo. You only need to spend 2 hours of down
Ability time to take a long rest, and you may take 2 long rests
Scores in a 24 hour period.
Completing Cloakers
Contracts
Cloakers are a biohacked chromatophores manufac-
tured by Cryptek, and reside in every visible surface of
Combat
your body. They receive light from their environment
and transmit it in a fashion that mimics nothing being
Hacking in the way of the light at all. The effect is perfect cam-
ouflage, rendering you Invisible. Your outer surface
Brave New
must not be covered for the cloakers to be effective (i.e.
you must be naked or be wearing clothing with trans-
World
parency capability), and cloakers have no effect on any
of your equipment.
NPCs
Cosmetic Alteration
Appendices The increased technological capacity for body alteration
has opened up new creative realms for the same niche
that was interested in piercings and tattoos in previous
generations. The latter are still popular but exist along-
side drastic surgical options such as moving angel or bat
wings, color-shifting skin or hair, a moving tail, extra
eyes or whatever else the consumer can imagine. This
trend has become even more prolific due to the popu-
lar media’s glamorization of transgenic humans. Their
wondrous abilities and poor social standing make for a
compelling story and there are a lot of over-privileged
wannabes who aim to look the part. These upgrades
have no in-game effect outside of their aesthetic, and
helping you fit in with certain crowds. At the player's
discretion, it can either give you a strange or inhuman
appearance. Additionally, it doesn’t count as one of your
maximum allowed number of upgrades.
156
Electric Organ
Like an electric eel or ray, you possess a transgenic or-
gan that can generate an electrical discharge, boosted
even further by an accompanying implant. As an ac-
tion, you can target anything within 1.5 meters with
this ability.
Vitruvian. The target takes 10d6 electrical damage
on a failed Dexterity save (DC = 16), or half as much
damage on a successful one. After using this ability,
you must take a short rest to regain its use.
Tezla. The target takes 10d6+25 electrical damage
on a failed Dexterity save (DC = 19), or half as much
damage on a successful one. After using this ability,
you must take a short rest to regain its use.
Apollo. The target takes 10d6+50 electrical damage
on a failed Dexterity save (DC = 21), or half as much
damage on a successful one. After using this ability,
you must take a short rest to regain its use.
Envenomers, Basic
This augmentation is a colony of bioengineered cells
that manufacture a virulent toxin, and populate an
area of your body.
There are a variety of different choices for how
you want your venom to be administered, and you
must pick one from the list below when you acquire
this bioware.
•• Nematocysts. An area of your hand, or even your
tongue, is laden with stinging cells that send thou-
sands of envenomed barbs into your enemy’s skin.
If it is on your hand, it can be triggered while grap-
pling or making unarmed strikes, as a free action.
You must take a short rest before using it again.
•• Venom Sac. Your venom is manufactured and
stored in a pouch somewhere on your body, often
in your mouth. This can be used to administer
a “kiss of death”, or ooze poison onto a weapon. If
applied to a weapon, the poison washes off after one
successful hit and must be reapplied for it to work
again. You can activate this ability as a free action
and must take a short rest before using it again.
•• Retractable or Natural Weapon. If you have the
retractable weapon or natural weapon feature, you
may have your envenomers built directly into the
weapon, allowed the venom to be delivered on
successful attacks, as a free action. You must take a
short rest before using it again.
You can dispense any of the following venoms:
Hemovenom. A person subjected to this toxin must
succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking
// 5. Upgrades //
Intro Physical Science. You have been formally educat-
ed in a university in the subjects of chemistry, physics,
Character mathematics, geology, or other scientific endeavor
Creation concerning non-living systems. Your character can
make an Intelligence (Physical Science) checks to iden-
Genomes tify chemical compounds and elements, create toxins,
explosives, or powerful solvents, solve complex mathe-
matical puzzles, and explain anomalous natural events.
Classes Social Science. You have been formally educated
in a university in the subjects of history, psycholo-
Goods and gy, philosophy, anthropology, or other academic field
Services concerning the human condition. Your character can
explain different aspects of cultures such as clothing,
Upgrades food, artifacts, or practices. They can also discern men-
tal conditions and argue about the fundamentals of
human nature and existence.
Daemons Your Intelligence (Social Science) check measures
your ability to recall lore about historical events, men-
Ability tal diseases, legendary people, ancient kingdoms, past
Scores disputes, wars, countries, cultures, religions, psycho-
logical conditions, or any other area related to the hu-
Completing
manities and social sciences.
Contracts
Streetwise. When in a city you can make an Intelli-
gence (Streetwise) check to find out what’s going on in
Combat
the criminal underworld, who the movers and shakers
are, where to get what you need (and how to get there),
Hacking
and where not to go. It lets you know how to find the
right people if you want illicit substances such as
weapons, drugs, or other illegal wares. It also lets you
Brave New
know who the local gang leaders and crime bosses are.
World
Other Intelligence Checks. The GM might call for an
Intelligence check when you try to accomplish tasks
NPCs
like the following:
Insight. Your Wisdom (Insight) check decides
whether you can determine the true intentions of a
person, such as when searching out a lie or predict-
ing someone’s next move. Doing so involves gleaning
clues from body language, speech habits, and changes
in mannerisms.
Perception. Your Wisdom (Perception) check lets
you spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of
something. It measures your general awareness of your
surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For ex-
ample, you might try to hear a conversation through a
closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear
NPCs moving stealthily in the forest. Or you might try
to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, wheth-
er they are hitmen lying in ambush in the next room,
thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, or the sound
of footsteps behind a closed secret door.
Survival. The GM might ask you to make a Wis-
dom (Survival) check to follow tracks, hunt wild game,
guide your group through frozen wastelands, identify
signs that bears live nearby, predict the weather, or
avoid quicksand and other natural hazards.
Other Wisdom Checks. The GM might call for a
Wisdom check when you try to accomplish tasks like
the following:
•• Get a gut feeling about what course of ac-
tion to follow
•• When a deal seems to good to be true

Appendices •• Communicate to someone without using words

•• Estimate the value of a precious item
•• Pull together a disguise to pass as a police officer
•• Forge a document
•• Recall lore about a craft or trade
•• Win a game of skill
Wisdom
Wisdom reflects how attuned you are to the
world around you and represents perceptiveness
and intuition.

Wisdom Checks
A Wisdom check might reflect an effort to read body
language, understand someone’s feelings, notice
things about the environment, or care for an injured
person. The Insight, Perception, and Survival skills re-
flect aptitude in certain kinds of Wisdom checks.

176 // 7. Ability Scores //

Charisma Saving Throws
Charisma measures your ability to interact effectively A saving throw—also called a save—represents an at-
with others. It includes such factors as confidence and tempt to resist a hack, a trap, a poison, a disease, or a
eloquence, and it can represent a charming or com- similar threat. You don’t normally decide to make a
manding personality. saving throw; you are forced to make one because your
character is at risk of harm. To make a saving throw,
Charisma Checks roll a d20 and add the appropriate ability modifier. For
A Charisma check might arise when you try to influ- example, you use your Dexterity modifier for a Dexter-
ence or entertain others, when you try to make an ity saving throw.
impression or tell a convincing lie, or when you are A saving throw can be modified by a situational bo-
navigating a tricky social situation. The Deception, In- nus or penalty and can be affected by advantage and
timidation, Performance, and Persuasion skills reflect disadvantage, as determined by the GM.
aptitude in certain kinds of Charisma checks. Each class gives proficiency in at least two saving
Deception. Your Charisma (Deception) check de- throws. The hacker, for example, is proficient in In-
termines whether you can convincingly hide the truth, telligence and Wisdom saves. As with skill proficien-
either verbally or through your actions. This deception cies, proficiency in a saving throw lets a character add
can encompass everything from misleading others their proficiency bonus to saving throws made using a
through ambiguity to telling outright lies. Typical sit- particular ability score. Some NPCs have saving throw
uations include trying to fast-talk a police officer, con proficiencies as well.
a businessman, earn money through gambling, pass The Difficulty Class for a saving throw is deter-
yourself off in a disguise, dull someone’s suspicions mined by the effect that causes it. For example, the DC
with false assurances, or maintain a straight face while for a saving throw allowed by a hack is determined by
telling a blatant lie. the hacker’s hacking ability and proficiency bonus.
Intimidation. When you attempt to influence some- The result of a successful or failed saving throw is
one through overt threats, hostile actions, and physi- also detailed in the effect that allows the save. Usually,
cal violence, the GM might ask you to make a Charisma a successful save means that a person suffers no harm,
(Intimidation) check. Examples include trying to pry or reduced harm, from an effect.
information out of a prisoner, convincing street thugs
to back down from a confrontation, or using the edge
of a broken bottle to convince a sneering bureaucracy
to reconsider a decision.
Performance. Your Charisma (Performance) check
determines how well you can delight an audience with
music, dance, acting, storytelling, or some other form
of entertainment.
Persuasion. When you attempt to influence some-
one or a group of people with tact, social graces, or
good nature, the GM might ask you to make a Charis-
ma (Persuasion) check. Typically, you use persuasion
when acting in good faith, to foster friendships, make
cordial requests, or exhibit proper etiquette. Examples
of persuading others include convincing a front desk at-
tendant to let your cadre see a room, negotiating peace
between rival gangs, or inspiring a crowd of activists.
Other Charisma Checks. The GM might call for a
Charisma check when you try to accomplish tasks like
the following:

•• Find the best person to talk to for news, rumors,

and gossip
•• Blend into a crowd to get the sense of key topics
of conversation

// GeneFunk 2090 // 177

Intro Story Hooks Sentinex provides surveillance services to individuals,
Thinking of your own initial plots is fun, but some- companies, and governments around the world. Yer-
Character times you can get writer’s block! Listed below are some lan wants all of the recorded CCTV surveillance drone
Creation writing prompts, hooks for contracts that a GM can use data from October 27th completely wiped from the
episodically, or as tie-ins to a larger storyline. Some of data center, with no possibility of recovery. The details
Genomes these hooks can be strung together as contracts being of how it is accomplished are irrelevant to the patron,
offered from the same patron. but the data centers in Drumpf Tower are extremely
well guarded, and there is no way to access the data
Classes The Island of Dr . Goudeau other than physically getting inside.
A project lead biotech engineer working for Vitigene,
Goods and a subsidiary of Apollo Laboratories, hasn’t Purity Terrorists
Services shown up for work for over two An active cell of Tzelem Elohim, a
weeks. Being that he has access religious extremist group appalled
Upgrades to confidential research secrets at the directions human nature and
and is under a non-disclosure technology has taken, and have
agreement, Vitigene is very been injecting seemingly random
Daemons anxious to find him and re- people with an engineered virus
trieve him (alive if possible). that corrupts their daemon. Vic-
Ability The first cadre hired to re- tims afflicted with this virus
Scores trieve him tracked him to become violent and aggressive.
a small island off the coast The intelligence division of
Completing
of Venezuela, but Vitigene Apollo Laboratories is worried
Contracts
lost contact with them a few that the terrorists will come up
days ago. Their last corre- with a way to make the virus air-
Combat
spondence included record- borne. They are developing a vac-
ings of strange and dangerous cine, but in the meantime, you have
Hacking
transgenic lifeforms in the island been contracted to find this terrorist cell, appre-
jungle, both animal and plant, that haven’t been seen hend them, and bring back any information you can
before. You are tasked with finding what happened to about how and where they are developing this virus.
Brave New
the previous cadre and retrieving Dr. Goudeau.
World
A Simple Milk Run
Genoist Killer You’ve been contracted to deliver a package to Kuala
NPCs
A string of related homicides has occurred over the Lumpur, a nondescript but expensive locked securi-
past few months, all of the victims being transgenic. ty briefcase weighing around 6 kilograms. The plane
Appendices Each of the bodies have had their obviously transgen- tickets are included, and it seems like free money!
ic organs and parts surgically removed before being What could go wrong?
killed. The local law enforcement isn’t exactly keen on
making this case a high priority, attributing the deaths Protect and Serve
to standard transgenic gang violence. The sister of one The city is in the middle of a violent crime wave caused
of the victims, Abira Belin, believes her brother Gabe by competing crime families that deal with illicit
to be the victim of something more sinister, a target- drugs, firearms, and upgrades. The local law enforce-
ed murder based on his transgenic heritage. She has ment is hiring out cadres and deputizing them to take
hired you to track down the killer of her brother and on the overflow work. You’ve been contracted by Com-
bring them to justice. Though perhaps there is more missioner Fitzpatrick to stop the gang war, in any way
to this killer than there first appears. This hook can tie you can. The police will give you a lot of leeway while
into the Purity Terrorists story. you are under this contract, and a hefty bonus awaits if
you can resolve this crime wave.
Data Heist
A very concerned potential patron named Yerlan Ka- Bodyguards R’ Us
banov is looking for a cadre to break into Drumpf Francesca Fiore, the owner of a small anthroid compa-
Tower, the headquarters that houses the data centers ny called Nuform, is worried that her life is in danger.
for a drone surveillance company named Sentinex. She suspects she is being followed, and just yesterday

190 // 8. Completing Contracts //

her vehicle’s autopilot malfunctioned while someone
was trying to run her off the road. Nuform is releas-
ing their new anthroid model in a few days, one that
uses a novel general AI architecture, and Francesca is
worried that someone is trying to prevent the release.
You have been contracted to keep her safe until after
the new anthroid model’s release. It would be easy if
it wasn’t for her penchant for being a public spectacle.
Who Killed me ?
Yang Yifei, a wealthy heiress of a Hexie electronics
company, was violently murdered just a day ago. Lucki-
ly for her, she had an active Phoenix Unlimited account.
Her last upload was over two weeks ago, so she has no
memory of the events leading up to her death. She has
contracted you to find out who murdered her and why.
Chupacabra
In the rural area outside of Mexico City, cattle farm-
ers are reporting that their livestock have been being
torn apart by some wild best. Witnesses have said the
beast looks demonic, unlike any animal they know of.
A wealthy ranch owner named John Garcia has con-
tracted you to find out whatever this beast is, and kill it,
bringing back proof of the deed. This contract can lead
into The Island of Dr. Goudeau story hook.
Rogue Squad
A squad of commandos, elite soldiers of UNASUR’s
military division, has gone rogue. The squad members
are all genetically identical, batch brothers resulting
from the July 2071 model of the Spartan Infantry ge-
nome, and raised by the state. They’ve been holed up
in the jungles of Columbia, and hijacking Omnitech
cargo trucks for weeks. UNASUR has contracted you to
find the rogue squad, and either bring them back for
justice in the courts, or execute them on the spot.
Crush the Resistance
A group of violent transgenic rights activists in Indo-
nesia called At Any Cost (AAC) have kidnapped sev-
eral executives working for Omega-Man, a transgenic
birthing service. They are asking for a hefty ransom
for the return of the executives. Omega-Man has con-
tracted you to find the kidnappers, wipe them out, and
return the kidnapped executives.
Fight the Power
A group of Hutterite farmers in South Africa is being
forced out of their land by Heliox, a solar power com-
pany, who wants to demolish the farm and lay down
hundreds of enormous solar panels. The Hutterites
// GeneFunk 2090 //
own the land and are unwilling to sell it, so Heliox has
given them 7 days to vacate, under threat of force. He-
liox has contracted out a private military corporation
called Ravage to remove the Hutterites by force, and
the local law enforcement seems willing to turn a blind
eye to the situation. You’ve been contracted to defend
the Hutterite community from potentially dozens of
violent trained killers, and have 1 week to prepare.
Too Many Cooks
The director of the Phoenix Unlimited facility in Mos-
cow, Sergei Petrov, is worried that his personal chef
and bodyguard has stolen the facility’s security codes.
The chef, Peter Vasiliev, is a former Russian secret ser-
vice, and his financial records indicate he has recently
purchased twelve anthroid bodies made in his image.
Sergei is worried that Peter has been illegally down-
loading himself into these bodies. If word got out that
multiple copies of the same psychomime were run-
ning around Moscow, the consequences would be dire!
You’ve been contracted to find each and every copy
of Peter, and “retire” them. The original Peter is to be
brought back to Sergei.
Goodbye Moon Man
A German ambassador named David Gruber, stationed
on the international Moon Base, is worried that some-
one is spying on him. Dissatisfied with the protection
and intelligence his own government provides, he has
contracted you to act as his security detail and to dis-
cover who these spies are. It turns out he was right to
be paranoid, by the time you arrive: David is dead in an
apparent suicide! It appears he locked himself outside
of an airlock and froze to death! It will be another sev-
en days before the next shuttle arrives to take people
back to earth, and your contract stipulates that you are
only paid if David’s contract attorney deems that you’ve
done your due diligence investigating the existence of
possible spies and killers who would wish David harm.
Crazy Evil
Phillipe Lagrange, a famed French VR film director, has
approached you to help his son Eli. Eli, a 16-year-old
kid, has gotten mixed up with a hyperviolent Satanic
grinder cult of bikers. They’re obsessed with hallucino-
gens, and biohacking their own bodies and minds into
the various types of demons depicted in Pseudomonar-
chia Daemonum, a demonology text from the 16th Cen-
tury. The last message Phillipe received from Eli was a
simple text reading “Goodbye father, King Baël is soon
upon us.” Phillipe has contracted you to rescue his son
from the biker cult.
191
 Types of Hacks
Hacks come in a variety of flavors, ranging from influ-
encing another’s mind, to altering DNA, to feats of en-
gineering. The different categories are described below.
Injection Hacks
Injection hacks depend on a syringe
or hypospray to be effective and typ-
ically involve poisons, nanobots, or
pharmaceuticals. These hacks are of-
ten used in combat to damage enemies or buff allies.
You must be within 1.5 meters of the target of any
injection hack. Running injection hacks requires a bio-
hacking kit and hypospray (wielded in one hand), each
is described in the Gear section of Chapter 4: Goods
and Services.
The ultra-strong monomolecular tip of the hypo-
spray gets through almost any material, allowing it to
affect targets wearing heavy armor.
Gadget H acks
These hacks involve small but inge-
nious technological devices to func-
tion, and the hacker must have at least
one free hand to activate the gadget.
These gadgets are typically one-shot use (described un-
der the specific hacks) or have to be recharged between
uses. They are typically useful to use in combat.
Canisters that dispense clouds of nanobots, devic-
es that discharge electricity, and small short-range
drones are all examples of gadget hacks. Running gad-
get hacks requires the gadget kit described in the Gear
section of Chapter 4: Goods and Services.
Craft Tech Hacks
These hacks involve the creation or
modification of electronic, mechan-
ical, or biological technology. They
typically take longer than 1 action to
launch, often taking hours, and always have some fi-
nancial cost associated with them. The tech crafting
is always done outside of combat, but the crafted tech
can be used in combat. Weapon upgrades, armor aug-
ments, genetic enhancements, and vehicle mods are
all examples of this type of hack.
In order to perform tech hacks, the hacker must
have access to either a biohacking kit or mechanics
tools, and be able to obtain the necessary material
reagents (i.e. you couldn’t upgrade your car while
stranded in the middle of the forest with no materials).
If these hacks are performed during down time, spend-
ing the hack slot will be inconsequential.
// GeneFunk 2090 //
Craft Explosive H acks
These hacks are the fruits of demo-
litions expertise and involve bombs
of all types. They typically have a
long launch time and have a financial
cost associated with them. Crafting explosives is al-
ways done outside of combat, but the results can be
used in combat.
In order to construct the explosives, the hacker
must have access to mechanics tools and be able to ob-
tain chemical and material reagents (i.e. you couldn’t
easily create an explosive while hiking in the moun-
tains). If these hacks are performed during down time,
spending the hack slot will be inconsequential.
These devices detonate under certain conditions
and can produce a variety of effects.
The detonation type is fixed at the time of creation,
and the types of detonation (grenades, mines, timers,
or special) are described below.
•• Grenades. Grenades are explosives that detonate on
impact or seconds after pulling the pin. As an action,
a character can throw a grenade at a point up to 15
meters away. With a grenade launcher, the character
can propel the grenade up to 40 meters away. The
detonation is at the point the grenade lands.
•• Mines. These explosives are triggered by either a
tripwire or a pressure plate. The detonation point
is in the square the mine is placed in. The base
Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation)
DC to spot a mine is 10. A mine can be camouflaged,
increasing the DC to spot the mine to 8 + your profi-
ciency bonus + your Intelligence modifier.
•• Timer. A set time limit, which you can determine
when you set the explosive as an action, will deter-
mine when the explosive detonates. The timer can
be set to anything from mere seconds, to days.
•• Special. Certain other detonators and hacks can
create specialized conditions under which the
explosive detonates, such as facial recognition,
DNA analysis, etc. See Chapter 4, or the specialized
detonator hack for specialized detonators.
Bot H acks
Bot hacks refer to simple AI programs
that the hacker constructs for spe-
cific purposes. These AI are without
a physical body but can act inde-
pendently of the hacker who creates
them, as described in their individual entries. There is
no target for these hacks, as they exist independently
on the internet.
Bots often have set durations, as automated anti-vi-
rus and security software find and delete rogue code.
209
Intro Mind H acks Hack Lists
Some people have become skilled in
Character slicing through a daemon’s security Biohacker Hacks Clone
Creation protocols and meddling with individ- 1st level Daemon Killer
uals’ minds through their brain-com- Anesthetize Diagnose Weakness
Genomes puter. As a result, they can exert different forms of sen- Biofilm Digest
sory meddling or mind control, wreaking havoc on the Blood Dope Ferocity
target’s mental state. Mind hacking is the most serious Blood Fake Genetic Enhancement
Classes offense a hacker can commit, but despite harsh laws Buddha Wendigo
against it in most countries, it still occurs. Carnal
Goods and Mind hacks can be performed when the following Chromatophores 4th Level
Services conditions have been met: Claws Daemon Betrayal
Must target either a person with a daemon or an AI. Consume Evidence Perfume
Upgrades Mind hacks specifically target the mental functions of Chitin Neurotoxic Nightmare
individuals, be they human or artificial intelligence. Ar- Cushion
tificial intelligence includes all kinds of robots, includ- Darkvision 5th Level
Daemons ing bots. If the target is a person, both the person and Detect Biohazards Grey Goo
the person’s daemon AI are affected. Detoxify
Ability Must be aware of the target. While you don’t need to Enhance Ability Codehacker H acks
Scores physically see the target, you must be able to connect to Extrapolate Form 1st level
them online. Line of sight works, but being connected Fireflies Alert
Completing
through any other online means works as well. Finding Forensic Scan Anonymity
Contracts
someone’s IP address is described under the Computers Gecko Skin Babel Frog
and Investigation skills, and hacks like detect minds can Gills Back Door
Combat
be used for this purpose as well. Heat Stabilize Bot Lackey
While you can connect with anyone across the globe, Nanodoc Camfect
Hacking
sophisticated internet security nodes filter out mind Necrotic Injection Cataracts
hacks beyond certain distances, so they have a range Noxious Cloud Charm
limit of 72 meters. Perk Command
Brave New
Post Mortem Database Dip
World
Software Hacks Shark Decrypt
These hacks modify the code of Superman Defensive Feedback
NPCs
non-thinking things and typically in- Toxic Jet Detect Minds
volve the modification of digital devic- Treat Malady Detect Security
Appendices es. The targets of these hacks are always Disable Security
electronic devices with a computer of some kind. Un- 2nd Level Deep Fake
less explicitly given, software doesn’t have any bonus to Amygdalic Jet Erase Memories
their saving throw: it is simply a d20 roll. Amygdalic Mist Ego Flay
Taking your time. Software hacks can be run with- Bring ’Em Back Encrypt
out expending a hack slot if you choose to take 10 min- CNS Stim Fear
utes longer to run it than normal. For hacks that are Enamoring Cloud Invisibility
software hacks, as well as being another type, you can Envenom Killer Joke
only use this feature if the hack is specifically directed Infect Linked Battlemind
at software. For example, if you use camfect, you could Nootro Mind Reader
use taking your time to hack a webcam (since it would Mars Pain
be a software hack), but not a person’s eyes (a mind Paralytic Injection Probability Analysis
hack). Winging it cannot be used in conjunction with Poisonous Aura Skim
taking your time. Razor Cloud Sleep
Recombinant Beast Sloth
Satellite Imagery
3rd Level Surveillance Skim
Burning Blood Synergistic Defense

210 // 10. Hacking //

Unlock AP Ammo 3rd Level 4th Level
Ventriloquist Arc Drone Autoturret EM Barrier
Armor Plating Booby Traps Napalm Bomb
2nd Level Armor Smith Drone Swarm
Bloodhound Babel Frog EMP Bomb 5th Level
Calm Emotions Baton Ammo Incendiary Bomb Nanite Bomb
Compulsion Biofilm Knockout Bomb Predictive Algorithms
Delusions Camfect Nanoprint
Disable Vehicle Consume Evidence Shaped Charge Bomb
Drone Snipe Cushion Shocking Field
False ID Decrypt Sticky Bomb
Freeze Detect Security Upgrade Robot
Getaway Car Disable Security
Highlight Encrypt
Modify Memory Extinguish
Oracle Forensic Scan
Pierce Jamming Frictionless Spray
Pinball Wizard Gunsmith
Runover Incendiary Ammo
Secure Home Linked Battlemind
Seeming Noxious Cloud
Stunner Probability Analysis
Suggestion Smoke Bomb
Summoning Specialty Detonator
Tase
3rd Level Tough Tires
DDR Toxic Jet
Direct Unlock
Dominate Upgrade Handling
Ferocity Upgrade Speed
Hallucination Weapon Mount
Manchurian Trigger
Mind Killer 2nd Level
Subtle Charm Amygdalic Jet
Concussion Bomb
4th Level Daemon Disruption
Daemon Betrayal Disable Vehicle
Feeblemind Explosive Ammo
Mass Suggestion Foam Wall
Suicide Flashbang Bomb
Fragmentation Bomb
5th Level Getaway Car
Aegis Particle Beam Highlight
Blank Slate Nitro Boost
Mind Maze Poison Bomb
Predictive Algorithms Poisonous Aura
Puppeteer Razor Cloud
Runover
Engineer Hacks Tear Gas Bomb
1st level Secure Home
Alert
Anonymity

// GeneFunk 2090 // 211

GENEF2090
UNK CLASS AND LEVEL GENOME CADRE EXPERIENCE POINTS

CHARACTER NAME BACKGROUNDS APPEARANCE

PROFICIENCY INITIATIVE DAMAGE WEAPON PROFICIENCIES ARMOR PROFICIENCIES

BONUS REDUCTION Simple Light
STR Martial Melee Medium
SCORE SPEED
ARMOR
CLASS Martial Ranged Heavy
MOD EXP. STRENGTH SKILLS
PR

SAVE
O

Athletics
F.

PROF. CURRENT HIT POINTS HIT DICE DEATH FEATURES AND TRAITS
DEXTERITY SKILLS SAVES
D8
DEX Acrobatics
SCORE D10
Drive
MOD D12
Sleight of Hand
SAVE MAXIMUM
Stealth HIT POINTS RESISTANCES
INTELLIGENCE SKILLS
CON TEMP.
Bureaucracy HIT POINTS
SCORE
MOD Computers ATTACKS
SAVE Investigation NAME BONUS DAMAGE

Life Science

INT Mechanics RANGE PROPERTIES

SCORE Physical Science
MOD Social Science
SAVE Streetwise
NAME BONUS DAMAGE

WISDOM SKILLS
WIS Insight RANGE PROPERTIES
SCORE
Perception
MOD
Survival
SAVE NAME BONUS DAMAGE
CHARISMA SKILLS
Deception
CHA RANGE PROPERTIES
SCORE Intimidation

MOD Performance

SAVE Persuasion NAME BONUS DAMAGE

RANGE PROPERTIES
PASSIVE PASSIVE
PERCEPTION INSIGHT

SENSES SATOSHI (シ) UPGRADES

Acute Olfaction Darkvision Macrovision MOSAIC
SCORE
Microvision Penetration Spectrum

EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT
GENEF2090
UNK IDEALS FLAWS

PERSONALITY TRAITS BONDS

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT CONTRACT NOTES

APPEARANCE

CADRE LOGO

ADDITIONAL ATTACKS

NAME BONUS DAMAGE

RANGE PROPERTIES

NAME BONUS DAMAGE

RANGE PROPERTIES

NAME BONUS DAMAGE

RANGE PROPERTIES

ADDITIONAL FEATURES AND TRAITS ALLIES AND ENEMIES

 LEVEL 1
SLOTS
LEVEL 3
SLOTS
LEVEL 5
SLOTS
HACK ATTACK
BONUS
GENEF2090
UNK
CHARACTER NAME
LEVEL 2 LEVEL 4 HACK
SLOTS SLOTS SAVE DC

LAUNCH
HACK NAME LEVEL TYPE TIME EFFECT
DISCREET. Elite.
DISPOSABLE.
N avigate a biopunk world with your
allies, a group of transhuman mercs
specializing in investigation and violence.

Plasticity of genes and form redefine

human nature. A supercomputer flows
through your blood and mind-hacking
runs amok. Do you have what it takes to
survive? Get upgraded or get ganked.

This book contains everything you need

to create characters and battle vicious
cyborgs, run heists, or maneuver
corporate intrigue in the world of
GeneFunk 2090.

Genefunk
2090