Besm EX: A Netbook For Big Eyes, Small Mouth Second Edition (Version 1)

BESM EX
A Netbook For Big Eyes, Small Mouth Second Edition (Version 1)

By Ewen Cluney
Table of Contents
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1: Using BESM....................................................................................................................... 4
Effects and Causes......................................................................................................... 4
Dice Rolls....................................................................................................................... 5
More Features .............................................................................................................. 10
Glossary of Game Terms ............................................................................................ 11
Chapter 2: New Rules....................................................................................................................... 14

Drama Points ............................................................................................................... 14
Experience Points ........................................................................................................ 14
Roll-Over Action Resolution ..................................................................................... 15
Chapter 3: Characters.......................................................................................................................17
Roleplaying and Social/Personality Character Traits ............................................... 17
Attributes ..................................................................................................................... 19
Skills.............................................................................................................................. 21
Defects ......................................................................................................................... 24
Multipowers ................................................................................................................. 27
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BESM EX Introduciton
Introduction
BESM EX* is a collection of essays, variant rules, and new character traits for Guardians
of Order’s Big Eyes Small Mouth anime RPG, intended to help you understand the system on
a deeper level and even mutilate it to better fit your tastes and/or your particular campaign.
At this point I’m not going to delve into advice for running anime-style campaigns, mainly
because I could literally fill up an entire book on that subject alone.
This work is purely by and for fans, and is not endorsed by Guardians of Order in any
way. Stuff is used without permission, rules interpretations are unofficial, new character traits
are twice as unofficial, and new optional rules are even more unofficial than that. It’s one big
steaming pile… of unofficialness. If something’s wrong with it blame us, not them. And buy
lots of their stuff. I recommend Uresia.
BESM EX is also an ongoing project; it’ll be revised as new material is created (and
hopefully on the basis of feedback too hint hint), and also given a substantial revision to
account for the changes in the upcoming Big Eyes Small Mouth Third Edition. If you have
stuff you think ought to be in here, let me know, but be warned I’m going to be annoying
and picky about it. Nyo.
Thanks To:
• The Guardians of Order message board community, whose arguments and insights
have proven very enlightening. I think.
• The RPGnet message board community, for more or less the same reason.
• My friends, Suichi, Sanjiyan, KyngAzz, Red Eye, Wirebrain, and several others who
not only have real names but for some reason are willing to put up with me and my
writing habits.
• S. John Ross, whose wacky and elegant free game (Risus) I can’t help but plug
whenever I get the chance. http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/risus.htm
What’s In This Book

• Chapter 1: Using BESM: This chapter discusses some of the finer points of running
a game using BESM, both in terms of how the rules are meant to be used, and new
ways to put them to use.
• Chapter 2: New Rules: Here we have a plethora of optional and variant rules that can
be used to modify BESM as subtly or extensively as you wish.
• Chapter 3: Characters: Everything relating to making characters goes here. This
includes a large selection of new Attributes, Defects, and Skills, plus guidelines for
creating new “multipowers.”
*
Kind of like Street Fighter EX – made by someone else, and nifty in its own way, but not quite true to
the original (GoO never used footnotes for one thing) and bound to annoy some die-hard fans. ^_^
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BESM EX Chapter 1: Using BESM
Chapter 1: Using BESM

I picked up the original little gray book called Big Eyes Small Mouth pretty much on
general principle because it claimed to be an anime game. What I found inside didn’t make
too much sense to me, and it promptly started to collect dust. I eventually gave it a chance
and liked it overall, but quickly found that my players pretty much hated everything about it
and found it to be far, far too simplistic. Character abilities that didn’t seem to really do what
the names suggested they should do (Cybernetic Body being a particularly bad offender), a
Body Stat of 12 didn’t have enough benefits to actually make a character seem like he was
“best in the universe” at Bodily things other than not being able to fail a die roll without
either a critical failure or penalties, and there were no skills to boot.
Between me getting some more experience with the game and the improvements and
clarifications of the Second Edition, I’ve gotten a much better handle on how the game is
actually meant to work. Without this understanding, Tri-Stat can be kludgey and vague to the
point of being useless, but with a good knowledge of how it’s supposed to work it suddenly
becomes a powerful and elegant system. This chapter examines some of those things more
closely, in order to help players get more out of what’s already in BESM.
Effects and Causes

The single most important thing is that players must think in terms of effects instead of
causes. It’s pretty obvious that a wizard’s fireball and a cyborg’s built-in flamethrower are
both similar Weapon/Special Attack attributes, but it’s less obvious that this approach
extends even to something as basic as Stats. Body, Mind, and Soul are an elegant and ancient
triumvirate, but for anime it seems to be practically a requirement to have strength and agility
in two separate character traits. With the exception of something like a shoujo manga that
takes place in high school (where all that matters is an overall level of physical ability for P.E.
class), in anime strength and agility tend to be inversely proportional, from the lightning-fast
girl who defeats opponents by being too quick to even see, much less hit, to the slow rock-
armored giant of a fighter whose blows shake the earth.
It’s counter-intuitive at first, but Body doesn’t really measure these things. It (along with
Soul) may be a starting point for a character’s Health points, but the main purpose of Body is
to give the character a number to roll against when doing physical things. All of the things
you normally associate with attributes/characteristics/stats like Strength/Muscle,
Constitution/HT/Stamina, and Agility/Dexterity are only really reflected in Body where
basic dice rolls are concerned. Everything else either can be altered beyond recognition by
Attributes and Defects, or is wholly defined by Attributes and Defects in the first place, and
event the rolls can be affected somewhat. A strong but slow character should take Not So
Fast, Damn Healthy!, Super Strength, and maybe even Armor, while the speed demon would
probably be wanting Not So Strong and Super-Speed.
Understanding this principle will allow you to write up pretty much anything in game
terms, since it removes any need for Stats to directly correlate to reality. This is particularly
true where scaling is concerned. In spite of being as tall as a skyscraper and having the
strength to crush mountains, Godzilla doesn’t need a Body of 28. He needs a Body high
enough to let him succeed with appropriate frequency when it comes time to make a Body
check on 2d6. But he also needs Super-Strength, Armor, and some other Attributes at pretty
high levels to reflect his hugeness. A 6-inch-high pixie character doesn’t have to have a Body
of 1 either; Not So Strong and Diminutive will go a long ways towards making the game
effects match her intended scale.
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Twinkery and Munchkinism

A number of years ago there was an article going around the net about the four basic
types of roleplayers – Real Men (who like kicking ass), Real Roleplayers (who like deep
character interaction), Real Loonies (who like to make things silly), and Munchkins (who
like to accumulate raw destructive power at all costs). Working the game mechanics to try to
squeeze out the maximum amount of power is variously known as min-maxing,
powergaming, and being a twink or a munchkin. Guardians of Order’s “Role-Playing Game
Manifesto” states that these are a problem with the player and not the game. Although this
isn’t 100% true of all RPGs*, BESM was definitely conceived with this philosophy in mind.
A player setting out to make an overpowered character within the same number of points
as his fellow players wouldn’t have as much of a challenge in Tri-Stat as he might with some
other systems. In part this is simply the price of its flexibility; a player who simply wants to
build the character concept he has in his head is less likely to be held back by the game
mechanics, and to a lesser extent even the assigned character point total won’t be too much
of a burden.
Although players are expected to be responsible, it’s ultimately up to the GM to keep
things under control. During character creation, the GM has a right to (politely) “veto”
character traits that are felt to be inappropriate to the campaign. This can be for reasons of
plausibility (“Why exactly does your allegedly normal high school student have Size
Change?”) as well as game balance (“Why exactly does your allegedly normal high school
student have enough Health Points to shrug off a tank shell?”), or whatever else is pertinent
(“Why exactly do I see ‘Natural Weapons (Naughty Tentacles)’ on your character sheet?”).
Even well meaning players will sometimes come up with something that could stand to be
disallowed, whether because of inexperience with the game system or blind luck. If the GM
can stop problems before they start, so much the better.
The other place where the GM can deal with powergaming is during the campaign. A GM
is pretty much in charge of the whole game, and while it’s best to regard the relationship
between the GM and the players as an equal partnership, a GM has an infinite array of
possible ways for dealing with problems in-game. Although plausibility (or whatever passes
for such in the game world) should be maintained, the GM can easily cause any abusive trait
to be taken away, force it to be put to good use, or make it have dire consequences. Ideally
the GM should be looking for a way to use it to make the game more interesting.
Dice Rolls
When all is said and done, particularly in a rules-light game like BESM dice rolls are
simply one of the GM’s tools. Where a movie director wields things like cinematography,
sound design, and lighting, a GM’s craft is aided by things like rules and narration – and dice
rolls. Especially when dice-rolling is kept to a minimum, on those occasions when the GM
does call for a player to roll the dice it calls attention to whatever the roll concerns, implying
both importance and randomness (though neither is necessarily really there).
*
The short version of this side-discussion goes along the lines that some RPGs put more emphasis on
the “game” part, a style of play that is neither superior nor inferior, but a matter of personal taste.
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• Probability
The entire point of dice is to put an element of randomness into the game.
Understanding the probabilities involved can be useful, especially in the case of a roll-under
mechanic like that used in Tri-Stat. The table below lists the chances of rolling a given
number on 2d6, both in terms of a fraction of the 36 possible rolls afforded by two six-sided
dice and as a percentage. The left side shows the chances of rolling each individual number,
while the right side shows the chances of rolling that number or lower – in effect, the chances
of success on a basic Stat Check of that level.
X Chances of Rolling X Exactly Chances of Rolling X or Lower
2 1/36 2.8% 1/36 2.8%
3 2/36 5.6% 3/36 8.3%
4 3/36 8.3% 6/36 16.7%
5 4/36 11.1% 10/36 27.8%
6 5/36 13.9% 15/36 41.7%
7 6/36 16.7% 21/36 58.3%
8 5/36 13.9% 26/36 72.2%
9 4/36 11.1% 30/36 83.3%
10 3/36 8.3% 33/36 91.7%
11 2/36 5.6% 35/36 97.2%
12 1/36 2.8% 36/36 100%
• Check Value
A “Check Value” is the number the player must roll at or under to succeed on a given
task. Under the standard rules this is simply the relevant Stat (skills and any other factors are
treated as modifiers and are subtracted from the dice roll).
Optionally, the Check Value can be calculated as the sum of the Stat, Skill, and any other
modifiers*, under which players must roll on an unmodified 2d6. This requires that modifiers
be inverted; bonuses become positive numbers and penalties become negative ones.
• Degree of Success vs. Binary Rolls

The first and second editions of BESM diverge on one critical and often overlooked
point. In the first edition all rolls were what might be called “binary,” in that success or
failure was more or less the only thing that mattered; a roll of 3 and a roll of 9 technically
have the same result if your Stat is 10. Second edition introduced a concept called “Degree of
Success” (and the accompanying Degree of Failure), whereby the amount by which the dice
roll is below the character’s Check Value determines the quality of the success or failure.
The advantage of binary rolls is mainly speed, since it cuts out a mathematical operation
from the process. The GM can ask for a particular Stat Check and get a simple yes or no
answer in seconds. Degrees of Success, however, let the GM evaluate the quality of an
action’s success, and if used creatively they can add a lot of flavor to dice rolls. Probably the
most important use of Degrees of Success is for contested actions. When two characters act
against one another directly or indirectly, they both make rolls like normal, but the winner is
the one with the greater Degree of Success (or least Degree of Failure if they both fail). Thus
if two characters with Bodies of 8 and 11 are arm-wrestling and both roll a 7, the one with the
*
This is how Tri-Stat dX handles things. Don’t be surprised to find it in BESM 3rd Edition.
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Body of 11 wins (his Degree of Success is 4 to his opponent’s 1), even though they both had
the same die roll and both succeeded.
This book also features a variant rule for using a “roll-over” dice mechanic. See p. 15.
• Degrees of Success In Combat

In the standard Tri-Stat rules combat is the one type of “contested” action where Degree
of Success is not a factor; combat rolls are always binary. A character defending from an
attack always has the likelihood of defending indicated by his Defensive Combat Value (with
applicable modifiers of course), regardless of how accurate the opponent’s attack might be.
The result of this is that attacks only actually hit when the attacker succeeds and the defender
fails at the same time. With high-powered characters this can make combat very time-
consuming, as the combatants continually throw out attacks that are unlikely to miss, hoping
that their opponent will finally fail to defend. However this problem is handily solved by
making use of the Trick Shots rule introduced in BESM Revised Second Edition, allowing
those characters to take a penalty to OCV while imposing an equal penalty on the
opponent’s DCV.
Treating combat checks like standard contested actions makes it easier for attacks to hit
and ensures that the accuracy of an attack directly determines how difficult it is to defend
against, but it also makes each combat roll require another step. Powerful characters will be
able to more easily overwhelm weaker ones, and combat will involve more damage being dealt
overall. Hong Kong Action Theater! uses a similar rule, except that if the defender’s Degree of
Success is less than the attacker’s but the check is still successful the damage is halved.
• Criticals
If the dice come up with a 2 or a 12, the result is a critical success or a critical failure
(respectively). A critical success always succeeds and a critical failure always fails, regardless
of the apparent Degree of Success/Failure. Thus there’s always at least that 2.8% chance each
of success and failure. In an opposed roll, a critical success does not guarantee victory since
the opponent could still have a greater Degree of Success, but it does mean that the
character’s Degree of Success is always considered to be at least 1 (Marginal Success), even if
the character’s Check Value is less than 2.
• Fun Stuff
There aren’t many ways to accurately represent a 2d6 roll with something other than 2d6.
Using a d12 instead destroys the probability curve that 2d6 provides, making criticals about
three times more likely. If you want to change the scale of dice and Stats, you should be
reading Tri-Stat dX instead.
On the other hand, Mayfair Games makes a product called the “Deck of Dice,” a deck of
36 cards that simulates the probability spread of two six-sided dice. This opens up all kinds of
possibilities for doing nifty things with letting players have a hand of cards and other
weirdness.
Koplow Games also makes “double dice” – a clear plastic six-sider with a smaller one
inside of it, allowing you to roll two six-sided dice at once*. It makes no particular difference
to the game, but it’s sort of a neat novelty, and it makes your dice bag sound weird when it
*
They also make a triple-d6 die, consisting of a clear cube with three tiny six-siders inside; GURPS
players take note. ^_^
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rattles around. And since six-sided dice are the most common type, there are a seemingly
limitless variety of colors, patterns, materials, and sizes out there, and no telling what
weirdness could be done with them.
Doing Things (With Or Without Skills)

BESM is unusual among RPGs in that it began with no skills whatsoever, and when added
they were an option. Like Shock Value, one of the major purposes of skills is to help Tri-Stat
better handle low-level characters and grittier settings. Skills provide a good way to
distinguish low-level characters; a given pair might have the same Body score of 7, but with
skills their actual capabilities could be made totally different even without Attributes and
Defects. Skills can be time-consuming however, especially during character creation, and for
high-level characters they can create an annoying power creep (since characters can have a
Stat at up to 12 and a Skill at up to 6, it’s not too hard to have a character that gets to try to
roll under 18 on 2d6), so while they can be a great addition to many campaigns, they’re not
appropriate for all. Whichever route you opt for there are some questions that arise; what
exactly is it that a character with a given set of traits can do?
• What Is A Skill?
Mechanically speaking a skill’s level is how much better the character is over his Stat
level. A character with a Body 9 and an Unarmed Attack skill of 2 effectively has a Body of
11 when he’s making rolls related to Unarmed Attack, and that’s that. When you’re paying
attention to the mechanics, once again you have to consider what Stat and skill levels are
appropriate to give the character the right success ratio. However, in story terms even one
skill level represents a certain amount of training above and beyond a generic novice, to the
point where a character without a skill often won’t even be allowed to attempt the skill
regardless of his Stat level (or he might be allowed to with a hefty penalty). These two factors
may seem a little tricky to balance, but for the most part as long as a character has at least one
skill level in every skill he should be competent in, things should work out.
• BESM, Skill-less?
Running a game without skills may seem like a foreign concept to many gamers, but it’s
entirely possible. That is, after all, how BESM began. In game terms it may seem as though
any character with a high Mind can hack a computer, and any character with a high Body can
do gymnastic feats worthy of a master ninja. So how do you present a character whose
mental ability is focused on magic and ancient lore, or whose physical prowess is devoted
almost exclusively to bodybuilding? As with the treatment of skill levels, this can be solved
by the GM using his discretion. Think of a character’s stats not as generic Mind, Body and
Soul, but as the Mind, Body, and Soul of that particular character type. A wizard can use his
keen Mind to draw upon his knowledge of ancient mysteries, while a computer hacker’s
Mind gives him a frighteningly deep knowledge of all things technical, but the wizard would
be just as lost around a computer as the hacker would be around the wizard’s trusty
Necronomicon, no matter how high their Mind stats are.
• Relevant Stats
The majority of the Attributes in BESM list a “Relevant Stat” in their description, and
this has been the case since First Edition – without any particular explanation of their
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purpose. A few Attributes (such as Dynamic Sorcery) explicitly require a stat check, and
many others have very specific bonuses to checks (such as Animal Friendship and
Heightened Awareness), but for most the Relevant Stat is there primarily as a tool for the
GM.
Unless the description specifically calls for a check to me made, Attributes don’t require
dice rolls for normal use. Instead, the Relevant Stat is used for checks where the character is
doing something unusual or challenging with the Attribute, whether because of adverse
conditions or trying to affect others. If a character wants to use Art of Distraction to keep a
squad of hard-nosed imperial guards (who are much harder to distract than average people in
the street) from noticing her friends sneaking past them, the GM might rule that a roll on the
Relevant Stat (Body or Soul in this case) is going to be necessary to succeed. If two girls are
competing to use their Appearance to charm the same prince, the GM might decide that they
should make a contested roll on the Relevant Stat (Body) to decide who will be victorious.
• Attributes/Defects and Stat/Skill Checks

Attributes and Defects can both play a role in checks made by a character, even though
relatively few of these give explicitly defined bonuses or penalties. This is mostly just a
matter of applying some common sense. Attributes can have effects that fall far outside of
the realm of what a character can accomplish using basic Stats and Skills, which means they
can result in substantial bonuses or penalties to dice rolls, or even take things so far that a roll
isn’t really necessary.
Suppose two characters are racing each other to reach a control panel in time to start or
stop the Giant Death Ray. If one of them has Speed at 1, he’s 1½ times faster than a typical
adult; fast, but still within the range of human ability, so he could get a noticeable bonus to
his Body check, but his opponent might still be able to get a lucky roll and catch up to him,
especially if there are obstacles that need to be avoided along the way. On the other hand if it
was say Speed 5 (five times the running speed of the average human), it wouldn’t be too
unreasonable to rule that our “slowpoke” friend is just plain out of luck, unless he can come
up with some clever way to even the odds in time.
Methods and Madness

One way to up the “anime-ness” of the game is to take into account how a character goes
about tackling a task when deciding what traits a check is going to be based on. Normally the
Stat being used for an action is pretty obvious, and for realism there’s rarely much leeway for
changing what those are – but we’re dealing with anime here.
Suppose there are three sisters who are going to cook dinner for when their father and
older brother come home from a long trip to America. Ayase doesn’t cook very much, but
she’s very smart, so she pulls out a recipe for curry rice and follows its instructions exactly.
Chika is a fairly accomplished martial artist, so she decides to make a salad, using her martial
prowess to chop, toss, and catch the vegetables with lightning speed and perfect precision.
Harumi isn’t too bright, but she’s going to try hard and put her heart into baking a cake for
her beloved older brother. The GM decides that Ayase makes a Mind roll because she’s
bringing her intellect to bear on the task at hand, Chika gets to make a Body roll for putting
her agility to good use (for a change), and Harumi is relying on her heart and dedication to
pull her through, so for her it’s a Soul roll. When everything is done, it isn’t hard to tell who
cooked what; Ayase’s curry rice is arrayed neatly on the table and tastes very much like the
better convenience store brands, Chika’s salad is a standard salad, but the cuts on the
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vegetables are precise and they’re all fresh, and the cake from Harumi seems a little lopsided,
but it’s decorated very cutely and actually tastes really good.
This approach isn’t appropriate for everything; it’s deliberately cinematic, and as such is
better used sparingly, for the moments where it’s either particularly poignant or just makes
the game more fun. If a player wants to use the character’s stronger Stat when it doesn’t seem
terribly appropriate to the action, an entertaining explanation is in order. If it’s sufficiently
amusing, and it doesn’t bend the plausibility of the game too far, there’s no reason to not let
it proceed.
The “methods and madness” rule isn’t really any different when used with skills; by and
large it will simply be a matter of being flexible about which Stat is being used, something
many skills already allow for. In the above example all three girls would be using their
Cooking skill (if any), even though Chika is using a Stat that can’t normally be used with
Cooking.
More Features
There are a lot of things in BESM that aren’t well understood or aren’t used to their full
potential.
• Combat Value
Combat Value is perhaps one of the most abstract – and for some players counter-
intuitive – aspects of Tri-Stat. Calculated as the average of all three Stats, CV is the synergy
of Mind, Body and Soul that allows a character to function in combat. And just like the Stats
it’s derived from, CV is meant to be redefined by other Traits. Combat Mastery and Inept
Combat can increase or decrease CV as desired, and combat skills can boost it for specific
purposes, allowing a character to be more accurate at some forms of combat than others
(thus fixing what is perhaps the most difficult part of accepting CV as a valid game
mechanic). However, there are other Traits that affect a character’s combat skill in less direct
ways. Focused Damage is an obvious example; it represents a character’s skill with a given
form of combat, but specifically skill at causing damage (which makes it especially good for
characters who are meant to excel in hand-to-hand combat). Other Attributes like Gun
Bunny and Kensei similarly give characters more subtle ways to affect combat, including
bonuses for specific types of fighting.
• Energy
Energy Points are an exhaustible resource, separate from Health Points that every
character has. Any character can put them to good use to temporarily raise a single Stat (10
Energy per +1) or his or her Health Points (5 Energy per +1), but they’re also a limiting
factor for Attributes like Dynamic Sorcery and Magic.
• Magic
Though “Energy” calls forth images of a wizard building power to throw a fireball or a
martial artist charging up a chi blast, Energy is ultimately just a limiting factor on whether or
not a character can use Attributes and such that have an Energy cost. The rest is just “flavor
text.” In turn, this means that the main purpose of the Magic attribute is to give a discount
for Attributes that cost Energy to use. That makes the name a little bit misleading; while
sorcery with a limited pool of magical energy are perfectly good way to use the Magic
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attribute, it can be used for pretty much any set of abilities where “energy” of some kind is
the major limitation on their use. The game text already suggests psychic powers – it’s listed
as “Magic (Or Psionics)” – but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Although it might be a bit
out of place for your average superhero (even some of the ones who use magical powers), an
anime martial artist can have “chi powers” that allow him to use his spiritual energy to
perform spectacular energy-based moves, and a cyborg or robot might have a limited power
supply that is drained when he uses his more powerful weapons and special gadgets. The
same goes for Dynamic Sorcery; the only difference is that rather than a pool of points for
specific powers, it gives the character an ability to make up effects on the fly. While a
sorcerer is probably the most likely candidate for this kind of power, a psychic, or even a
robot with some kind of liquid-metal system could just as easily put it to good use in
representing their abilities.
Glossary of Game Terms

Even a simple RPG system like Tri-Stat involves a fair amount of game jargon; this
glossary is intended to help you sort it all out. Terms marked with an asterisk (*) are either
newly introduced here (to clearly define a concept that already exists unnamed), or were used
in a Tri-Stat rulebook somewhere but not explicitly defined in BESM. This glossary omits
basic RPG terms like GM, NPC, player, etc., concentrating on those terms for which Tri-
Stat uses something different from typical RPGs.
Advancement Points: In long-term Value. BESM uses binary rolls for

campaigns, BESM characters improve combat.
by being assigned a single Character Body: One of the three Stats, representing
Point every five sessions or so, and if a character’s physical abilities. This
skills are being used a Skill Point every includes strength, stamina, agility, and
session or so. For an alternative to manual dexterity.
Advancement Points, see “Experience Bonus Points (BP): When a character
Points” on p. 14. takes a Defect, he or she gains extra
Attribute: A type of character trait character points, called Bonus Points.
representing innate or acquired talents Character Points (CP): Characters are
or abilities. These cover virtually every created by spending Character Points
positive character trait not represented on different character traits. Average
by Stats or Skills. Note that in most characters get about 30 CP, but the
RPGs Tri-Stat’s “Attributes” would be GM can set the total as appropriate for
called Advantages, Edges, Powers, the campaign’s intended power level.
Merits, etc., and Attributes are what Check: An instance where the player must
Tri-Stat calls Stats. roll the dice to see if his or her
Background Points: Extra character character succeeds.
points (1 to 3) awarded to a player for *Check Value: The number a character
the creation of an interesting must roll under (on 2d6) to succeed at
background. a given task.
*Binary Roll: A dice roll where Degree of Combat Value (CV): A character’s overall
Success/Failure is not taken into level of ability in combat, calculated as
account and all that matters is whether an average of the three Stats. Combat
the die roll is lower than the Check Value is divided into Offensive
Combat Value (OCV) and Defensive
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Combat Value (DCV); these are used Health Points (HP): Health is a
for attacking and defending character’s capacity for damage; when
respectively, but DCV is two points a character is physically harmed, in
lower than OCV. A character’s base combat or otherwise, the damage is
CV can be increased by either subtracted from his or her Health, and
increasing Stats or taking the Combat when the Health reaches zero the
Mastery attribute. character is incapacitated. Health is
*Contested Action: An action in which calculated as (Body + Soul) ｘ 5.
two characters are directly or Initiative: At the beginning of each
indirectly opposing each other. The combat round characters make
winner of a Contested Action is the initiative rolls to determine the order
character with the highest Degree of in which they can act. Each player rolls
Success (or the lowest Degree of one die and adds the character’s
Failure if both characters fail). Attack Combat Value; characters act
*Critical: A roll of 2 or 12 on 2d6 is a from highest to lowest initiative value.
critical success or a critical failure Certain traits such as Speed, Maneuver
(respectively). A critical success is Bonus, and Poor Maneuverability can
always at least a Marginal Success and add a bonus or penalty to this roll.
a critical failure is always at least Mecha: In game terms, a mecha is a
Marginal Failure. vehicle of some kind that one of more
Defect: A trait reflecting something characters can ride in or on, whether a
negative about the character. Most suit of power armor, a car, a tank, a
Defects provide 1 or 2 extra character giant robot, or a mile-long spaceship.
points, depending on their severity. Characters normally acquire mecha by
Note that these are equivalent to what taking the Own a Big Mecha (OBM)
many RPGs call “Disadvantages.” Attribute.
Derived Values: Special character traits Mind: One of a character’s three Stats.
that are calculated based on a Mind represents intelligence and wits.
character’s Stats – Health Points, Modifier: A bonus or a penalty applied to
Energy Points, and Combat Value. All a dice roll/check, usually due to
Derived Values can be modified with conditions that make the action a
certain Attributes and Defects. character is attempting easier or
Degree of Failure: The amount by which harder.
a die roll exceeds an action’s Check *Multipower: An Attribute that provides
Value; how badly a character fails at an points with which several related “sub-
action. attributes” can be purchased. BESM
Degree of Success: The amount by which 2nd Edition includes the following
a die roll is below an action’s Check Attributes that can be considered
Value; the quality of an action’s multipowers: Item of Power, Magic,
success. Own A Big Mecha, and Servant (and
Energy Points (EP): A character’s inner arguably Metamorphosis). See p. 27
reserves of energy, which can be used for a more in-depth look at
to fuel certain Attributes and also to multipowers.
temporarily boost Stats or Health, are *Contested Action: An action in which
represented by Energy. Energy is two characters are competing, directly
calculated as (Mind + Soul) ｘ5. or indirectly, against each other. The
winner of a contested action is the
12
character with the highest Degree of Skill: Skills are character traits
Success (or the lowest Degree of representing training in specific areas
Failure if both fail). of expertise; they’re also an optional
Psyche: An optional Derived Value rule and not necessary for all
introduced in BESM 2nd Edition campaigns. Skills are bought using
Revised, Psyche represents a Skill Points.
character’s ability to handle extremes Skill Points: Skill Points are used to
of terror. Psyche is calculated as the purchase skills; individual skills are
average of Mind and Soul, and assigned a Skill Point cost based on
characters make Psyche checks their importance to the game setting
whenever they encounter particularly and genre, from 1 to 6. When Skills are
terrifying creatures, taking a penalty being used, characters get 20 Skill
between +0 and +5 depending on the Points, and can get 10 more for every
creature in question. The degree of 1 CP spent on the Highly Skilled
failure determines how badly the Attribute.
character is affected by fright. Soul: One of a character’s three Stats,
*Related Defect: A Defect that representing willpower and spiritual
specifically pertains to one particular ability.
Attribute, usually one for a special Stat: Three basic traits that every character
power, and limit its use. Examples has to some degree – Body, Mind, and
include Conditional Ownership, Soul. These are rated from 0 to 12, and
Magical Restrictions, and One-Way each point of a Stat cost 1 character
Transformation. point. Note that these are equivalent
Relevant Stat: The Stat(s) most closely to what most RPGs call “Attributes.”
related to the use of a particular *Technique Attribute: An Attribute
Attribute. Most Attributes don’t which allows the player to select one
require a check on the Relevant Stat “technique” or special ability from a
normally, but the GM may decide it’s list for each level of the Attribute
necessary if a character is using an taken. Examples include Gun Bunny,
Attribute for an unusual or difficult Kensei, and Special Movement.
task. *Trait: Things that define a character in
*RuneQuest Problem, The: The fact that terms of game mechanics. A collective
characters with very high Combat term for Stats, Attributes, Skills,
Values have an extremely difficult time Defects, and Derived Values.
actually hurting each other. This can Trick Shot: A new optional rule
be dealt with in a number of ways, introduced in BESM 2nd Edition
including Trick Shots and using Revised, a trick shot in essence allows
Contested Actions for combat. a character to find some
Shock Value: Shock Value is an optional unconventional way of attacking, and
rule intended for grittier, deadlier thereby take a penalty to his or her
campaigns; it’s a Derived Value attack roll, but simultaneously impose
determined as the characters Health the same penalty to the opponent’s
Points divided by 5. Damage in excess defense roll.
of a character’s Shock Value can stun
the character and cause more serious
wounds that require treatment.
13
BESM EX Chapter 2: New Rules
Chapter 2: New Rules

Drama Points
Drama Points (DP) are special points given to player characters, which can be spent to
perform especially heroic tasks. Drama Points should be treated as what happens when a
character summons up his or her inner reserves of willpower to accomplish something vitally
important, and never a way for the players to hedge their bets when success seems uncertain.
Characters get 4 Drama Points at character creation, and are awarded 1-3 additional
Drama Points at the end of every game session, based on how well the player role-played and
in general made the game more fun.
There are numerous possible ways that Drama Points can be used. The default is for a
single DP to allow the player to reduce a die roll by 2 points, to a minimum of 2 (but only a
“natural” 2, rolled on the dice, is considered a critical). Only one Drama Point can be spent
on a single die roll, and the player must declare its use before rolling the dice.
Experience Points
What follows is an optional system for character advancement, allowing for experience to
be a little bit more granular than Advancement Points (where characters get 1 CP every five
sessions or so).
At the end of each game session the GM assigns Experience Points (XP) to each
character based on their performance. Because this is based on anime, the criteria for
improving over time can vary vastly. As a rule of thumb, players should be rewarded for role-
playing their character (especially when doing so makes the game more fun), actually learning
things during the game, and of course accomplishing the goals of the adventure.
The genre and style of the campaign can influence what other criteria there are; if the
game deals a lot with improving through combat, then experience should be granted for
winning battles. If it's a more socially oriented shoujo-style game, then battles aren't too
important, but role-playing well is vital.
Experience Point awards should range from 1-5 points, where 1 shows that the player at
least showed up for the game session, 2 is average, 3 is good, and 4 or 5 means they did
something really exceptional. Experience Points should be recorded on the character sheet
and may be spent immediately or saved for later.
How XP may be spent is left up to the GM's discretion, and again should be determined
partly by style and genre. In a more realistic campaign characters should have a reason for
acquiring a new level of ability, whether through the School of Life (i.e., using the skill out in
the real world) or taking lessons. More genre-fueled games can have characters learn things
without much reason, possibly even on the fly – such as the martial artist who suddenly
realizes what he needs to do and devises a new technique to defeat an opponent on the spot.
The GM sets an “exchange rate” for Experience Points to Character Points. To keep the
rate of advancement within the same range as the standard character advancement rules
(which say 1 CP per 5 or so sessions) this should be set at about 10 XP per CP, but the GM
can slide this up or down depending on how quickly or slowly characters should be
improving for the purposes of the intended genre and tone. If the game is using skills,
characters can spend EP on that as well, usually at a rate of 1 Experience Point per Skill Point
(thus maintaining the same 1:10 ratio as in character creation).
14
Roll-Over Action Resolution

BESM uses what could be called a “roll-under” method in that success at an action is
determined by whether the dice roll is below a character’s Check Value. Many other game
systems use a “roll-over” resolution mechanic; neither is inherently better than the other.
There are certain trade-offs, and some players just have a preference for one or the other.
Roll-over is a little quicker than rolls where Degrees of Success are used, but a little slower
than rolls where they aren’t.
When a player makes a roll, he or she figures out the character’s Check Value (the sum
of the Stat, Skill, and any other modifiers – where positive modifiers are good and negative
ones are bad) and adds to it the total of a roll on two six-sided dice. The result is called the
Check Total, and it can be used for an Unopposed Action (where the character is acting by
himself) or an Opposed Action (where there’s someone acting directly against the
character). Criticals are still used under the roll-over rules, but a 2 is a critical failure and a 12
is a critical success.
• Unopposed Actions
If the character is simply doing something on his own, such as fixing a computer or
forcing open a door, the action is “unopposed.” For unopposed actions the GM sets a Target
Number based on how difficult the action is; if the Check Total matches or exceeds the
Target Number, the action is a success, and the greater the margin by which it exceeds the
Target Number, the better the quality of the success attained. The “default” Target Number,
which provides exactly the same chance of success as rolling under on 2d6, is 14.
Difficulty Target Number
Trivial 10-11
Easy 12-13
Average 14
Difficult 15-16
Very Difficult 17-18
Nearly Impossible 19+
• Opposed Actions
When two characters are directly working against each other, as in combat, arm-
wrestling, and whatever else seems appropriate, they both make a roll as usual and compare
their Check Totals; the character with the higher result wins. A tie is just that, and in the case
of combat it generally means that the defender succeeded, but just barely. Since there’s no
Target Number involved in an opposed action, any factors affecting the difficulty of the
action are represented as modifiers to the roll.
• Why Bother?
Roll-over is not the end-all be-all of game mechanics, but then neither are roll-under, dice
pools, or anything else. It’s just another option that in the right place can fit better. First of
all, it makes it easier for the GM to fudge rolls without the players knowing. In an unopposed
action the player simply reports his Check Total; the GM can choose whether to keep the
Target Number (or an opponent’s Check Total) a secret, change it to keep the result from
derailing the game, or purposely tell the players to freak them out.
15
Binary rolls are made a little awkward, though they can be “simulated” by making a roll
with a Target Number of 14. It’s easier to make combat use Opposed Actions for attack and
defense; this makes it so that how powerful the opponent is and how well he rolled directly
affect how difficult it is to succeed, and it’s rare for a roll to not result in a definite winner.
For a fighting anime, this makes it much easier to have the archetypal villain character that
can totally overwhelm the hero’s defenses.
16
BESM EX Chapter 3: Characters
Chapter 3: Characters
This chapter deals with character creation; it includes some more rules options and
clarifications specifically aimed at making characters, and a large selection of new character
traits. Some of these (especially Defects like Code of Honor and Personality Flaw) fall a bit
outside of Tri-Stat’s canon design philosophy, so they should be considered even more
optional than the rest of this book.
Roleplaying and Social/Personality Character Traits

From the point of view of a game designer it can be tricky to find the right balance
between leaving things to roleplaying and defining them in game terms, especially given the
fact that the location of the “right” dividing line is purely a matter of opinion. Tri-Stat
specifically tries to minimize the number of traits that have to do with social interaction,
while other RPGs like Steve Jackson Games’ GURPS specifically maps out several different
personality traits (with accompanying game mechanics, often involving Will rolls) and social
skills.
The argument against representing personality traits and social skills in game terms is
pretty clear; it puts something that ought to be left up to the players in the hands of the game
mechanics, and often gives players extra points for something that they can easily ignore. If
you’re of this school of thought, BESM is pretty much your ideal game system. You might
wish to pull out skills like Intimidation and Seduction, and maybe some of the Attributes like
Art of Distraction and Aura of Command, but for the most part it’ll be smooth sailing.
On the other hand, social Traits can add a lot to the game, provided they’re handled with
a dose of common sense. Or to put it a different way, they need to be treated much the same
as everything else in BESM – as an aid to the game that can be totally ignored whenever the
GM feels doing so will be more conducive to the story. Just like the player who decides to
take a couple levels of Cooking skill just because he has a few skill points left over after
buying all those levels of Unarmed Attack, a player who picks up a “Personality Flaw” Defect
because he needs that one extra BP is adding something to his or her character that wouldn’t
have been there otherwise and in all likelihood making the game a little bit more interesting.
• Attributes and Skills

For Attributes and Skills (including quite a few existing ones like Aura of Command and
Seduction), the problem is keeping them from taking the place of roleplaying. These kinds of
Traits are partly useful simply as a yardstick for what the character can do, both for the
player and the GM. It’s much the same as the Appearance attribute; everyone knows that a
character has a certain kind of looks from it, but apart from the free levels of Art of
Distraction (which in itself is pretty abstract in terms of game mechanics) it has no particular
effect on the game beyond what comes about from roleplaying. Thus the GM can listen to
how a player role-plays a given scene, and then take note of the character’s Aura of
Command attribute, Intimidation skill, Appearance attribute, or his or her utter lack of any
of the above in deciding how NPCs react. Conversely, if a scene is too trivial and
unimportant to waste time on roleplaying, a simple dice roll can handily decide the matter
and move on to something more interesting.
17
• Defects
For Defects the difficulty is in making it matter to the point where those Bonus Points
are justified, without being so heavy-handed that the GM is dictating a player character’s
actions. This isn’t just a problem with representing personality traits as new Defects; existing
ones like Easily Distracted can be just as bad. Some players will take a given Defect and play
it to the hilt without any prompting. Others can be persuaded to put a bit more into
roleplaying their Defects with some simple bribes in the form of small in-game rewards. A
few are just greedy for more points, and if you know you have this kind of player you should
probably be scrutinizing the rest of their character sheet just in case. The section on “Defects
And Bonus Points” (see p. 24) includes some options that can be especially helpful for
handling Defects relating to personality traits.
The Tri-Stat rules include no guidelines for if or how a character can overcome the effects
of personality Defects like Easily Distracted and Phobia. The best solution is for the player
to be sufficiently responsible and handle those character traits without any prompting from
the GM. In some circumstances the GM decide to ask the player to make a Stat check
(usually Soul, though nearly anything is possible) in order to overcome the effects of a
Defect, often with a modifier depending on the severity of the Defect and the circumstances
under which it comes into play. (A character with 2 BP worth of Gluttony would have a
harder time resisting than one with 1 BP worth, but both would have a harder time resisting
stuffing themselves when a mountainous feast is set before them). Needless to say, how the
player roleplays the scene should at least be taken into account.
18
Attributes
Costume
Cost: 1 point/Level
Relevant Stat: None
Type: Normal (Shtick)
This rather cinematic Attribute gives the character's clothes some unusual properties.
Level 1 Clothes will only take minor, superficial damage from normal damage sources
(the character still takes full damage, but he'll look cool doing so).
Level 2 The costume will also always fit the character should they change size and/or
forms. If they take on a form where the costume is inappropriate or
unnecessary (such as an animal form), it can change to appropriately themed
accessories and such instead.
Level 3 If caught out of costume, the character can spend 5 Energy to change into it.
This happens by spinning through the air, ripping off one's current clothing,
or even getting really mad and having one's present clothing just sort of melt
away.
Increased Energy Restoration

Cost: 1 point/Level
Relevant Stat:
None
Type: Normal
Characters normally regain Energy Points equal to the average of their Mind and Soul
stats every hour. A character with this Attribute has that amount increased.
Level 1 +1 Energy restored per hour.
Regeneration
Cost: 4 points/Level
Relevant Stat:
Body
Type: Racial or Supernatural
Regeneration is a natural ability to heal wounds and other forms of damage very quickly
while inactive. The form this takes depends on the character and the tone of the campaign; it
might be grisly and painful, with blood flowing back into wounds and limbs agonizingly re-
forming bones, muscles and tendons, or it might be all sparkly and nice, or it might just
happen off-camera.
Level 1 Character heals 2 Health Points per turn
19
Resourceful Pockets
Relevant Stat:
Soul
Type: Normal (Shtick)
The character keeps various random items in their pockets, purse, or whatever, which can
be pulled out as needed. This Attribute is vaguely reasonable at the first level, but becomes
increasingly cartoony as it goes up in levels. The GM may require Soul rolls to find items.
Level 1 The character has a collection of random trinkets, which may prove useful in
a given situation.
Level 2 The character has a nearly unlimited supply of one particular type of item, or
a fair chance of pulling out an item useful in a given situation.
Level 3 The character has an unlimited supply of a given type of items (e.g., foods,
traps, etc.), or a good chance of pulling a useful item.
Level 4 The character has all kinds of things in their pockets, of nearly infinite
supply.
Level 5 The character seems to have the contents of an entire planet in their pockets.
20
Skills
Generic Skill Costs
While the genre-variable skill costs are one of the more unique and innovative aspects of
BESM, it’s useful to have a standard set of point values, whether for a multi-genre campaign
or simply to reduce bookkeeping.
General Skill Cost General Skill Cost Combat Skill Cost
Acrobatics 5 Mechanics 3 Archery 2
Animal Training 1 Medical 3 Gun Combat 6
Architecture 1 Military Sciences 3 Heavy Weapons 4
Artisan 1 Navigation 3 Melee Attack 5
Biological Sciences 3 Performing Arts 1 Melee Defense 5
Boating 3 Physical Sciences 3 Ranged Defense 6
Burglary 3 Piloting 2 Thrown Weapons 4
Business Management 2 Poisons 2 Unarmed Attack 6
Computers 4 Police Sciences 3 Unarmed Defense 6
Controlled Breathing 1 Riding 2
Cooking 2 Seduction 2 New Skills
Cultural Arts 2 Sleight of Hand 3 Communications 2
Demolitions 3 Social Sciences 3 Lore 2
Disguise 3 Sports 1 Meditation 3
Driving 3 Stealth 3 Music 1
Electronics 3 Swimming 1 Paranormal Sciences 3
Forgery 2 Urban Tracking 4 Persuasion 3
Gaming 1 Visual Arts 2 Use [Attribute] 6
Interrogation 1 Wilderness Survival 3
Intimidation 3 Wilderness Tracking 3
Law 2 Writing 1
Linguistics 2
Skill Ranks (Optional Rule)

While the variable skill costs of BESM have a lot of advantages, they can easily more than
double the time it takes to make a character. Skill Ranks are an optional rule intended to
make skills simpler and faster to use*. Rather than Skill Points, skills are bought using Skill
Ranks; a Skill Rank is the equivalent of half of a Character Point or 5 Skill Points, and each
Skill Rank is worth 1 level of any one skill. Characters have 4 free Skill Ranks; every level of
Highly Skilled buys 2 more Skill Ranks, and every BP of Unskilled takes away 2 Skill Ranks.
Because all skills cost the equivalent of 5 Skill Points per rank, it’s recommended that
when Skill Ranks are being used characters be allowed to make basic Stat Checks for skills
they don’t have provided it’s reasonably appropriate to the character’s concept to be able to
do so. Thus an average Japanese high school girl could probably cook something palatable
without having the skill, but an average Japanese high school tomboy couldn’t.
*
For another way to simplify skills, see “Skill Groups” (Tri-Stat dX p. 46).
21
New Skills
This section provides a total of seven new skills; the table below gives the point costs for
each of the genres listed in BESM. The individual skill descriptions also include a “Default
Cost,” should the Generic Skill Costs rule (see above) be in use.
Cyber- Hotrods Martial Medieval Modern Occult Space Teenage

Punk and Guns Arts Fantasy Military Horror Opera Romance
Communications 3 2 2 3 4 2 3 1
Lore 1 1 4 3 1 6 4 1
Meditation 1 1 4 2 1 3 1 1
Music 2 1 2 3 1 1 1 4
Paranormal
1 1 4 3 1 6 4 1
Sciences
Persuasion 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 5
Use [Attribute] 4 3 5 6 3 6 4 2
Communications
Relevant Stat:
Mind
Specializations:
Carrier Pigeon, Laser, Microwave, Radio, Satellite, Secret Codes, Semaphore
Default Cost:
2
Communications is the ability to use specialized equipment for communicating over long
distances. What this entails exactly depends on the character’s particular background, and
could range anywhere from sending carrier pigeons with coded messages to operating a
hyperspace communications array whose signals can cross galaxies in seconds.
Lore
Relevant Stat:Mind
Specializations:
Ancient Tomes, Cryptozoology, Hermetic Magic, Religion, UFOs, Vampires
Default Cost: 2
This skill gives a character knowledge of ancient lore – myths, ancient tales, and tabloid
stories about things that the rest of the world claims doesn’t exist and secretly fears that they
do. While the knowledge provided by Lore is probably not 100% accurate, it’s sure to be
useful for the kernels of truth it contains.
Meditation
Relevant Stat:
Soul
Specializations:
None
Default Cost:3
Meditation is the ability to center oneself and be at peace with the universe. If a character
meditates for one hour, he or she regains extra Energy equal to the Degree of Success of the
Meditation check.
Music
Relevant Stat: Mind or Soul
Specializations: Bass, Composition, Drums, Guitar, Keyboard, Piano, Singing, Violin, etc.
Default Cost: 1
22
The ability to create and perform music. This can include composition, singing, and the
playing of virtually any instrument imaginable.
Paranormal Sciences
Relevant Stat:Mind
Specializations:
Paraphysics, Parapsychology, Tachyon Theory, Thaumaturgical Science, etc.
Default Cost: 3
In some settings it may be appropriate for there to be a scientific study of paranormal
phenomena. This can include parapsychology (the study of psychic powers), paraphysics,
(the study of the physics behind psychic powers), thaumaturgical science (the study of the
principles of magic), etc.
Persuasion
Relevant Stat:
Mind or Soul
Specializations:
Beg, Bribe, Carouse, Fast-Talk, Flattery, Wheedle, Whine
Default Cost:3
Persuasion is, put simply, a character’s ability to manipulate others. Different characters
have different ways of doing this, whether a corrupt bureaucrat’s clandestine bribery, a used
car salesman’s practiced fast-talk routine, or a cute little girl’s knack for whining until she
gets what she wants.
Use [Attribute]
Relevant Stat:As per the Relevant Stat of the Attribute.
Specializations:
None
Default Cost: 6 (see below)
This is a special skill intended for characters that make extensive use of an Attribute
whose Relevant Stat they’re deficient in. Use [Attribute] must be purchased separately for
each Attribute for which the character wants to receive a bonus to Stat checks.
Optionally, the cost of Use [Attribute] can be set to the cost per Level of whatever
Attribute it applies to, plus 2.
23
Defects
Defects And Bonus Points
Defects (known elsewhere by such diverse names as Disadvantages, Hindrances, Flaws,
Faults, etc.) are sometimes criticized as a game mechanic because some players like to try to
abuse them as a source of free character points. Some systems get this claim more frequently
than others, but since BESM’s defects generally provide only 1 or 2 points (out of 40+ for a
typical character) and Defects are meant to always be things that the character can’t control,
it’s not heard as often in reference to Tri-Stat.
• Advancement Penalty
If a player really seems to be ignoring a Defect, the GM might rule that the character is
effectively having the Defect removed, and withhold enough Advancement Points to make
up the BP value of the Defect.
• BP Limit
One easy way to keep Bonus Points under control is to simply set a limit on the number
of BP that a character can gain. Players can still select as many Defects as they want, but over
a certain threshold they no longer count towards more BP. Unless Defects are being used
extensively to modify the effects of Attributes, a BP Limit of 5 or 6 is appropriate for most
campaigns.
• Drama/Experience Point Rewards

When the optional rules for Drama Points or Experience Points are being used, a handy
mechanism is created for rewarding just about anything. If a character has a Defect that’s
going to come into play, the GM can give the player the option of either resisting it and
continuing on as normal, or succumbing to it but getting an extra point in the process.
Similarly, if the player voluntarily has his character do something significantly
disadvantageous on the basis of the effects of a Defect, a reward is in order. This approach
gives the players an incentive for playing out their Defects as much as possible. Especially in a
long-term campaign, the benefits of pushing a Defect to the limit can outweigh the extra
point or two gained from it, and players who don’t make their Defects matter simply don’t
get the points. Alternatively, these rewards could be the only benefit for taking Defects,
especially ones related to personality traits, with no BP gained during character creation.
• Drama Point Expenditure

If Drama Points are being used, characters might be able to overcome some Defects by
spending one.
• In-Game Significance
Like any character trait, Defects should come into play often enough to justify the points
involved. Just as a good GM gives the player characters challenges that reflect their
Attributes and Skills, making actual obstacles of Defects during the course of the game
(within reason) is important.
24
Bad Skill
Select one of the character's skills (or if you're not using the skill system, a given
activity); this defect causes them to be mind-numbingly bad at the skill, while still insisting
on trying. Regularly. Bad Skill at Cooking would produce inedible if not poisonous dishes,
Bad Skill at Computers would have the things exploding, Bad Skill at Gun Combat would
have them firing off wildly inaccurate shots (lots of them) and generally endangering
everyone around, and so forth.
1 BP Skill becomes useless.
2 BP Skill becomes downright dangerous.
Code of Honor
The character follows a strict code of honor, and breaking it would have serious
repercussions, whether because of consequences from outside, or consequences that the
honorable character will inflict on himself.
1 BP The code significantly limits the character and may lead him to harm. (Code of
Chivalry, Pirate’s Code, etc.)
2 BP The code severely limits the character, or could easily lead him to harm. (Bushido,
Three Laws of Robotics, Shinobi/Ninja code, etc.)
Combat Paralysis
Some characters just have a hard time reacting when combat starts, whether because of
fear, panic, or simply slow reflexes.
1 BP +2 penalty to Initiative.
2 BP +4 penalty to Initiative.
Limited Actions
A character with this attribute moves very slowly for some reason, and in combat doesn’t
get to act every turn. Some characters are this slow, but generally this defect is intended for
large, lumbering mecha.
1 BP The character only acts two turns out of every three.
2 BP The character only acts every other turn.
3 BP The character only acts one turn out of every three!
Limited Energy Restoration

Characters normally regain Energy Points equal to the average of their Mind and Soul
stats. A character with this Defect regains Energy more slowly, if at all. This defect should
not be allowed to characters who do not use Energy Points for something.
1 BP -2 Energy Points restored per hour.
2 BP Half the usual number of Energy Points per hour.
No Energy Points restored naturally! The character must gain energy from some
3 BP
outside source.
25
Obligation
A character with an Obligation has some task or responsibility that he or she must take
care of, to the detriment of his or her ability to handle the main activities of the campaign.
This could take the form of a part-time job, going to school, a sick relative who needs to be
cared for, a younger sibling or child who needs to be watched over, a high-maintenance pet, a
huge debt that has to be repaid over a long period of time, or anything else of that nature.
Obligation never applies to something that is the main point of the campaign; if all of the
player characters are in high school or work as police officers, those don’t count as
Obligations.
1 BP A significant obligation that takes away a fair amount of the character’s time, such
as a part time job, school, or a younger sibling that has to be looked after.
2 BP A major obligation that is always taking up a major portion of the character’s time,
such as a baby sibling, a full-time job, school with lots of club activities and cram
school after, etc.
Personality Flaw
The character has a flaw in their personality, something irritating if not outright
amazingly annoying to others. This Defect is not to be taken lightly; any flaw chosen is
beyond normal human proportions, especially in the 2 BP version. For Arrogance, a character
really will consider themselves to be the center of the universe. For Greed a character will
hoard every last penny possible, and then some. For Lechery a character will be... er... You
get the idea.
1 BP The personality flaw is severe but livable.
2 BP The personality flaw is the character's primary defining personality trait, and few (if
any) people can stand them because of it.
Weirdness Magnet
Odd stuff just tends to happen to the character. Though they might long for a normal
life, the strangeness just keeps on happening. The form that this takes depends on the
campaign, but can range from invading aliens stopping by, to demons coming for tea, to
strange martial artists challenging them to duels, to simply having strange bouts of luck.
1 BP Mild weirdness.
2 BP Extreme, inescapable weirdness.
26
Multipowers
A “multipower” is an attribute that provides characters with a pool of points that can be
spent on “sub-attributes.” BESM already includes several Attributes that can be considered
multipowers, notably Item of Power, Magic, Own A Big Mecha, and Servant (and to a lesser
extent Metamorphosis). Several of GoO’s licensed RPGs have also included setting-specific
multipowers, such as the “Jurai Power” and “Mass Power” attributes in the Tenchi Muyo!
RPG And Resource Book. BESM 2nd Edition already includes virtually every multipower that
could be useful on a universal basis, but it’s entirely possible to create new ones that are
specific to a particular style or game world.
Multipower Design Guidelines

• Balanced vs. Elemental
Broadly speaking there are two types of multipowers: balanced and elemental. The ones
that exist in BESM already are balanced multipowers; the extra points they provide are
balanced by some kind of limiting factor. Sub-attributes of the Magic attribute have an
energy cost, and OBM creates a vehicle that is subject to loss and requires repairs. Elemental
multipowers don’t bother with any significant balancing factors; they exist to codify a
particular type of special power in game terms. Elemental multipowers usually have a specific
set of Attributes that can be purchased as sub-attributes, not unlike how only certain
Attributes are appropriate for mecha; the aforementioned Jurai Power and Mass Power each
have a list of a dozen specific sub-attributes available. Generally speaking, a multipower
should never include another multipower as a sub-attribute.
Balanced multipowers can conceivably be used in any campaign, though new ones are
likely to be fairly specific in setting or style (such as the Cyborg multipower below).
Elemental multipowers should always be something that every player character in the
campaign can have access to, even if there are a few different ones available. Without
something to balance the discount, it becomes just plain unfair. A typical multipower
provides points for sub-attributes at a 2:5 ratio (10 points per 4 character points put into the
Attribute), allowing a character to more than double the points put into the multipower.
• Concept
Like everything else, a multipower starts with a concept of what it is and what it can do.
What kind of character uses this power, and how do they obtain it?
• Base Cost/Sub-Attribute Points

Multipowers usually cost 4 Points/Level, but the GM may set it lower for a multipower
that works on a smaller scale (Item of Power and Servant being good examples). Most
multipowers provide 5 points worth of sub-attributes for every 1 or 2 CP spent on the
multipower. Generally speaking a 1:5 ratio (such as how OBM provides 20 points per 4 CP)
is for things detached from the character that can be lost, stolen, or destroyed, and a 2:5 ratio
(such as how Magic provides 10 points per 4 CP) is for things that are a part of the character
but carry some kind of limitation. Characters can reduce the number of sub-attribute points
granted by taking off a number of character points from the cost. If the cost is 4 CP per 10
points, a character could take off 2 CP and 5 sub-attribute points.
27
• Drawbacks/Limitations
Magic has an Energy Point cost and OBM gives you a machine that requires maintenance
and can be blown up, so what does your new multipower have that justified the reduced cost
of the sub-attributes it provides? For elemental multipowers this isn’t necessary, but it pays
to think about what limitations logically should fit into the theme of the powers anyway.
• Perks
Multipowers sometimes provide some kind of special advantages, though usually minor
ones. Especially for elemental multipowers, perks are often simply something that it makes
sense for every character with that type of power to have.
• Available Attributes
The GM probably should restrict the attributes that can be bought as sub-attributes for a
multipower, and for an elemental multipower this is a must. This is partly a matter of
avoiding annoying rules complications and excessive bookkeeping (such as how a Servant
can’t have its own Servant or OBM), and partly to keep in line with what’s appropriate for
the multipower in story terms. If “Magical Girl Power” is going to be available, Super-
Strength is out of character, OBM is unnecessary (a Summonable mecha should be purchased
on its own), and Magic would be getting downright abusive. Particularly ambitious GMs can
even go so far as to modify the point costs of Attributes when they’re used as Sub-
Attributes. Characters with Magical Girl Power could Dynamic Sorcery costing 8 CP per
Level (still discounted, but not nearly as much). Points from a multipower should rarely if
ever be used to buy another multipower.
Sub-attributes from a multipower can potentially stack with normal character attributes
too, though it’s recommended that these cost more and/or have limited availability due to the
nature of the mutlipower. In the “Magical Girl Power” example, Appearance could be
available as a sub-attribute; if a magical girl already has Appearance 2 as a normal character
trait and takes Appearance 3 as a sub-attribute, she’ll have Appearance 5 when she
transforms, but Appearance 2 otherwise. For some multipowers it might even be appropriate
to include traits such as extra levels of Stats or Attributes like Damn Health! or Combat
Mastery as sub-attributes.
• Special Sub-Attributes
A multipower could even have very specialized sub-attributes available, reflecting either
abilities that are unique to that type of power or things that tweak its basic nature in certain
ways.
• Related Defects
Certain Defects such as Conditional Ownership, Magical Restrictions, and One-Way
Transformation are specifically meant to be paired with a given Attribute, adversely affecting
how it functions in some way. New multipowers can easily be taken with existing related
defects, or have new ones invented to allow them to be customized in new ways.
28
Example Multipowers
The following are some examples of different types of multipowers. None of these are
tied to one particular setting, but there also aren’t any that are as universal as a typical BESM
attribute is.
Cyborg
Relevant Stat:None
Type: Technological (Balanced Multipower)
The Cybernetic Body attribute was rendered obsolete as of BESM 2nd Edition; any
abilities a cyborg might have can easily be represented with various Attributes. However,
suppose we wanted to create a balanced multipower for cyborg characters, or at least cyborg
characters as they appear in a particular campaign world. This new Attribute is only
appropriate for characters whose bodies are mostly artificial, and the point break is justified
by the limitations of the nature of the cyborg’s artificial body, which has to be maintained
and repaired at a considerable expense.
• Cyborg Appearance
Cyborg characters are obviously partly artificial. Although they can be given realistic
artificial skin, and can appear quite beautiful in some cases, it’s very difficult for them to fully
conceal what they are. Their bodies are up to five times heavier than those of normal humans,
and even when made as human-looking as possible the artificial nature of their bodies shows
through in subtle ways.
• Longevity
One advantage of an artificial body is that since there aren’t any parts that can’t be
replaced it can be maintained almost indefinitely. With proper maintenance, a cyborg’s
lifespan is limited only by that of the human brain, which means living to the age of 120 or
more isn’t at all unusual.
• Maintenance
Cyborgs require regular maintenance, ranging from regularly cleaning and lubricating
joints to periodically replacing parts. This adds up to a considerable expense; cyborgs
generally have a job, are more or less owned by someone, or are very wealthy in order to keep
their bodies in good running condition.
• No Natural Energy Restoration

A cyborg character’s Energy Points don’t represent any kind of mystical energy, but
rather a reserve power supply used to run certain systems. As such it doesn’t get restored
with time; cyborgs must plug themselves into a power supply of some kind, allowing them to
regain 20 EP per hour.
• No Natural Healing
A cyborg’s artificial body can’t heal on its own, and must be repaired. This requires the
proper tools and in some cases replacement parts. Cyborgs with proper training may be able
29
to repair themselves, assuming the damage doesn’t interfere with their ability to properly
manipulate the tools and such. They cannot take attributes like Regeneration that restore
Health Points.
• Available Attributes
The special features of a cyborg body are mostly technological in nature, so most
Attributes that are appropriate for a mecha are also appropriate for a cyborg. Notable
exceptions are Artificial Intelligence, Extra Capacity, Mecha Regeneration, Mecha
Transformation, Summonable, Super-Transformation, and any Special Attribute that exceeds
the bounds of the campaign world’s technology level. This description assumes a near-
future/cyberpunk type of cyborg, but in other settings Attributes like Insubstantial or
Teleport might be appropriate.
• Related Defects
Hangar Queen and Volatile could be appropriate for cyborgs with more bleeding-
edge/experimental bodies. Given the cost of cybernetic enhancement, Owned By A
Megacorp is a common choice. A cyborg of cheap construction might have Bane,
representing (for example) vulnerability to water because of poor insulation.
• Remote Detonator is a Unique Defect where someone has the ability to send a signal
that will trigger an internal explosive placed close to the cyborg’s brain; for 1 BP they
are friendly, for 2 they’re hostile but find the character useful.
Level 1 Character receives 10 points for cyborg features.

Elemental Power
Relevant Stat:
None
Type: Paranormal (Elemental Multipower)
Some characters are born with the power to control one of the elements. The power has
to be either an inborn talent or the result of genetic tampering; it cannot be obtained
otherwise. Different individuals manifest it differently, and develop their own techniques for
using the particular elemental power they’ve developed.
This is an elemental multipower (put not intended), without any special drawbacks or
perks – just a list of specific sub-attributes available for each element. It’s intended for
campaigns where every character of note has this power. Look at anime series like
Elementalors and Tokyo Underground for examples of elemental powers.
A character with Elemental Powers must choose one element that he or she is able to
influence. Fire, Wind, Water, and Electricity are covered here, but the GM is encouraged to
work with players to devise lists of sub-attributes for other elements such as Earth, Gravity,
Ice, Light, Magnetism, and Sound that might appear in the campaign.
30
The table below lists the Attributes that can be taken as Elemental Powers. Every
Elemental Power sub-attribute must represent something accomplished through
manipulation of the character’s particular element. Special Attacks are always used to
represent the character using the element as a weapon, Flight involves in some way using that
element as a form of propulsion, etc. The only exception is Sixth Sense, which can be taken
for the purpose of sensing the use of elemental powers. An elemental character with Sixth
Sense (elemental powers) can detect the use of any element and its approximate location, but
not what type of element or power is being used.
All Elements
Force Field (made of element) Meld (element)
Metamorphosis (self, elemental form) Sixth Sense (elemental powers)
Special Defense (against own element) Telekinesis (element)
Transmutation (element) Weapon/Special Attack
Electricity
Flight Keyed Energy Restoration (electricity)
Fire
Flight Illusion (visual only; made from fire)
Water
Insubstantial (Liquid Form) Water Speed
Wind
Flight Insubstantial (Gaseous Form)
Level 1 Character receives 10 points for Elemental Powers.

Magical Girl Power

Relevant Stat:None
Type: Paranormal (Elemental Multipower)
This is a way to represent the abilities of a magical girl (mahou shoujo) in game terms,
specifically intended for campaigns where all of the player characters will be magical girls of
some kind. The quintessential example of this type of power in action is Sailor Moon, but
Pretty Sammy, Tokyo Mew Mew, and Wedding Peach are among the many magical girl series
whose heroines have similar powers*.
• Transformation
Magical girls created with this multipower must transform with the aid of an item in
order to access any of their powers. Until transformed they have no access to any of the sub-
attributes taken through Magical Girl Power, which means any magical abilities that are
*
On the other hand this is definitely not the only kind of “magical girl” seen in anime.
31
accessible without transforming should be taken as normal Attributes. Transforming takes

only one turn (though it seems longer to the audience), and it lasts until the character decides
to end it or runs out of Energy Points. The transformation puts the character into a cute,
girly costume; if the character isn’t a girl aged 10-14, they become one during the
transformation, and turn back when it’s over with. This gives them one additional level of
Appearance (more can be taken as a Sub-Attribute if desired).
When transformed, the character is always in her special costume. This outfit displays a
curious immunity to damage, and will always be more or less intact. Any damage done to the
costume will be superficial at most, and will be gone the next time the character transforms.
• Protected Identity
One of the unusual properties of the magical girl transformation is that it magically
protects the girl’s identity. Even though the transformation usually appears to amount to
little more than a change of clothes, some property of the magic prevents people from
realizing that the magical girl and her normal self are one and the same, no matter how similar
they might look. Fellow magical girls and other beings with magical powers can always see
through this protection, however.
• Gestures and Attack Phrases

Magical girls can’t help but be obvious about their powers. Their more powerful abilities
always require extensive gestures and incantations or attack phrases that must be shouted
out.
• Motivation Required
A magical girl who loses her faith in herself and the cause for which she fights will find
her powers diminished or even unavailable.
• Sub-Attributes
Magical Girl Power has a very specific list of what Attributes are available as sub-
attributes, some of which cost more than usual. Below is a list of the available sub-attributes;
those that cost more than usual are listed in italics.
Normal Attributes
Appearance (1/level) Divine Relationship (2/level)
Aura of Command (1/level) Energy Bonus (3/level)
Combat Mastery (4/level) Extra Attacks (6/level)
Damn Healthy! (3/level) Heightened Awareness (2/level)
Special Attributes
Dynamic Sorcery (8/level) Servant (1-2 points/level)
Environmental Control (2 or 4 points/level) Shape Change (2-3 points/level)
Exorcism (2 points/level) Shield (1 point/level)
Flight (3 or 4/level) Sixth Sense (1 point/level)
Healing (4 points/level) Special Defense (1 point/level)
Heavy Armor (5 points/level) Speed (2 points/level)
Illusion (2-6 points/level) Spirit Ward (1 point/level)
Item of Power (2 points/level) Telekinesis (2 or 4 points/level)
32
Jumping (1 point/level) Teleport (5 or 10 points/level)

Precognition (1-2 points/level) Weapon/Special Attack (1 or 4 points/level)
Reincarnation (3 points/level)
• Related Defects
Magical Girl Power often has Magical Restrictions attached to it, indicating additional
conditions that must be met in order to transform such as the presence of the magical girl’s
cute mascot character. The following are some additional Unique Defects.
• Dark Change: Some magical girls have been known to experience a phenomenon
known as the “dark change.” Their powers are based on a desire to help others and
spread the power of love (even if they themselves don’t realize it), and if their
motivations fall too far into darkness they’ll suddenly be overcome by a desire to
destroy. Magical girls who’ve gone dark in the past have been extremely dangerous,
so having the change will quickly attract people intent on stopping them. A magical
girl who has the dark change is filled with cruelty and a desire for wanton destruction,
and also gains Massive Damage at level 3 (+15 to damage). The GM may take control
of the character when the change happens, or the player could roleplay it. For 1 BP it
happens occasionally, while for 2 BP it can happen fairly easily.
• Random Transformation: Some transformations are unstable, and tend to turn on
and off at random times. For 1 BP the character can feel it coming a few minutes
beforehand and can make a Soul check to hold it off for up to an hour. For 2 BP the
character can feel it coming only a few seconds beforehand, and a successful Soul
check (with a +2 penalty) can hold it back only for up to a minute. When the random
transformation kicks in is up to the GM; it’s suggested that the GM roll a die every
now and then, and on a 1 to 3 have the character switch forms.
• Transformed Personality: Some magical girls literally become different people when
they transform into their heroic identities. This could be a personality shift caused by
the transformation, or an entirely separate personality that takes over, causing the
magical girl to become a totally different person. For 1 BP the alternate personality is
somewhat similar to the original character and they can get along, while for 2 BP
they’re very different to the point where they’re likely to have a strong dislike of each
other.
Level 1 Character receives 10 points for magical girl powers.

33

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BESM EX

A Netbook For Big Eyes, Small Mouth Second Edition (Version 1)

Chapter 2: New Rules....................................................................................................................... 14

What’s In This Book

Chapter 1: Using BESM

Effects and Causes

Twinkery and Munchkinism

• Degree of Success vs. Binary Rolls

• Degrees of Success In Combat

Doing Things (With Or Without Skills)

• Attributes/Defects and Stat/Skill Checks

Methods and Madness

Glossary of Game Terms

Advancement Points: In long-term Value. BESM uses binary rolls for

Chapter 2: New Rules

Roll-Over Action Resolution

Roleplaying and Social/Personality Character Traits

• Attributes and Skills

Increased Energy Restoration

Level 6 Character heals 20 Health Points per turn

Skill Ranks (Optional Rule)

Cyber- Hotrods Martial Medieval Modern Occult Space Teenage

• Drama/Experience Point Rewards

• Drama Point Expenditure

Limited Energy Restoration

Multipower Design Guidelines

• Base Cost/Sub-Attribute Points

• No Natural Energy Restoration

Level 1 Character receives 10 points for cyborg features.

Level 1 Character receives 10 points for Elemental Powers.

Magical Girl Power

accessible without transforming should be taken as normal Attributes. Transforming takes

• Gestures and Attack Phrases

Jumping (1 point/level) Teleport (5 or 10 points/level)

Level 1 Character receives 10 points for magical girl powers.

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