Now I’m thinking of a more ambitious hack for Nexus: the Infinite City. This is a setting where “no status quos” works well, but there are still powerful people and organizations in place.
Anyway, below a first draft of the core moves. Comments welcome!
Stats: Plan, Improv, Bully, Network, Trick, Risk
THE COMBAT MOVE
When you engage in battle, declare your objective and roll:
If you’ve set the terms for the engagement, roll+Plan
If you’re caught off-guard, roll+Improv
If you can manage an impressive show of force at the start, roll+Bully
If you’re making full use of your people, roll+Network
If the enemy has no idea what you have prepared, roll+Trick
If you’re in hopelessly over your head, roll+Risk
Regardless of roll, you and your team (if any) take damage based on the opposition and inflict damage based on your armaments:
• Fists and feet, stuns weapons: 1 damage
• Most hand-to-hand weapons, handguns, basic spells: 2 damage
• High-tech or enchanted hand weapons, military-grade guns, major spells: 3 damage
• Artillery, tanks, explosives, WMDs, ritual warfare magic: 4 damage
On a 7+, you achieve your objective if possible.
On 7-9, hold 1. On 10+, hold 3. Spend your hold, 1-for-1, to do these things. (You can spend hold more than once on the same item.)
• Reduce the damage you take by 1.
• No significant damage is done to by standers or the environment.
• Reduce the damage your team or an ally takes by 1.
• No one is looking to give you payback for this.
• People hear about this and fear your reputation. Take +1 forward to Bully.
OTHER BASIC MOVES
When you develop a strategy and put it into play, roll+Plan. On 10+, it works just like you intended. On 7-9, it mostly works, but there’s one hitch you’ll have to solve on the fly.
When you make the best of what’s available and think on your feet, roll+Improv. On a 7-9, it works for the moment, but you have to act quick. On 10+, it works better than you’d hoped; take +1 forward.
When you threaten someone with something negative, roll+Bully.
• For an NPC, on any hit, they do what you want. On 10+, after the threat is over, they just want to escape or avoid you. On 7-9, they’re pissed and will try to get back at you when they have the opportunity.
• For a PC, on any hit they mark experience if they do what you want. On 10+, they also take -1 forward if they don’t do what you want.
When you entice an NPC with the promise of something beneficial, roll+Network. On 10+ they do what you want. On a 7-9, they need an advance or favor or partial taste of the promised benefit first.
For a PC, just state your enticement; they decide what to do about it.
When you deceive, con, bluff, or fast-talk someone, roll+Trick. On a 7-9 they buy it for a while but will figure it out once they get some time clear of you. On 10+ they’ll believe it until they see convincing evidence to the contrary.
When you muck about with magic, psychic powers, or weird alien tech beyond your understanding, roll+Risk. On a hit, you get it to do basically what you want. On 7-9, pick one. On 10+, pick two:
• You understand this particular bit enough to do it again without rolling.
• It doesn’t cause you 1-harm (ignores armor).
• It doesn’t produce some unintended side effect.