Welcome to Los Angeles, November 2019. The city is a sprawling megalopolis where massive pyramidal arcologies pierce the perpetual smog, and rain falls endlessly on neon-lit streets below. Humanity has colonized the off-world colonies, leaving Earth as a decaying, overpopulated wasteland controlled by mega-corporations.
Replicants—bioengineered beings virtually identical to humans—were created to serve in the harsh environments of the off-world colonies. Some have escaped to Earth, seeking to extend their programmed four-year lifespans. You are a Blade Runner, a special police operative tasked with hunting down and "retiring" these rogue replicants.
Distribute 10 points among your attributes, with a minimum of 1 and maximum of 4 in any single attribute. Replicants may have higher physical attributes but often struggle with empathy—unless they're special.
When attempting a challenging action, roll 2d6 and add the relevant attribute. The GM sets a target number based on difficulty:
Every character has a Humanity score ranging from 0-10. This represents your connection to what it means to be human—compassion, empathy, morality. Blade Runners lose Humanity when they "retire" replicants. Replicants gain Humanity through genuine emotional experiences and connections.
When Humanity reaches 0, Blade Runners become cold, mechanical killers. Replicants become unstable and dangerous, losing their grip on their manufactured identities.
The Voight-Kampff machine measures empathic responses through capillary dilation, blush response, and pupil fluctuation. Administering the test is a crucial skill for Blade Runners, but it's not infallible—especially with newer Nexus-6 models.
To administer the test: Roll Intelligence + 2d6 vs. the subject's
Empathy + 2d6. If the tester wins, they can determine if the subject
is a replicant. Margin of success determines certainty.
Violence in Blade Runner is brutal and consequential. Combat uses the same 2d6
system, with attackers rolling Agility + 2d6 against defenders'
Agility + 2d6.
Characters can take damage equal to their Strength score before becoming incapacitated. Weapon damage varies:
Replicants are tougher but can be identified by their combat superiority. Choose your battles carefully.
Blade Runner games should emphasize atmosphere, moral ambiguity, and philosophical questions about identity and humanity. The rain never stops falling. The neon always glows. Trust is a luxury no one can afford.