RIP - System

Mechanics

Tests

In RIP, there is no defined tests. GM must use his own judgment to make all decisions, and may roll one or more die to help in the decision. A simple general rule is a good one:

Bigger is Better

Thus, if checking if a guard will see a PC, GM may choose to roll two d6, and if they are very low, maybe the guard notices the player character...

In general, common judgment is the most important factor. Always reference situation to similar thing or situation in real-life or in book or movie. Not all decisions must be completely realistic and equal, the most important thing is flexible, fast and smooth gaming. This is a game where no common things are tested.

Challenges

When two or more creatures challenge against each other, a skill or attribute level difference usually tells the results, unless someone somehow changes the situation. The GM may roll die or two for some odd random events.

In any case, the most determining factor is the description given by the players of their characters' actions.

In melee combat, main factors come from weapons used, skill of the combatants and locations of the combat.

In ranged combat, use situation. In most cases, it is quite hard to hit someone moving, especially if the firer is moving, too.

Damage

RIP is a cinematic RPG system. That does not mean that you must expand it too much to damage system nor that creatures cannot die... they do, very easily. Here are some guidelines to handle damage, quite realistically.

Penetration and Ballistic Protection

If an attack is concentrated on a very small area, it has penetration to represents its ability to pass through objects like armor before hitting its target.

Likewise, an armor or other object may have ballistic protection, shortly as BP. This value tells how concentrated hits the armor can still stop by expanding the force around larger area.

If the attack has penetration larger than BP, attack usually passes through. Some strength might be lost in the process.
If the attack has less penetration than BP, it cannot penetrate the armor. The impact strength is divided upon a larger area.
If the attack penetration is equal to BP, the attack might sometimes go through.

Attack Strength and Padding

Each attack has some strength behind it. This strength determines how extensive the damage is. If attack is concentrated on very small area, and possible armor is penetrated, damage is usually very dangerous. Otherwise, the damage is spread and causes broken bones, internal bleed and similar things. This kind of damage is usually called concussion damage.

Against concussion damage, armor or creature may have padding. This padding is directly reduced from the general attack strength, unless the armor is penetrated.

Damage Effects

Here is details of typical attacks and their effects, depending if the armor was penetrated or not.

Bullets

Bullet penetration and damage is dependent on two things:

Bullet speed, shape and material determines the penetration. In general, normal pistol bullets have penetration 1, rifle slugs 2. Add +1 for armor-piercing ammunition.
The basic attack strength is, as usually, determined by the kinetic energy in the shot (i.e. velocity^2 x weight/2). A medium pistol might have strength 3 while rifle slug 6.

If the bullet fails to penetrate armor, some bruises or broken ribs may result, especially from more powerful shots. Use attack strength (see below), reduced by the armor padding.

If the attack penetrates the armor, a shock wave and expanding bullet usually do massive damage, causing severe blood loss. A limb hit becomes easily defunctional, a hit to torso causes dangerous internal bleed fatal in hour or some days, and head hit is usually immediately fatal or at least causes unconsciousness and death within day in hospital. Even if the bullet does not expand (armor piercing), it may penetrate vital organs and cause death in minutes or hours from internal bleed.

Cutting Attacks

Small power cuts cause long painful strokes and some bleed, unless protected with some resistant cloth or armor. More powerful strikes cause concussion damage, if cannot penetrate armor. If able, deep cuts cause similar damage to bullets (in long terms), and may more easily cause complete loss of limb or even head.

Concussion

Blast waves, attacks that do not penetrate armor and punches cause concussion damage. At least it causes simply disorientation, stun or numbness, but more powerful hits may cause broken bones and internal bleed, which may prove fatal.

No armor penetration is ever tested with simple concussion attacks. Just reduce possible padding from attack strength, and determine effects of the final damage. 2 or more points may snap little bones or cause internal bleed, while 5 or more points usually do very extensive damage.

Stabbing, Sharpnels

Stabbing and sharpnel attacks are like bullets, but they do not expand upon contact, and are thus not so dangerous. Use similar rules than with AP ammunition.

Burning

Heat and fire cause painful burns in exposed areas. Flesh protected by cloth is usually quite protected, unless the cloth ignites. Immense heat causes boiling and similar things even behind armor.

Armor

Armor has three uses:

It simply covers locations from burning damage and small scratches. This applies to almost all clothing.
It might have ballistic protection which is meant to stop fast-moving objects (like bullets) by expanding the impact into larger area. See above for rules.
It may also have padding, which represents the general padding and impact reducing factor.

Armor values are given as bp/padding. For example, a 2/0 armor has 2 points of ballistic protection (stops all pistol caliber guns, even armor piercing) but no padding.

Bleed

In addition to structure and tissue damage, wounds cause bleed, which results in black-outs, unconsciousness and eventually, death.

Human has blood about 4-7 liters. If 2 liters are lost, character dies shortly because brains do not gain enough oxygen.
Loss of half a liter blood causes severe balance problems and possible black-out if heavy exercise is performed.
Loss of one liter causes unconsciousness if severe exercise is performed. Even a short fast movement may cause black-out.

These values are only approximations. Characters in good health (endurance) may have a little higher values, and at least survive longer or avoid blackout a bit better. The blood is restored at about 1/4 liter each day if good nutrition is available.

Non-human races might have completely different rules.

Healing

Natural healing is quite slow for more extensive damage, and even impossible for most severe damage. Even small wounds can prove fatal unless well treated.

A week or two is required for small cuts to fully close and little breaks to heal. A month or two is required for more severe breaks. Good rest and nutrition is essential for healing.

Lost limbs or organs do not regenerate.

These rules are for humans, non-human races might have complete different healing metabolism.