Lancer

Lancer is a gritty tactical combat game on the battlefield and a rules-light narrative game outside of it, so most of the rules focus on the giant robot fights! The core mechanic is rolling a d20, adding or subtracting accuracy or difficulty dice, which are d6s applied when circumstances or your background would help or hinder you, and trying to roll a 10 or better. Accuracy and difficulty dice cancel each other out, one-to-one. The game master might also decide that a roll is risky, meaning there are consequences even on a success if a character rolls less than 20, or heroic, meaning the character will only succeed on a roll of 20 or better. Player characters also have access to triggers, broad abilities that allow them to add bonuses to rolls where they apply.

In combat on each player's turn, they can move and either take a "full" action , like a barrage of weapons or stabilizing and repairing, or two "quick" actions, like fast attacks, grapples, and bursts of speed. They can also overcharge, taking an additional quick action at the cost of heat, a limited resource that tracks how close your mech is to overheating and potentially exploding. Mechs also have stress, which helps mitigate overheating, hit points, to mitigate structural damage, and structure, how much structural damage they can take. Every time you run out of hit points, they recharge, but your mech will take some structural damage and risks being destroyed.

Characters in Lancer can customize their mechs, which means each mech frame will have unique access to weapons and abilities that expand or alter their options in combat. They can also scan enemy mechs to learn their capabilities, as well as engage in hacking and electronic warfare in addition to standard combat. Outside of the mech, characters can repair and upgrade their frame between missions, as well as blow off steam in downtime and bond with their fellow pilots.

To create a Lancer character, you'll need a concept for both your pilot and their mech frame. Fortunately, Lancer's extremely cool options are here to help. Start with a name and a cool callsign for your pilot, then pick a background to help fit your character and concept into the far-future universe of Lancer. Your pilot also has four skill triggers that represent their personal abilities outside of the mech. Skill triggers offer bonuses to your character when they would apply to a skill check. Then you'll choose three pilot talents and two mech skills, their skills inside a mech cockpit that will grant tactical bonuses or additional options in combat.

Next, you'll construct your first mech frame! What you have available depends on your License Level with each of the corporations that create mech frames, so you begin with fewer options that gradually expand as your pilot advances. Each frame comes with a certain size and a few traits to start you off, but you'll customize from there. The frame will have weapon mounts, which you can load up with weapons from an extensive list, as well as mounts for other systems for things like electronic warfare, mobility, or other options. Once your mounts are full of systems and weapons, your mech is finished, and ready for a pilot to hop in the cockpit in the heat of battle!