F T E R S

DR I

Spencer Campbell
Dedicated to the wanderers,
outsiders, and drifters of the world.

Writing, Design, Layout: Spencer Campbell

Art: Adobe Stock & Freepik
Fonts:
• Body text: Rockwell
• Headers: Copperplate Gothic Bold
• Cover text: zai Drukarnia Wydawnicza 1870

Inspirations: Destiny, Tombstone,

GUN&SLINGER, Slayers, The
Liminanas, Colt Express, The Harder
They Fall

Published by Gila RPGs

GilaRPGs.com - GilaRPGs.itch.io - @GilaRPGs

 Table of
Contents
Drifters Page 1

Setting Page 3

Rules Page 8

Combat Page 13

Characters Page 19

Guns Page 27

Rifts Page 39

Threats Page 53

GM Page 67

Grayslanding Page 73

Character Sheets Page 78

 Drifters
In Drifters, you take on the role of cursed gunslingers.What
you did in your life before no longer matters, because you
picked up a capital G Gun.

From that point on, you became a Drifter, filled with

incredible power and compelled to drift from town to town,
solving their problems with lead.

Drifters is a tabletop roleplaying game. One player will take

on the role of the GM, while the others will inhabit the
cursed gunslinger Drifters.

A dangerous world waits for you out there, in the wastes. As

long as you have that iron by your side, you should be just
fine, right?

Setting
Drifters takes place in a wasteland, filled with horrors and
death, with the few towns that remain holding on to what
they can. Frontier towns live mostly in isolation, with their
own internal power and political structures.

There are two constants. First, the wastes outside of town

will kill you if you go out there. Second, the Drifters break all
the rules.

1
It is important to note that Drifters is inspired by the stories
of the American wild west, but is not an “alternative
history”. The American expansion into the “new world” is a
history written in blood and genocide, by colonialist hands.

The wild west has largely been romanticized, ignoring the

inhumanity of what really happened. Drifters is not here to
continue that trend, but it is important to acknowledge that
history whenever the “wild west” is the setting of a game.

What You Need

Drifters uses the traditional roles of Game Master (GM) and
Player Character (PC), who we’ll just call Drifters from here
on out. To play, you’ll need these rules, and you should
probably read them.

Each player will need a character sheet, something to write

with, and a set of dice specific to their Gun class.

Cycle of Play
Drifters follows a game play loop driven by Rifts of the void.
You’ll learn more about it later in the rules, but here’s a
quick summary.

Each Rift, the Drifters wander into a town with a big problem
they need help with. Working with the locals, the Drifters
eventually remove that problem, only for their Guns to
compel them to wander off back into the wastes once more.

And so the cycle repeats. Cursed.

2
Setting
The wastes are what they call it
Hell is a better name

The Void & The Wastes

It’s still not clear what exactly did it, but it all went to shit
really quickly. Schisms, breaches, Rifts, whatever you want
to call them, some “thing” started to tear into our world.

Most locals got to calling it the void, an inky abyss that

would rip the seam between our world and itself, and bleed
through the wound.

This void, it changed anything that it came into contact with.

Plants and animals were the first to start to change. After
that, our familiar routes and paths through the wilderness
shifted and became maze-like.

Caravans would go off to travel between towns, and find

themselves lost in the wastes. Some came back, years later,
and changed.

Towns went dark, isolating themselves from one another.

How could you trust someone who just walked out of hell to
get to you? No no, leave the devil at the door.

So now we call it the wastes. Familiar, and yet not. A gross

caricature of our home that is haunted by some presence
we couldn’t possibly understand. The sort of place that
you’d have to be a real fool to willingly explore.

A fool, or chosen.

4
 The Guns
Some folks, through one means or another, found
something out in the wastes. Guns, with a capital G. Nobody
had ever seen their make before, each entirely unique.

Not only that, but nobody knew exactly why they were out
there, but everyone who grabbed one said the same thing
“it wanted me to find it.”

5
The gift of the Gun was power. Power enough to travel the
wastes without fear. And with that, towns started to become
connected again. These new wielders, Drifters are what we
call them, act as wandering guardians of the waste.

They keep the paths between towns safe. And they walk into
town to root out anything...

dangerous

Those Guns of theirs? Nowadays we think that they were

created by the void, or at least transformed by it. That’s why
the Drifters seem to wander the wastes so safely, the void
recognizes one of its own.

It’s unsettling, but as long as they keep helping us, we’ll

keep letting them wander into town.

Fight fire with fire, you know?

6
 Rifts
Drifters may be compelled by their Guns to wander the
wastes, but the humanity in them compels them to return to
town, to help with the breaches. The void, it mostly rends
and tears reality out in the wastes. But sometimes it bleeds
through a little too close to home.

When that happens, we call it a Rift. Sometimes folks can

see it, the storm of void that creates destruction and chaos
in a town. It can drive a person to do horrible things, or
warp and shift the once safe world into a nightmarish and
dangerous place.

Drifters find these Rifts, their Guns as a dowsing rod, and

root them out of town. They don’t stick around for long
though. There are always other settlements that need help,
and that Gun of theirs probably wants a word with them out
in the wastes.

Today
That’s where we are now. There are a handful of those
Drifters out there. And yeah, you’ve probably heard the
rumors “the Guns are poisoning them” “they aren’t even
alive, but animated by the Gun” “they come from another
world.”

I guess none of that is for me to say, but how about the next
time a Drifter comes into town you buy them a drink, and
ask them yourself?

7
Rules
Most of Drifters is handled through roleplaying. Players
describe what their characters say and do, and the GM
responds. The Drifters have incredible abilities thanks to
their backgrounds, and may use them when the ability
allows it. Most of the time, the Drifters will simply describe
what they do, and it happens.

However, whenever a Drifter wants to do something with

possible consequences or risk of significance, they make a
roll. In Drifters, there is one rule that applies no matter how
many dice you are rolling, what size they are, or what the
intended action is: a roll of a 4+ is a Hit.

Skills
If you aren’t attacking something, you’re probably making a
skill roll. After determining what skill is appropriate for the
action, roll the skill’s assigned die. Drifters can assist one
another with actions when appropriate, adding a die equal
to the helping player’s skill die size. Whenever you roll
more than one dice for a skill roll, use the highest roll.

A 4+ is a Hit, and the action succeeds. Anything else is a

Miss; the intended action fails, and the GM introduces a
complication or consequence.

8
 Skills are also used during combat, and are resolved the
same way as described above when used during a fight.

NPCs never make skill rolls. Instead, their actions and

reactions are determined by the Slayer’s rolls.

Skill List
• Brawl: let your fists do the talking, show your strength

• Compel: get your way with logic, intimidation,

bartering, anything not a lie

• Deceive: lying and charming, blending in and moving

unseen

• Hunt: track a target, avoid detection

• Nimble: acting quickly, agile movement, climbing and

dodging

• Scan: read a situation or person, look for something in

particular

• Tinker: engineer, create or destroy something, work a

mechanism

9
Abilities
Every Drifter has a Background, which gives them access to
abilities that have been amplified by their connection to
their Gun. These abilities are typically used outside of
combat, and do not necessarily have a mechanical
means of being resolved.

Instead, they are opportunities for the Drifters to

exert powerful narrative control over the situation. If
there is ever a question of how an ability resolves,
discuss it as a table and come to a conclusion that
everyone agrees with.

The abilities of each Background are typically

used outside of combat. You may find
instances where they are useful in combat.
Players and the GM should work together to
determine what fits the flow of combat.
 Advantage & Disadvantage
If you have positioned yourself so that you have the edge on
a combatant, you may roll with Advantage. Whenever you
have Advantage, roll all dice twice, keeping the higher
result.

If you are in a really bad position, roll with Disadvantage.

When you have Disadvantage, roll all dice twice, keeping
the lower result. If you have both Advantage and
Disadvantage at the same time, the effects are canceled.

You cannot have multiple instances of Advantage, or

Disadvantage at once (e.g. you can’t have “double
Advantage”). Drifters and GMs should work together to
decide when a character has Advantage or Disadvantage,
though some runes and abilities specifically determine
when these apply.

Here are some examples of when you might have either:

Advantage
• Ambushing someone
• Target is distracted
• A skill helped set you up for success
Disadvantage
• Being ambushed
• Immobilized, slowed, or distracted
• Firing your Gun from an ineffective range

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Reach for
the sky…
Combat
Theater of the Mind
Combat in Drifters uses the theater of the mind, meaning
many decisions are made based on what makes sense in
terms of the fiction, rather than mechanically tracking
things such as movement speed.

Relative Distance
Movement and distance aren’t measured out in detail in
Drifters. Instead, distance between two people is
determined abstractly. Some Guns are more or less
effective at certain ranges.

13
Close:Within grappling range, a small room, or
a quick couple of steps.

Mid: A short hustle away, across the street or

one or two buildings down the road

Far: Anything beyond Mid.

 Readying Up
Before combat begins, every Drifter prepares for the fight
with their Ready action. This is done before the Turn Order
is determined.

Turn Order & Rounds

When combat begins, combatants must determine their
place in the turn order. Each player rolls their Draw die.
Enemies have a set Draw speed.

A round begins with the character with the highest Draw

result taking their turn, and ending when the lowest Draw
result character takes their turn. If a Drifter is tied with an
enemy, the Drifter acts first. If two Drifters are tied, they may
decide who will go first.

15
Combat Actions
A Drifter takes two actions during their turn. Each Gun has
two actions. The first is Sling Lead, the action for when a
Drifter wants to shoot their Gun. While every Gun Slings
Lead, each does so in a unique way. The second action is
something that helps highlight that Gun class’s role and
expertise, which is again unique to that Gun.

In addition, any Drifter may use the Take Cover or Skill

actions (see below) during their turn, regardless of what
Gun they wield.

Drifters may also Move once during their turn.This does not
count as an action. When a Drifter moves, they go from one
range band of a target or location to another. This can be
moving closer (e.g. Far to Mid) or further away (e.g. Close
to Mid).

Take Cover: Take -1 damage from all sources until the start
of your next turn.
Skill: Make a skill roll using the rules for skills. Using a skill
may afford you a bonus on a roll, at the GM’s discretion, or
may allow you to do something you weren’t able to before.

Examples of Skill in Combat

Tinker to rig a device to explode, Nimble to

quickly scale an obstacle for a better angle for
your shot, Hunt to track down a hiding enemy,
Compel get an enemy to surrender and throw
down their weapon.

16
 Damage
If a threat's Health is reduced to 0, they are dead or
defeated. If a Drifter ever reaches 0 Health, they’re dead
and can be resurrected by their Gun on their next turn. If
they don’t have any resurrections left...they’re taking the
eternal dirt nap.

Resurrection
Your Gun doesn’t want you to die, not yet at least. Every time
you would meet your maker, the Gun brings you back if it
still has the power to do so.When you are resurrected, your
body and mind are corrupted by the experience.

Every time you are resurrected, you choose a corruption

and mark it on your character sheet. Corruptions have two
effects, depending on if you are in or out of combat.

Each corruption provides an in-combat bonus to your

Drifter. Turns out death isn't’ so bad after all.

They also provide an out of combat character “quirk.” There

are no mechanical changes to you based on these, but these
represent changes to your Drifter’s personality that happen
after you get your soul shot back into your body. Play to
them, or fight them back, it’s your call.

Each Drifter can only take 3 corruptions. If you would ever

need to mark another, your Gun doesn’t have the power to
bring you back, or maybe it’s just given up on you…

17
Corruption
Vengeful
In Combat: You deal +1 damage for any attack against a
target that has harmed you
Out of Combat:You don’t take slights or losses with grace

Cold
In Combat: Once per combat you can stare a threat down.
They are frozen in fear and take no turn this round. Using
this is not an action.
Out of Combat: Logic prevails when making decisions, not
passion

Fury
In Combat: Once per turn, when you kill someone, you may
take a Spray Lead action for free.
Out of Combat: Once you see red, you can’t help yourself

Reckless
In Combat:You roll with Advantage for any roll affecting the
most dangerous threat.
Out of Combat: Passion prevails when making decisions,
not logic.

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Characters
Creating a cursed gunslinger requires a few steps.We start
with understanding who you were before you grabbed that
Gun, and then define who you’ve become.

1. Select a Background: This describes what your

character did before you became a Drifter. Those
talents you had built up over the years were amplified
when you grabbed your Gun, and now you have
incredible abilities.

Each Background provides you with your starting

Health, Draw speed, and a list of abilities. Select one of
these abilities to start with.

2. Set Your Skills:You have built up the necessary skills to

survive the wastes all these years. Assign a dice to each
of your skills. Choose one skill to be a d10, another skill
to be a d8, and all others as d6.

3. Choose a Gun:You become a Drifter when you choose

your Gun, or when it chooses you. Select a Gun to
wield. If you select the Runic Revolver, complete the
step below, otherwise move to step 4.

1. Carve Runes: Select two runes to carve into your

Gun, giving it power. See Runes for details.

19
4. Describe Yourself: Take a moment to describe your
character to the other players. What do you look like,
what does your Gun look like? Each Gun whispers a
desire in their wielder’s ear, what does your Gun say to
you?

Advancement
Your Drifter grows in power with each Drift. After
completing a Drift as you Wander back into the wastes, go
through the following steps:

1. Increase maximum Health. Increase your Health +1.

2. Increase a skill. Choose one skill that is a d6 to be raised

to a d8. If all of your skills are at least a d8, increase one
to a d10 instead. Instead of increasing a skill, you may
also increase your Draw, up to a d10.

3. Choose an ability. Select a new ability from your

Background to gain access to. If you already have all of
your abilities unlocked, skip this step.

4. Empower your Gun. You Gun’s power grows with each

successful Rift. Choose one of the remaining Advances
for your Gun. If you have already selected all your
Advances, work with the GM to create a new one.

20
 Bandit
The feeling of a gun in your hand is familiar, but you have to
admit, this new one feels right.You used to get by with your
gang, taking what you need, and having fun doing it. Now
you’re with a different posse.

You’re helping folks now too, which feels strange, but that
doesn’t mean you can’t get a little something extra out of the
deal.

Health: 8 Draw: d6
Abilities
• Jailbreak: Nothing can ever confine you. Locks, bindings,
and anything similar simply unlatch whenever you want
them to.
• Hideout: Every town has a hideout for you and your allies,
or a cache of valuables hidden away for a time of need.
• Don’t Be A Hero: As long as you have your hand on your
Gun, folks will do as you say, unless doing so will cause
them harm.
• Masks On: When you pull up your mask, you decide
whether folks can’t see you, or if all eyes are only on you.
• Notorious: Your reputation arrives in town before you do.
When you first arrive in town arrive, decide what the
locals think of you.

21
Con
Before you grabbed your Gun, your greatest weapon was
your silver tongue. It’s probably for the best that your Gun
compels you to drift on out of town once your work is done,
because there is only so much bull locals are willing to buy.

Oh well, there’s always another town.

Health: 6 Draw: d8
Abilities
• Snake Oil: With a touch, you can change any food or drink
from safe to consume to lethal poison, or vice versa.
• There’s My Mark: Once per scene, you can immediately
identify one thing:
• Who here has the most to lose?
• Who here will believe anything you say?
• What can I say to get these folks on my side?
• Memetic: Once per session, hold a person’s attention in
conversation and they will become a firm believer in you.
Those they come in contact with will slowly become
believers as well.
• On the House: Once in a town, you can call on a number of
free favors equal to the size of your Deceive skill die. After
that, attempts to Deceive are made with Disadvantage.
• Supply & Demand: When you first arrive in town, the GM
will tell you three things the locals need.You can provide
one of them, the rest you’ll have to figure out.
22
 Hunter
You don’t hunt for animals, you hunt for bounties. Before all
this you were an excellent bounty hunter bringing in the
worst the world had to offer. Now, somehow, you’re even
better. Nobody gets away from you once you have their trail.

But this Gun, it seems to want to find something more than

bounties, something that worries you.

Health: 8 Draw: d6
Abilities
• Lasso: Anyone you lay hands on cannot escape your grip
until you release them.
• Bloodhound: Focus your attention on an individual you
can see, smell, or hear. For the rest of the session, you can
always track their position, clear as day.
• Flashback: Once per session, you may declare that
person related to a previous hunt is here in town.Who are
they and what relationship did they have to the job?
• Gig Economy: You are exceptionally good at getting
rewarded for your work. Whenever you finish a Patrol,
increase the Impact by 1.
• Bounty:When you first arrive in town, the GM will tell you
of two wanted people in town. One is related to the Rift,
the other…just a criminal.You need to figure out which.

23
Marshal
After grabbing your Gun, you found a badge pinned to your
chest. You were law, now you’re not. But what you learned
during that time before is rattling around in your mind, like
the old keys hanging at your side.

A marshal of the wastes has a lot more than train robberies

to worry about; it’s starting to feel like there was a jailbreak
outta hell itself.

Health: 8 Draw: d6
Abilities
• Deputize: Once per Rift you can choose an NPC that
you’ve met to be gifted your protection. No harm can
come to them as long as you are in town.
• Detective: Once per scene you pick up on small details.
Ask a question from the list:
• What really is going on here?
• Are we in danger right now?
• What do I stand to gain from this?
• Grizzled: Years of this work has made you a survivor.
Nobody can ever get the jump on you.
• Void Jail: Once per session, you may send a person you
touch to a Void Jail. They disappear from reality, and
appear when you decide.
• Build a Case: When you first arrive in town, you know the
leads of two patrols that need your attention.
24
Prospector
You were already out looking for valuables before this all
went to hell. So when the void bled through and the wastes
became what they became, you just saw it as another
opportunity to get rich.You didn’t realize what you’d find out
there wasn’t gold, but iron instead.

Keep it close, its whispers are enthralling, but you know it

will reveal the secrets of the wastes soon enough.

Health: 6 Draw: d8
Abilities
• Silver Sense: Once per scene, you can detect any
valuables around you, as well as things that are hidden
away.
• Midas Touch:With a touch, you can change an object to be
made of pure gold. You can also rend a valuable item to
dust.
• Survival Pack: During a Rift, you may reach into your pack
a number of times equal to your Hunt die size. Inside are
any mundane items, including gear you’d use on your
trips to the waste.
• Tunnel Network: Once per session you can connect two
locations that you have visited or seen with an
underground network that only the Drifters may use.
• Gold in Those Hills:When you first arrive in town, you can
sense a hidden secret buried deep (literally or
metaphorically). Tell the GM what it is.
25
Stranger
You’re no stranger to the wastes, you’ve been drifting
between towns as long as you can remember. One time,
though, you found that Gun.

You still don’t feel entirely at home when you’re around

other folks, but they notice you now at least.When you want
them to, that is…

Health: 6 Draw: d8
Abilities
• Enhance: When you Tinker with an object, you may
imbue it with one property it would not normally have.
• Was Never Here: You leave no trace that mundane
trackers could follow. Take 1 damage and people will
forget your face after an interaction.
• Passing Through: You can walk through walls as though
you were a ghost.
• Lurking: Once per scene, you can suddenly appear, even
if you were nowhere nearby.
• Void in the Air: When you first arrive in town, you know a
way this place has been warped by the wastes, even if the
townsfolk don’t know it yet.What is it?

26
Runic
The first Gun that we ever learned about. Nobody knows
where they come from, who makes ‘em, or what they want.
Yeah, the Guns want things, and they whisper that desire
into their Drifter’s ear.

Runic Revolvers are highly customizable firearms. Over

time, a Drifter carves runes into their Gun to make it theirs,
to bond them to it.
Revolver
Ready: Place a d6 in each chamber of your Gun on your
character sheet. Each die represents a bullet loaded in the
Gun. A fully loaded Runic Revolver starts with 6d6.

Combat Actions
Sling Lead: When you fire your Gun, choose a target. Pick
up as many of your d6 as you’d like, and roll. Each Hit deals
1 damage to the target, as well as any rune effects that
apply.

Runic Revolvers are effective at Mid range. If the Target is

not at Mid range, the Sling Lead action is made with
Disadvantage.

Reload: Place 2d6 back on your character sheet, in any

empty chambers of your Gun.

Advance
When you advance your Gun, select a rune
and carve it on an empty chamber. Once a
rune has been carved, it cannot be carved
again

28
 Runes
Carved into the Gun itself, these runes provide power to
you and the weapon you wield.When you select a rune, you
attach it to an empty chamber of your gun, writing the
rune’s name on the chamber on your character sheet.

Each rune has two effects. The first, called the Passive, is an
ongoing effect that provides you with bonuses that will give
you an edge in combat. You get the Passive effect of a rune
as long as there is a bullet loaded in the chamber. Once you
pick up a d6 to roll it, the Passive effect goes away until the
chamber is loaded again.

The second effect, called the Active, is a bonus effect for the
Sling Lead action you take when rolling a bullet from that
chamber. Sometimes Active effects only take place if the
associated bullet hits, and other times they provide an
instant effect regardless of the outcome of the roll.

When you are ready to carve runes into your Gun, choose
from the following. Note the name of any runes you select on
a specific empty chamber on your character sheet after
selection.

Adaptable
Passive:Your Gun is effective at all ranges.
Active: All threats can only do Close actions until the start of
your next turn.
Barrier
Passive: No threat can get Close to you unless you allow it.
Active: Move any threats within sight one range band closer
or further from you.

29
Deadeye
Passive:You can hit targets behind cover, walls, or any other
barrier.
Active: All attacks against threats Hit by Deadeye are made
with Advantage for the rest of combat.
Lucky
Passive: The first time you roll a 1 with an action you may
reroll it.
Active: Hits using Lucky bounce from the target to the
closest threat as well.
Quick Draw
Passive: You always act first in a round. You still roll your
Draw die at the start of combat.
Active: threat Hit by Quick Draw is moved to the bottom of
the turn order.
Reaper
Passive:You cannot die your final death.
Active: Damage on Hit equal to your number of corruptions.
Seeker
Passive:You Hit on a 3+ with the Sling Lead action.
Active: All threats Hit on a 5+ until the start of your next turn.
Speedster
Passive:You may Move twice during your turn.
Active: threat Hit by Speedster cannot move for the rest of
combat.

30
 Rifle
As the Drifters became more comfortable wandering the
wastes and dealing with the horrors that bled through,
they grew confident. They got a little too close to those
horrors, literally, and Drifters started dying.

The void adapts though, and so the Rifle was found in the
wastes. Drifters who picked up this Gun could keep their
distance from the worst the wastes had to offer.

They also found their minds and eyes changed upon

hefting the weapon, and they saw the world through a
whole new terrifying lens.

Ready: Unlike other Guns, your Rifle is ready to fire at a

moment's notice. When you Load Up, you may
immediately Spot an enemy on the field before the
fighting begins.

Combat Actions
Sling Lead:When you fire your Gun, choose a target at Far
range and roll 1d10.The Rifle is only effective at Far range,
and using it at any other range makes the roll with
Disadvantage. On a Hit, deal the 3 damage to the target.

If the roll total is a 10+, you scored a Crit. Choose one of

the Crit effects available to you in addition to dealing your
normal damage. If it was not a Crit, mark +1 to your Hone
bonus. Add your Hone bonus to each subsequent roll until
you roll a Crit, and then reset it.

31
Crit Effects:
• +2 damage
• See Advances
• See Advances

Spot: Focus your voidsight on a threat at Mid or Far range

to Spot them. Choose an effect:
• The next Sling Lead from any Drifter against them is
made with Advantage.
• The enemy is a bullet magnet, and can be shot by any
Gun regardless of range or vision until the start of your
next turn.
• The enemy permanently loses -1 Draw. Update the Turn
Order after doing so.
Advance
When you advance using a Rifle, you may choose one of
the following benefits. Each benefit may only be chosen
once. After selecting an advance, note it on your
character sheet.

• Start each fight with +2 Hone.

• New Crit effect. Ricochet: Bullet bounces off of the
Target and hits the nearest enemy, dealing the same
amount of damage.
• New Crit effect. Suppressing Fire: Target gains the Take
Cover benefit, but cannot make any actions during
their next turn.
• Whenever any enemy dies, increase your Hone +1.

32
Shotgun
Not long after the revolver was found, a new Gun
started to show up. This was fire and brimstone,
and it didn’t whisper to Drifters so much as yell.

The Shotgun is a powerful weapon, fit for the

Drifter who likes to get up close and personal with
their target before they pull the trigger.

The Shotgun seems to shift itself to the needs of the

Drifter. A careful eye can see the barrel change
just as the trigger is pulled, as if the Gun knows the
outcome the Drifter seeks.

Ready: Choose which mode you want

your Shotgun to be in at the start of
combat. You may change the mode as
many times as you want using the Shift
action.

Grab your Shells, a dice pool you will use

every time you Sling Lead.

Shells: 2d6
Combat Actions
Sling Lead: When you fire your Gun, choose a
target at Close range and roll your Shells. The
Shotgun cannot target anyone beyond Close
range. Place the rolled Shells on whichever
outcome you want for each of your current mode’s
axes.

If you are rolling more than 2 dice, you must place

at least one die for each axis, and then may place
the rest wherever you want.

Shift: Change which mode your Shotgun is in,

between Damage or Control.

Advance
When you advance using a Shotgun, you may
choose one of the following benefits. Each
benefit may only be chosen once. After
selecting an advance, note it on your
character sheet.

• +1 Shell
• +1 Shell
• Choose one mode to be effective at Close
and Mid range
• When you Sling Lead after using the Shift
action, it is with Advantage

34
 Modes
Unlike other Guns, Shotguns do not roll to hit. They always
hit their Target, but can only hit threats at Close range.
Instead of rolling to hit, the Shotgun rolls to see what kind of
effects occur based on which mode the Gun is in.

Each mode has an X-Y axis with outcomes at the end of each
axis. After rolling your Shells, you will place the dice on any
of the outcomes you want, so long as the value of the die
matches the values allowed for that outcome.

As the Shotgun becomes more powerful, you will gain more

Shells.When this happens, you still must place at least 1 die
on each axis of your current mode, but any excess dice may
be placed wherever you want (the value of the die must still
match the values allowed for that outcome).

The Shotgun has two different modes: Damage and Control.

The modes use some key words that are unique to the
Shotgun.You can find their definitions below.

AOE: Area of effect. All threats at Close range of the target

also take the damage of the shot.
Blast:The target is moved from Close to Mid range from you.
If they hit an obstacle or fall off a ledge, they take an
additional damage.
Lock: Target cannot Move and takes 1 fewer Action on their
next turn.
Prime: If the Target dies before your next turn, you and the
Drifter who killed it recover 1 HP.
Sap: The next action the target takes is with Disadvantage.
Shred: Target takes +1 damage from all sources until the
start of your next turn.

35
Damage
2 Damage 4-6

AOE Blast

1-3 4-6

3 Damage 1-3

Control
Shred 4-6

Lock Sap

1-3 4-6

Prime 1-3
36
A stranger rode
into town, cursed
iron at their side…
 R ifts
The game play loop of Drifters centers around the Rift,
breaks between our world and the hellish void beyond.
When that happens, Drifters and their Guns are compelled
to pursue them.

For the Drifters, there is a problem that needs solving when

they arrive. For the Guns...it’s a call from home.

A Rift is made of four parts:

1. Arrival in town, and discovery of the Presence

2. Patrol work to help the town and weaken the Presence
3. Confront the Presence
4. Wander into the wastes, off to find the next settlement

39
Arrival
Each town is unique, and stands as an oasis within the
swirling wastes. The locals will respond differently to the
Drifters depending on a lot of factors. How corrupted they
are or the reputation they hold, these form the first
impression upon arrival, and first impressions are powerful.

But these towns aren’t idyllic vacation spots for the Drifters.
Inside each town, the void has left a Presence.

The Presence
The Presence is an issue that plagues the town, and
provides a massive threat that the locals alone cannot
handle. When the void breaks through into our world near,
or even inside, a town, it leaves behind a corrupting
influence. Below are some examples of a Presence, some
subtle, some overt:

• The dreams of a local group of outlaws scratch at their

minds, compelling them to take over a nearby settlement.

• A Rift in town is leaking void into someone’s home. They

feel a calling, and a new cult has started to spread like
wildfire.

• A horrible monster, the likes of which locals have never

seen, is hunting the people in this town.

• Rumors of a Gun being hidden somewhere in town is

making some locals paranoid, and others power hungry.

40
 Whenever the Drifters have a sense of what is going on,
even if it isn’t the full picture, it’s time to make the clock. The
GM creates a clock that represents the hold the Presence
has on the town.The more segments to the clock, the bigger
the issue is.

The Presence should be extremely difficult, or dangerous,

for the Drifters to take on without some preparation. A
smaller 4-segment clock lets the Drifters know they just
need a little preparation before they are ready, while a 10 or
12-segment clock says this town is in desperate need of
help, and the Drifters best tread lightly.

Voidlight has bled into the food of the

livestock.You’ve got some really mean
bulls to deal with.

Folks have been disappearing, only to

walk into town from the wastes. They
have a new look about them. This town
is rotting at its core…burn it out.

In order to take on the Presence, the Drifters will want to fill

in as much of the clock as they can. To do that, they’re going
to have to start small, with Patrols.

41
Patrols
Patrol work encompasses all of the smaller jobs that are
needed around town. Finishing a Patrol should in some way
help the Drifters in their eventual confrontation with the
Presence.

When creating Patrols for a town, the GM should come up

with 2-3. Patrols do not have a specific format they must
follow. They can take many forms, so long as they are
related to the Presence in some way.

Some Patrols might directly attack the Presence.

• Destroying their resources

• Eliminating powerful allies of the Presence
• Dismantling systems they rely on

Other Patrols provide benefits to the Drifters, so they are

stronger for their confrontation with the Presence.

• Rescuing or recruiting powerful allies to your side

• Stealing a useful resource or weapon the Presence is
vulnerable to
• Gaining access to invaluable intel on the Presence

There is no clear line that distinguishes these two types of

Patrols, and you may find yourself designing some that have
a bit of both, or are their own thing entirely.

Patrols may develop naturally over the course of play as

well. Certain Drifters may inspire ideas for Patrols based on
their abilities, for example. There is no limit to the number
of Patrols a town can have, and the Drifters and GM should
continue to create them over the course of play if the
Drifters are interested in this particular town.

42
 Creating Patrols
Every Patrol you create has three pieces: a description,
objective, and impact. The description should cover who is
involved, where it takes place, what the Drifters need to
know about it. Second, take those details and create a clear
objective for the Patrol.

Each Patrol should have a specific number of segments of

the Presence clock that are filled if it is completed, called
the impact. Patrols that fill more segments are typically
more difficult and require more effort and time on the
Drifters’ part.

Here is an example Patrol:

Free the Sheriff

Carrie Hatfield is the local sheriff. She has loyal deputies
that haven’t been imprisoned yet and are in hiding. They
would love to break her out, as Carrie would be able to help
lead the town, and is a hell of a shot to boot.
Objective: Free Carrie Hatfield from her prison.
Impact: 3 segments.

43
Resolving & Threatening
When a Patrol is completed, fill in clock segments for the
Presence equal to the Patrol’s Impact. The Presence will
respond to this threat, and the impact the Drifters have
made should become readily apparent around town.

The Presence will not sit idly by while the Drifters threaten
it with their work around town. As Drifters focus on one
Patrol, they neglect the others.

After the Drifters complete a Patrol, the GM chooses one

Patrol to reduce its impact by 1.This shows the ever-present
influence of the Presence, and that the Drifters will need to
choose who they help wisely. If a Patrol would ever be
reduced to 0 impact, it is no longer an opportunity for the
Drifters.
Confronting The Presence
The Drifters may decide to take on the Presence at any time.
The difficulty of that task is directly related to how many
segments of the clock are filled in. If there are none, or just
a couple segments filled, the Presence still has most of its
power, and the Drifters walk a dangerous and deadly path.

As more segments get filled in, the final confrontation with

the Presence should be an easier endeavor for the Drifters.
If all of the segments are filled, the Presence is in such a
vulnerable state, that the Drifters should be able to handle
it without breaking a sweat.

You can decide how a Presence will be easier or more

difficult ahead of time, based on the number of segments
that are filled. This may be a useful way for the GM and the
Drifters to track their progress, and gives clear advantages
to the players for doing Patrol work.

Presence:The Warlord Mathis

A local outlaw by the name of Arthur Mathis has used his
gang to take over Grayslanding. Normally bandits aren’t
this brazen, but this one has been corrupted by the wastes
and been given power. Commanding a large group of
bandits, he quickly took over Grayslanding, killing the
mayor and imprisoning the sheriff. Mathis has to be dealt
with, not only to save the people of town, but to protect other
caravans on their way here.

4 Segments: The fortress isn’t as closed

off as Mathis thought.

6 Segments: Many of Mathis’ gang have

abandoned him. It’s just him and his
closest allies left.
In this example, once 4 of the Presence’s 8 segments are
filled, Mathis’ fortress will have a vulnerability the Drifters
can take advantage of. If they try to take on the Presence
before then, the fortress is sealed up tight and will be
difficult to breach.

This approach is helpful for GMs that prefer prepping their

sessions, but it isn't’ for everyone. The advantages you’ve
selected for certain segments being filled might not make
sense based on what the Drifters have been doing. In the
above example, if the Drifters haven’t been doing any Patrol
work related to the fortress, the GM might struggle to
explain why the fortress is suddenly vulnerable.

Whether you pre-plan the segments, or make them up as

you go, is something you’ll discover as you play together.

Alternative: Patrol Finale

An alternative rule for dealing with the Presence is to have
it removed entirely when the segments of the clock are
filled. This type of play focuses more so on the ground level
work the Drifters can do in helping and restoring the town,
rather than a dangerous confrontation with a powerful force
at the end.

The Presence has compelled a warlord to make his way into

town and take over. The Drifters have worked on a number of
Patrols that included arming the populace, removing key
officers in the warlord’s regime, and freeing the local sheriff
from prison. These events are enough to crumble the
warlord’s grip on the town. The GM might describe the
warlord fleeing with their few remaining loyal soldiers, and
the town cautiously stepping back into their freedom.
 The wastes call.
Not to you, but
the iron hanging
on your hip.
 Wander
No matter how things are resolved with the Presence, the
Guns of the Drifters compel them to return to the wastes, to
carry on. The cursed iron is not happy to be used against
the machinations of the void.

At the end of a Rift, the Drifters wander back out into the
wastes. Despite its danger, this is a period of reflection for
the players. During this time, the Drifters do the following:

First, they advance.

Then, write down a new thought or whisper their Gun

shares with its wielder.

Finally, reflect on the latest Drift by answering at least one

of the following questions aloud:

• What about that last town has changed you. For the
better, or worse?
• How would you have done things differently, if you had a
second chance?
• There was a moment of danger, you walked a line
whether or not others noticed.What was it?
• How has your attitude about one of your fellow Drifters
changed because of what went down in the last town?
• How has your relationship with your Gun changed as a
result of dealing with another Rift of the void?
• What do you think the next town will hold for you?

After answering the questions, the Rift begins again. The

Drifters will wander into another town with a Presence, and
begin their work again.

48
 Alternate Ways To Rift
Drifters is designed for cycles of play based on the Rift.
Each Rift will vary in length, but typically they can be
completed in about 2 sessions. Here are two alternative
ways to play Drifters, adapting the Rift system for faster or
slower play.

Rift A Day
A Rift cycle can be completed in a single session, allowing
you to play Drifters as a one-shot, or just faster paced game
if you want.Very few things need to be changed in order to
do this.

The important thing is to make sure the Presence does not

have a lot of segments in its clock, and that completing 1 or
2 Patrols is enough for the Drifters to feel ready for the final
confrontation. This mimics more of an investigative
approach to playing Drifters, where the players need to
uncover some vital piece of information or find a necessary
tool to take on the problem, as opposed to overthrowing a
massive system of oppression that has blanketed a town.

If you are playing Drifters as a one shot, I recommend every

character starting with 4 runes in their Gun, and three
abilities unlocked for their background.

49
Single Rift Campaign
Another approach is to play out an entire campaign of
Drifters focused on a singular Presence from a Rift. This
approach is fitting for tables that like to tell a longer story
together at the table, and prefer staying at a single location
when doing so. This allows the players to build connections
with the NPCs of the town, and allows for the confrontation
with the Presence to be a more drawn out and dangerous
process.

If using this approach, I recommend a couple of changes to

the Rift cycle. First, create a small clock for discovering the
Presence in the first place. This allows the players to
explore the setting of the town a bit. Fill in segments as they
meet NPCs and uncover clues as to what is going on,
instead of needing to complete Patrols.

Once the Presence is revealed, I recommend using a multi-

clock approach to taking it down. Instead of a singular clock
with lots of segments, representing the Presence with a
series of clocks that the Drifters can focus on helps
demonstrate the scale of the issue.

For example, you might have clocks that represent the

Presence’s resources, secrecy, and influence. Patrols can be
designed to attack one or more of these clocks. Imagine
taking on a Presence that has lost its influence, but still
remains secret with lots of resources. That would be very
different than taking on a Presence with no more resources,
but remains desperately secretive and influential!

One last change with this approach is dealing with

Advancement. Drifters advancing their characters every
1-2 sessions will allow you to play out a campaign that will
last between 4-8 sessions.

50
 Rift Creation Tools
The following tables can be used to generate some
elements of a Rift that you might need. They won’t give you
the full details, but a framework that you can build on when
you aren’t sure what to do.

You’ll also find 5 short Rift prompts that you can use to
inspire your next session of Drifters!

Presence Type
1 A storm is coming, unlike any folks have seen before.
2 A rogue Drifter has been causing all kinds of trouble.
A cult is slowly spreading its influence, and the town doesn’t
3 realize it yet.
4 A hostile takeover from local outlaws.
5 Locals need protection during travels through the wastes.
6 A creature from the wastes is hunting this town...

Town Type
1 Just a homestead or a couple of families living together.
2 One road town. Everyone knows everyone.
Ranching town or commune. Families live outside of town, off
3 the main road.
4 Frontier town. Multiple roads, all the amenities.
5 Boom town. On the cusp of becoming something really big.
6 Sprawling frontier city, unlike anything for miles and miles.

Patrol Type
1 Discover information the Presence wants to keep hidden.
2 Recover something that will leave the Presence vulnerable.
3 Gain the support of the locals.
4 Eliminate one of the Presence’s support systems or allies.
5 Save someone or something that is in great danger.
6 Make the Presence fear you.

51
The Void Calls
A quiet town sees its citizens begin to slowly change with
time. At first, folks start acting differently, but nothing too
worrying. Before long, one person after another unravels. A
small Rift has opened up inside a home in town, and a cult is
forming around it.What does the cult want?

Last Train to Hell

A train pulled up into town, without a single passenger
aboard it. The only person on board is the conductor, who
keeps checking their watch, saying it’s almost time to
depart. Folks don’t realize that void-warped creatures are
drawn to the train, and will board it soon, after destroying
the town of course.

New Law, Same As The Old Law

A new sheriff in town has folks worried. They have a funny
way of interpreting the law, and every sentence is carried
out with the gun that never leaves their hand. Nobody is
sure what happened to the new sheriff, and nobody is
willing to ask the new one.

High Noon
A gunslinger in town has been “blessed” by the void, and
has the fastest gun in the wastes. Because of that, they
challenge a new person to a duel, at high noon. They are
getting faster, and deadlier, with each duel they win. There
must be some way of defeating them.

“Cure” All
A peddler has arrived in town, and the townsfolk have
started to...change. The thing is, nobody seems upset about
it. Everyone is smitten by the salesman, and that harmonica
playing assistant they have with them. Maybe it’s not your
place to question things, but your Gun is itching your side,
and you know the taint of void when you see it.

52
Threats
Drifters have Guns
for a reason…

53
 There are dangerous people in the towns Drifters travel to,
and even worse, horrifying things that have crept in from
the wastes. Here’s one now.

Deadeye
Armed with a long range rifle, Deadeyes are hired
out when someone wants a thing protected, or a
person killed.

Health: 4
Draw: 6

Painted (P): As long as Deadeye can see a Drifter,

any other threat attacking that Drifter makes their
actions with Advantage.
Actions (1) + Move
• Headshot: 1d4. Far. 4 damage per Hit.
• Ricochet: 1d6. Near & Far. 1 damage per Hit to
target Drifter, and then 1 damage to a Drifter
Close to them.
• Drop ‘Em: 1d8. Near & Far. 2 damage per Hit.
Reposition (R): If a Drifter moves within Near of
Deadeye, Deadeye may immediately make a move
action away from them.

Health
The amount of damage a threat can take. When a threat
reaches 0 Health, they are dead.

Draw
Unlike Drifters, threats do not roll to determine their place
in the turn order. Instead, they each have a set Draw value.

55
Passives
Some threats have ongoing effects, called Passives, marked
with a (P). These don’t need to be activated, but instead are
always present, or present when certain conditions are met.

Example: Painted: As long as Deadeye can see a Drifter, any

other threat attacking that Drifter makes their actions with
Advantage.

Actions
Threats may make a number of actions per turn equal to the
number in the parentheses listed next to Actions. They may
also make one move action, which does not count towards
their number of allowed actions. Threats may take the same
action multiple times during their turn.

Each threat has unique actions. Some actions don’t require

a roll. If they do, the dice used will be the first thing listed,
and the Rule of 4+ always applies: rolls of 4+ are a Hit.
Required distance for actions is also included if needed.

Example: Drop ‘Em: 1d8. Near & Far. 2 damage per Hit.

Reactions
A threat may also have one or more Reactions available to
them. These are actions that they can take outside of their
turn, though a threat may only use one reaction during a
round.

Example: Reposition: If a Drifter moves within Near of

Deadeye, Deadeye may immediately make a move action
away from them.

Skills
Threats don’t have skills, and don’t normally roll them. But
on the rare chance that it feels appropriate for a threat to
make a skill action, they use a d6.
56
 Creating Threats
You’ll find a number of threats following this section. But
you’ll probably want to start making your own threats too!
Consider the following when making a threat.

Start by deciding their Health and Draw. Most simple

threats will have low Health (1-3) and Draw (2-3). More
dangerous threats have more Health (5-7) and faster Draw
(5-6). The average Drifter is going to have a Drifter of about
4-5, so decide where you want this threat to go in the turn
order.

Avoid giving threats absurdly high Health (e.g. more than

20), as that just draws out combat unnecessarily long.
Instead, make the fight more dangerous by including
multiple threats at once, to keep the Drifters distracted and
unable to attack the “boss” threat all at once.

A 12 Health threat with a lot of minions is much more

interesting to fight than a single threat with 50 Health.

57
Deciding how many Actions to give a threat has a large
impact on how much of a threat they are. Simple threats
typically can do a single action during their turn. More
dangerous threats should be able to do 2 or even 3 actions
per turn.

For all threats, it is recommended to give them at least two

actions to choose from, so that they are not simply repeating
the same thing every time it is their turn.

Passive effects can help keep the “action economy” of a

fight interesting, as they provide an ongoing benefit for
threats without having to use up their turn. Use them
sparingly, however, as it may be overwhelming to track
multiple ongoing passives across a larger fight.

Reactions are a useful tool for making a threat feel more

dangerous for two reasons. First, it allows them to act
outside of their turn, giving the threat more influence
during the fight. Second, it introduces an unexpected action
from the threat to the fight, and will push the Drifters to
change up their tactics.

58
 Badge
Lawmen with a badge burned into
their chest. Everyone they lay
eyes on is a criminal, and they
mean to lay down the law.
Health: 7
Draw: 6
Lock Up (P): Any Drifter that is
within Close range of Badge
cannot move away until Badge is
dead.
Actions (2) + Move
• Deputize: 1d4. Close. On Hit,
target Drifter sees Badge as
an ally, and cannot take any
actions against it for the rest of
combat.
• Draw Iron: 2d6. Close & Near.
1 damage per Hit.
• Gather Posse: 1d6. On Hit, all
Threats within Near of Badge
have advantage on their next
action.
• Declare Bounty: 1d4. Near &
Far. On Hit, target Drifter is
marked as wanted. All actions
against them deal +1 damage
until Badge is dead.
Brambler
Seems the void saw it fitting to
turn even the simple tumbleweed
into a tiny ball of fury and death.
Great, just great.
Health: 2
Draw: 4
Special: Brambler makes no
Actions. Instead, it makes 2 Moves
during its turn.
Hit & Run (P):Whenever Brambler
moves Close to a Drifter, it deals 1
damage.
Actions (0) + Move
59
Brawler
They don’t scare easily, and they
prefer to let their fists do the
talking.
Health: 3
Draw: 4
Iron Jaw (P): Brawler takes -1
damage from anything at Close
range.
Actions (1) + Move
• 1-2 Combo: 2d6. Close. 1
damage per hit.
• Out the Window: 1d8. Close.
On Hit, the target is moved to
Near, taking 1 damage. They
take 2 damage if they hit a
wall or other obstacle.
Conductor
In charge of a spectral train
nobody can see, these void-
touched individuals have a one
way ticket to hell with your name
on it.
Health: 4
Draw: 2
All Aboard (P):When Conductor
Moves, it may bring any Close
Threats along with it.
Actions (1) + Move
• Tickets Please: 1d6. Close. 1
damage per Hit. +2 damage if
against a Drifter lower in the
turn order than Conductor.
• Schedule Change: 1d8. All
ranges. On Hit, switch the turn
order position of any two
characters (Threats and
Drifters).
Corvid Envoy
They claim to be members of a
“court”, but are pretty darn
secretive about it. I swear, one of
them had feathers coming out of
the bottom of their coat.
Health: 3
Draw: 6
Take Flight (P):When Corvid
makes a Move action, it can move
anywhere within Far range.
Actions (1) + Move
• Jabber: 1d6. Close & Near. On
Hit, all Drifters within range
make their next action with
Disadvantage.
• Caw: 1d8. Near. On Hit, all
Drifters within range cannot
Move during their next turn.
• Flock: 2d6. Close. 2 damage
per Hit.
I see you…
Deadeye
Armed with a long range rifle,
Deadeyes are hired out when
someone wants a thing protected,
or a person killed.
Health: 4
Draw: 6
Painted (P): As long as Deadeye
can see a Drifter, any other threat
attacking that Drifter makes their
actions with Advantage.
Actions (1) + Move
• Headshot: 1d4. Far. 4 damage
per Hit.
• Ricochet: 1d6. Near & Far. 1
damage per Hit to target
Drifter, and then 1 damage to
a Drifter Close to them.
• Drop ‘Em: 1d8. Near & Far. 2
damage per Hit.
Reposition (R): If a Drifter moves
within Near of Deadeye, Deadeye
may immediately make a move
action away from them.
 Emissary of the Void
Most folks would call them cultists,
but these people believe that they
are chosen by the void, and are
ushering in its presence to bless
this frontier. It’s all a load of shit,
we hope.
Health: 3
Draw: 3
Family (P): As long as another
Emissary is within Close range, all
actions Emissary makes are with
Advantage.
Actions (1) + Move
• Return Home: 1d6. Close. On
Hit, target Drifter disappears
from the world until the end of
Emissary’s next turn. On return,
the Drifter takes 1 damage for
each corruption they have.
• Void Bleed: 2d6. Near. 1
damage per Hit.
Gallows
Hefting a rope glowing with void
light, these thugs lumber towards
their prey; a slow, inevitable
death.
Health: 4
Draw: 1
Short Drop (P): If Gallows ever
Moves Close to a Drifter, that
Drifter is instantly killed. Gallows
is then destroyed.
Creeping (P): Gallows cannot
make a Move action during its
turn. It may only move as a result
of its reaction.
Actions (1)
• Hold Fast: 1d6. All ranges. On
Hit, target Drifter cannot Move
during their next turn.
Inevitable (R):When Gallows
takes damage and survives, it may
make a Move action.
61
Gambler
Somehow these folks got lucky
when the void changed them, and
now they seem to twist fate to
whatever best fits them.
Health: 4
Draw: 5
Read ‘Em (P): Drifters lower in the
turn order than Gambler make
any rolls against Gambler at
Disadvantage.
Actions (1) + Move
• Shuffle: 1d6. Close. On Hit,
target Drifter rerolls their Draw
die with Disadvantage and
updates their place in the turn
order.
• Hold ‘Em: 1d6. Close. On Hit,
target Drifter cannot move
during their next turn.
• Fold ‘Em: 2d6. Close. All Drifters
within range take 1 damage per
Hit.during their next turn.
Gila Monster
These lizards were mean before,
but now they are huge, and
downright cruel.When you see
one, know that there is another
not too far away.
Health: 3
Draw: 4
Gum Gum (P):When Gila
Monster takes Actions against a
Drifter lower in the turn order, it
makes its actions with
Advantage.
Actions (1) + Move
• Tail Whip: 1d8. Close & Near. 2
damage per Hit.
• Toxic Bite: 1d6. Close. Drifter
takes 1 damage at the start of
each of their turns until Gila
Monster is dead.
Gunslinger
Most folks would call them cultists, but these people believe that they are
chosen by the void, and are ushering in its presence to bless this frontier.
It’s all a load of shit, we hope.
Health: 3
Draw: 7
Quickdraw (P): Gunslinger has Advantage on any actions against Drifters
with lower Speed scores.
Actions (1) + Move
• Sling: 1d10. Any range. 2 damage.
• Fan Hammer: 3d6. Close & Near. 1 damage per Hit. Can choose
multiple targets.

Hunter Outlaw
These folks are fool enough to try As if the wastes aren’t dangerous
and live out in the wastes, enough, some folks feel like they
trapping and hunting their food. If need to rob and steal what little
they can hunt the beasts out there, we have. Despicable.
they can hunt you.
Health: 1
Health: 2
Draw: 3
Draw: 5
Actions (1) + Move
Actions (1) + Move
• Revolver Shot: 1d6, Mid, 1
• Draw, Aim, Fire: 1d6, Mid & Far, damage.
1 damage. On a Hit, the Drifter
is poisoned, taking 1 damage at
the start of their next turn. Outlaw Veteran
Outlaws don’t last long, what with
Spring Trap (R):When a Drifter the wastes and Drifters killing
moves within Near range of them. The smart ones know when
Hunter, they step on one of to run. Live today, and die another
Hunter’s traps. Choose effect: day.
• 1 damage Health: 2
• Drifter’s next Sling Lead is Draw: 4
made with Disadvantage
Actions (1) + Move
• Revolver Shot: 1d8, Close & Mid,
1 damage.
• Shotgun Blast: 1d6, Close, 2
damage.

62
 Rogue Drifter
It’s a damn shame, but some Drifters change after so many resurrections.
Those that do go rogue, and wander into town with cruelty in their hearts,
and an itchy trigger finger.
Health: 10
Draw: 6
One Last Chance (P):When Rogue Drifter dies, they are resurrected by
their Gun, back to half Health. This can only happen once per fight.
Actions (2) + Move
• Blinding Shot: 1d8. Near. 1 damage. On Hit, target Drifter takes their
next Sling Lead action with Disadvantage.
• Bleeding Shot: 1d6. Close & Near. 1 damage. On Hit, target Drifter
loses 1 Health at the end of each of their turns until they have a
successful Tinker roll, or die.
• Spray & Pray: 1d4. Near. On Hit, 1 damage to all Drifters within range.
Opportunist (R):When a Drifter within Near range uses the Reload
action, Rogue Drifter can immediately Spray & Pray.

Scythe
Bearing a lantern glowing with void light, a wicked blade that could rend
the very air itself. Scythes are creatures of the void here to hunt and
harvest us. Nobody knows why.
Health: 7
Draw: 4
Soul Reaver (P): Increase Health, Draw and damage dealt +1 for each
soul held. There is no limit to the number of souls Scythe can hold.
Actions (1) + Move
• Slice & Dice: 1d6. Close. All Drifters within range take 1 damage.
• Soul Sear: Xd6 (X is number of held souls). Close & Near. Choose one
effect for each Hit:
• 1 damage to target Drifter
• Target Drifter makes next turn with Disadvantage
• All Threats within range heal 1 Health
Reap (R):When a Threat dies within Close or Near of Scythe, Scythe may
hold their soul.

63
A raspy whisper.
A cold wind.
Your soul,
no longer yours.
 Snake
Every once in a while it’s not
snakeoil they are pitching, but the
real deal. And sometimes, it’s a
literal snake peddling its wares.
Health: 3
Draw: 2
Cure All (P): At the start of Snake’s
turn, choose one passive effect.
They cannot have the same effect
two turns in a row:
• -1 damage taken
• +1 damage dealt
• Can move twice
Actions (1) + Move
• Vim: 1d8. Close & Near. On Hit,
the target fellow threat makes
an extra action on their next
turn.
• Vigor: 1d6. Close. 2 damage.
• Snake Bite: 1d6. Close & Near.
On Hit, target Drifter and
anyone Close to them takes 1
damage.
Spinner
Seems the void saw our spiders
and thought it was fitting to grow
them 100 times bigger, and give
them powers. Just the latest
experiment the void has
conducted, and it’s a doozy.
Health: 8
Draw: 6
Climber (P): Spinner can make
two Move actions during its turn.
Actions (2) + Move
• Web: 1d8. Close & Near. On Hit,
target Drifter is bound up, and
cannot Move. Any Drifter may
spend an action to remove the
effect.
• Phase Bite: 2d6. Close. After
making a Move action, deals 2
damage per Hit.
• Void Glare: 1d6. Close. On Hit,
target Drifter takes 1 damage
for each corruption they have.

Steel Siren
A haunted harmonica that latches onto a body, like a parasite. Eventually
it drains them dry, and moves on to their next victim.
Health: 6
Draw: 3
Small Target (P): All Sling Lead actions against Steel Siren are made with
Disadvantage.
Actions (1) + Move
• Resurrect: 1d6. All ranges. On Hit, Steel Siren brings a Threat that died
this round back to life, at half Health (rounded down).
• Pull Strings: 1d8. All ranges. On Hit, Steel Siren forces the target Drifter
to make a Move action in whatever direction it wants.
• Unsettle: 1d6. Close & Near. On Hit, all characters (Threats & Drifters)
make their actions with Disadvantage until the end of the round.

65
Vlad
A motherfucking dracula.
Health: 8
Draw: 7
Siphon (P):Whenever Vlad first
moves Close to a Drifter, it drains
1 Health from them.
Actions (2) + Move
• Slay: 2d8. Close. 1 damage per
Hit.
• Compel: 1d4. Any range. On Hit,
target Threat takes a second
turn this round.
Bat! (R): The first time Vlad takes
damage in a round, it is reduced
to 0 and Vlad makes a Move.
Voidborn
When a person dies near a Rift,
the void may repurpose the body
as an explosive emissary on its
behalf. Don’t let them get near
you.
Health: 2
Draw: 2
Actions (1) + Move
• Detonate: 1d8. Close. 4 damage
to all characters within Close
range (Threats & Drifters).
• Lunge: Make another Move
action.
Resilient (R): If Reborn takes
damage and survives, they may
make an immediate Move action.
Vulture
These birds used to wait for
something to die before trying to
get their meal. Now they actively
attack anyone they fly across.
Health: 2
Draw: 4
Carrion Call (P):Vulture rolls with
Advantage for all actions against
Drifters that have a corruption.
Actions (1) + Move
• Peck: 1d6. Close. 2 damage per
Hit.
• Lift Off: 1d4. Close. Lift target
Drifter into the air and make a
free Move action. Drifter is
dropped after the Move action,
and takes 2 damage.
Fast Food (R): If a Threat dies at
Close range to Vulture, it may eat
its corpse immediately, regaining
2 Health.
Wolf
An animal doesn’t need to be
warped by the void in order to be
dangerous.Wolves continue to be
a terrifying threat when someone
gets lost out in the wastes.
Health: 1
Draw: 5
Actions (2) + Move
• Chomp: 1d8, Close, 1 damage.
• Take Down: 1d4, Close. On a Hit,
Drifter is dragged to the ground
and must use a Brawl skill to
escape, or have someone else
deal with the wolf.
66
GM Game Master.
You give the
Guns a target.
They like you.
67
So, you got wrangled up to be the GM of Drifters? Well
you’re in for a treat. You get to be the weird whispering
wastes the Drifters travel through. The troubled townsfolk
who need the help of these cursed gunslingers, but aren’t
sure how to ask. The cruel humans and twisted monsters
that plague this frontier.

Sound good? Excellent. Here’s some advice.

The Frontier
Like I said in the beginning, Drifters takes place in a hellish
version of the wild west. But it isn’t America’s frontier. This
isn’t an alternative timeline. You may find that looking at
wild west stories, movies, tropes, and more are helpful in
flavoring your games. But keep in mind the harm that is
perpetuated by a lot of that media, and be mindful not to
bring it to your table.

There is no canonical version of the Frontier. I’ve given

some ideas of what it looks like in my head throughout this
book. But I’m not your dad; you don’t have to use any of that.

Each town is an oasis, and it's only natural your Drifters will
wander into a town nobody else will find. Make it your own.
Balance
Like Slayers, Drifters is not designed with balance in mind.
The Drifters themselves are incredibly powerful beings,
who can come back from the dead (at least a couple times).
Threats of the world are used to bullying the defenseless,
but they don’t stand much of a chance when a group of
cursed gunslingers walk into town.

So I have no advice for creating balanced encounters.

Because nobody in the Frontier fights fair. The Drifters will
probably lay waste to most things you put in front of them,
and that’s good! That’s their Guns living out their purpose.

And you better believe the threats fight dirty, so feel free to
make the Drifters question their immortality from time to
time. Do they have the resurrections to spare? Is this town
worth the fight?
 Flow Of Combat
By using static Draw speeds for threats, establishing and
running the turn order should be a quick process. Similar
threats all act during the same turn, and so as the GM you
know when you’ll be making your moves.

Combat in Drifters moves quickly, on an individual turn

level. Each threat is usually just moving and making a single
action. Drifters are a bit more involved, but still only have a
limited selection of actions they can choose from.

Because different Gun classes behave differently, it is

important for the players to be extra comfortable with how
their class works. You have enough to keep track of during
a fight, let them be responsible for their own rules.

Keeping track of relative distances can be challenging

when you have a complex setting for a fight, or when there
are a lot of people involved. While it isn’t required, a quick
sketch with lines and boxes to show a basic shape of the
combat space can help a lot. This can help Drifters plan out
their upcoming turn, because they won’t need to check who
is within range, or that they have eyes on.

Making The Rift

There are two schools of thought when making the Rift for
your upcoming session. One approach is to prepare the
entire thing, or most of it at least. That includes deciding
what the Presence is, most of the Patrols that would be
available, as well as a list of NPCs, locations, and threats that
might come up.

This approach is great if you are the type of GM who loves

to do that sort of prep ahead of time, and if your players
enjoy the freedom of just sitting down to play right away.

71
The other approach is to make the Rift together, and have it
emerge through play. It helps to have a sense of what the
town the Drifters are arriving at is like, and what the
Presence is. But from there, it is up to the players to discover
opportunities (e.g. Patrols, NPCs of note) through
interacting with and exploring the town.

Every background has an ability that triggers when a

Drifter arrives in town. This can be a great way to establish
elements of the Rift together. You might also just ask your
players what kinds of leads or opportunities they want to
find in town, and just let them be Patrols.

If the players have expressed interest in it, then you should

incorporate it somehow!

Session 0
Having a Session 0 is an important opportunity to establish
tone and expectations when you play Drifters. Here are
some things to consider discussing before you just jump
into play:

• What safety tools will you use? USE THEM!

• What pace do you want to overcome Rifts? Do you want

to finish one every session, or do you want to spend an
entire campaign on a single Rifts?

• What do the wastes look like?

• To what degree do you want to incorporate the

supernatural or fantastical in your game? Are the
Drifters the only supernatural beings, or are their
monsters and other such things that have crawled in
from the wastes?

72
Grayslanding
Welcome
Grayslanding is a decently populated town, centrally
located in the wastes, if you could track such things. It is a
popular stopping point for caravans making treks across
that dangerous hellscape. The Drifters find themselves
escorting one such caravan into Grayslanding, a common
job that Drifters take as they wander from one town to the
next.

As the caravan approaches town, armed guards on

horseback ride out to stop it. They claim that Grayslanding
is under new “ownership”, and that all caravans and
passengers require inspection. Grayslanding is in trouble.

This port in the storm is experiencing a hurricane.

Presence:The Warlord Mathis

A local outlaw by the name of Arthur Mathis has used his
gang to take over Grayslanding. Normally bandits aren’t
this brazen, but this one has been corrupted by the wastes
and been given power. Commanding a large group of
bandits, he quickly took over Grayslanding, killing the
mayor and imprisoning the sheriff. Mathis has to be dealt
with, not only to save the people of town, but to protect other
caravans on their way here.

4 Segments: The fortress isn’t as closed

off as Mathis thought.

6 Segments: Many of Mathis’ gang have

abandoned him. It’s just him and his
closest allies left.
74
 Patrols
Free the Sheriff
Carrie Hatfield is the local sheriff. She has loyal deputies
that haven’t been imprisoned yet and are in hiding. They
would love to break her out, as Carrie would be able to help
lead the town, and is a hell of a shot to boot.
Objective: Free Carrie Hatfield from her prison.
Impact: 3 segments.

Rearm Grayslanding
If the Drifters can get their hands on the weapons that have
been confiscated, and redistribute them, they can get the
populace to help with overthrowing Mathis.
Objective: Grab the guns, give ‘em out.
Impact: 1 segment.

Eliminate Mathis’ Lieutenants

Mathis has two right hand men that he trusts, and has given
them control of two districts of town. Eliminating them will
leave Mathis vulnerable, as well as demonstrate he doesn’t
control the town as strongly as he believes.
Objective: Kill Levy and Roberson.
Impact: 2 segments (1 each).

The people of Grayslanding are in desperate need. The

Drifters are sure to find leads on more Patrols as they meet
with the town, and see the extent of Mathis’ harm.

75
Notable NPCs
Eugene Avery: Caravan leader who has made the journey
through Grayslanding a number of times. Loyal customer of
the Sunny Skies Saloon.
Carrie Hatfield: Sheriff of Grayslanding. Has deputies that
are in hiding (Wallace and Benjamin) that would try to free
her if they knew Drifters were in town.
Sam Cunningham: Proprietor of Sunny Skies Saloon.
Doesn’t want no trouble.
Arthur Mathis: A self-proclaimed bandit warlord.
Something corrupted him out in the wastes, giving him
terrible power.
Levy & Roberson: Lieutenants of Mathis.

Notable Locations
Mathis’ Keep: transformed the mayor’s home into a
miniature fortress. Barbed walls surround the place, and
lookout posts make sure that Mathis is difficult to surprise.
The Jail: the town’s jail is still being used for its original
purpose, but now the sheriff is a prisoner instead of running
the place.
Caravan Corner: a neighborhood of the town that is host to
all the caravans passing through.
Dusk Street: a neighborhood that Levy has turned into their
personal hunting grounds. At night Levy goes hunting for an
unfortunate town member who has been selected to be the
prey.
Downtown: the financial heart of Grayslanding, location of
most of the places of business that aren’t in Caravan Corner,
and run by Roberson. They have turned the Sunny Skies
Saloon into their pleasure palace.

76
 Levy
An exceptional hunter that has
pointed their talents at the
population of Grayslanding.
Mathis relies on them to keep the
population afraid.
Health: 5
Draw: 5
Sixth Sense (P): Sling Lead actions
from Drifters higher in the Turn
Order than Levy are at
Disadvantage.
Actions (2) + Move
• Draw, Aim, Fire: 1d6, Mid & Far,
1 damage. On a Hit, the Drifter
is poisoned, taking 1 damage at
the start of their next turn.
• Headshot: 1d4. Far. 4 damage
per Hit.
Spring Trap (R):When a Drifter
moves within Near range of Levy,
they step on one of Levy’s traps.
Choose effect:
• 2 damage
• Drifter’s next Sling Lead is
made with Disadvantage
Roberson
There isn’t a vice in life that
Roberson doesn’t love. They have
amassed a following of their own,
providing Mathis with an army.
Health: 4
Draw: 4
Purchased Protection (P): As long
as Roberson is Close to an Outlaw,
they take 1 fewer damage from all
actions.
Actions (1) + Move
• Gilded Revolver: 1d8, Mid, 2
damage.
Reinforcements (R):When
Roberson takes damage, roll 1d4
to call on more reinforcements to
fight the Drifters.
• 1: One Outlaw arrives
• 2-3: Two Outlaws arrive
• 4: One Outlaw and one Outlaw
Veteran arrive

Arthur Mathis
An exceptionally cruel outlaw. He was already a son of a bitch before,
and now the void has granted him power. If unchecked, he’ll expand
beyond Grayslanding.
Health: 10
Draw: 6
Shielded by the Void (P): All Sling Lead actions against Mathis only do
their base damage, and have none of their special effects.
Actions (3) + Move
• Shotgun Blast: 1d10, Close & Mid, 2 damage per Hit.
• Punch & Toss: 1d8, Close, 1 damage. Drifter is thrown 1 range band
away from Arthur, taking 1 damage if they hit something.
• Void Rage: Arthur is temporarily protected by the wastes, taking 1
fewer damage from all sources until his next turn. At the start of the
next turn, he takes 1 damage.

77
 Runic Revolver
1 Runes
6 2 1 4
5 3 2 5
4
3 6
Combat Actions Runes
Sling Lead Adaptable Quick Draw
Reload Barrier Reaper
Take Cover Deadeye Seeker
Skill Lucky Speedster
Whispers from your Gun…

Rifle
Spot Effects
Hone • The next Sling Lead from any
Drifter against them is made with
Crit Effects Advantage.
+2 Damage
• The enemy is a bullet magnet,
and can be shot by any Gun
Ricochet
regardless of range or vision until
the start of your next turn.
Suppressing Fire
• The enemy permanently loses -1
Combat Actions Draw. Update the Turn Order
Sling Lead Spot after doing so.
Take Cover Skill

Whispers from your Gun…

 Shotgun
Damage
2 Damage 4-6

AOE Blast

1-3 4-6

3 Damage 1-3

Control
Shred 4-6

Lock Sap

1-3 4-6

Prime 1-3

Sling Lead Shift

Combat Actions Take Cover Skill
Whispers from your Gun…
Drifters
Name Background
Health Draw Gun
Brawn Abilities
Compel
Deceive
Hunt
Nimble
Scan
Cold Vengeful
Tinker Corruption Reckless Fury

Drifters
Name Background
Health Draw Gun
Brawn Abilities
Compel
Deceive
Hunt
Nimble
Scan
Cold Vengeful
Tinker Corruption Reckless Fury
You are a Drifter.
Cursed the day you found your Gun.
It hangs by your side, whispering
secrets in your ear.
Wander the wastes, free the towns.
Will you do enough before your Gun
consumes you?