Firefly House Rules

for the Laurel Cadre


Skills

Under the Knowledge skill set, Knowledge: Popular Culture is replaced by
Knowledge: Cultures: Traditions, Habits, Etiquette and Taboos of the variety of human sub-cultures that exists on various worlds.


Feats

Zero-G (General)
You are well adapted to the physical strains of working in a Zero-G environment.
Prerequisites: Armor Proficiency (Light)
Benefit: You do not suffer the zero-G environment penalty (-4 to all STR or DEX rolls). You also may act up to 2 times your CON score without becoming Exhausted.
Normal: The awkwardness of a zero-G environment inflicts a -4 circumstance penalty to any STR or DEX related rolls (inlcuding attack rolls) in addition to penalties suffered from wearing an EVA Suit. Also your DEX bonus is not applied to Defense. Finally you may only act for a number of rounds up to your CON score before becoming exhausted.

Improved Zero-G (General)
You have a great deal of experience working in a Zero-G environment and can take full advantage of your own weightlessness.
Prerequisites: Zero-G
Benefit: You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to all STR and DEX rolls (including attack rolls). Your DEX bonus is applied to your Defense, and you can act up to 3 times your CON score without becoming Exhausted.


Equipment

Wealth
Using the D20 Modern Wealth System, players do not get to roll Profession checks to increase their Wealth Bonus each time they advance a level. Instead, Wealth Bonus increases come strictly from GM Awards that the characters earn in the course of the game.

Firearms and Ammo
Ignore the 'Magazine' rating for firearms. In order to equalize the differences between auto-pistols and six-shotter, assault rifles and lever-actions, all weapons are assumed to have unlimited ammunition. However, on an attack roll that results in a critical fumble, the GM has the option of ruling that the character has run out of ammo for that firearm.

Armor
Armor contributes to Damage Reduction instead of Defense. The following table replaces Table 4-9 in the D20 Modern handbook.

SUBSTITUTE TABLE 4-9: ARMOR

Armor Type Damage
Reduction
Bonus
Max Dex
Bonus
Check
Penalty*
Speed Weight Purchase
DC
Light Armor
Leather jacket Impromptu +2 +8 -0 30 4 lb. 10
Leather armor Archaic +4 +6 -0 30 15 lb. 12
Light undercover shirt Concealable +4 +7 -0 30 2 lb. 13
Pull-up pouch vest Concealable +4 +6 -1 30 2 lb. 13
Undercover vest Concealable +6 +5 -2 30 3 lb. 14
EVA Suit Impromptu +6 +5 -2 20 20 lb 19

Medium Armor
Concealable vest Concealable +8 +4 -3 25 4 lb. 15
Chainmail shirt Archaic +10 +2 -5 20 40 lb. 18
Light-duty vest Tactical +10 +3 -4 25 8 lb. 16
Tactical vest Tactical +12 +2 -5 25 10 lb. 17

Heavy Armor
Special response vest Tactical +14 +1 -6 20 15 lb. 18
Plate mail Archaic +16 +1 -6 20 50 lb. 23
Forced entry unit Tactical +18 +0 -8 20 20 lb. 19
Powered EVA Suit Impromptu +20 +0 -8 15 60 lb. 35

* Double the Armor Check Penalty if the wearer does not have the appropriate Armor Proficiency feat.

EVA Suit
This is a standard space suit used for Extra Vehicular Activity outside of a space ship. To protect the wearer from the vacuum of space it needs to be fairly puncture resistant, and so can serve as impromptu armor. EVA suits are heavy and bulky because they contain all of the life support systems needed to keep the wearer alive. Magntized boots and tether lines are meant to keep the wearer from drifting off into space, but they slow down movement and make the suits awkward.

Powered EVA Suits
Practically a one-man space ship, powered EVA suits are built of rigid, articulated materials and house their own power cells and life support systems. The joints of the suit are powered in such a way as to compensate for their own weight, but do not give the wearer any additional STR bonus. While not capable of flight in gravity, the suit can propel itself through space in zero-gravity by means of a built in compressed air thrusters. Walking in a powered EVA suit is a standard Move action, but utilizing the thrusters requires a Pilot check.