Genesys King of The Streets

K
ING OF THE
S TREE T S
Ver. 0.75
An Unofficial Supplement
for the Genesys RPG System
by Fantasy Flight Games
CREAT ING CHARACTERS
CHAPTER 1:
W elcome to King of the Streets, a setting of fast-

paced action, fantastical martial arts, furious feet
pay close attention for those changes.
and fists, and colorful, larger-than-life characters. This

is a world where global tournaments decide the greatest
Creating your Fighter
fighters in the world, and where these fighters are This section introduces the character creation and
massive celebrity figures. It’s a world of underground advancement options specific to the King of the Streets
martial arts competitions, grudges, deathmatches, and setting for Genesys. Character creation follows the
martial arts warlords seeking to rule the world by mas- standard process described in the Genesys Core
tering the power of their pure fighting spirit. Rulebook, with the addition of choosing a fighting
style during Step 3 (see page 40 of the Genesys Core
To generate characters for this game, you’ll need the Rulebook), and buying special moves and choosing a
Genesys core rule book as well as this document. There Super Move during Step 4 (see page 44 of the Genesys
are several rules adjustments unique to the setting, so Core Rulebook).
players familiar with the Genesys RPG system should
Select a Character Archetype
T he following pages present the archetype options
available when creating a player character for the
King of the Streets setting (see page 35 of the Genesys
Core Rulebook). Players should choose from these
options instead of those in the Genesys Core Rulebook.
The Natural
This archetype is for those fighters who manage
to do a little of everything and do it well. The
all-rounders, the Swiss army knives; rather than
build any one skill to the detriment of others,
they strive to maintain a balance in their training
and their fighting style.
All characteristics start at a 2, which means it
will be difficult to get any one characteristic to a 4 or
5, but likewise won’t have any lagging too far behind.
Likewise, both wound and strain thresholds are at the
average of 10.
Your character starts with more ranks in skills than
anyone else, owing to their determination to train for
any eventuality. This is also reflected in their special
ability, which basically gives your group an extra Story
Point whenever they need one. In addition, you start
with more experience points than any other arche-
type, allowing you to build your character to fit
any niche you desire. Just remember—character
creation is the only time you’re able to spend XP
on increasing characteristics!
Archetype Abilities
2 2 2 2 2 2
BRAWN Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

• Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
• Starting Experience: 110
• Starting Skills: The Natural starts with one
rank in each of two different non-career skills
at character creation. They obtain this rank
before spending experience points, and these
skills may not be increased above rank 2 during
character creation.
• Ready for Anything: Once per session as an
out-of-turn incidental, you may move one
Story Point from the GM’s pool to the players’
pool.
The Powerhouse goes against them through pure physical resilience and
a high tolerance for pain.
Offense is the best defense—a maxim used by countless
• Starting Skills: A Tanker starts with one rank
warriors, athletes, and champions through the millen-
in Resilience during character creation. They
nia, and the Power Striker embraces the concept to its
obtain this rank before spending experience
fullest. You should choose this archetype if you want to
points, and may not increase Resilience above
build a powerhouse character who either dishes out or
rank 2 during character creation.
can safely absorb large amounts of damage.
• Tough as Nails: Once per session, your charac-
This archetype starts with the Brawn characteristic
ter may spend a Story Point as an out-of-turn
at 3 and the Agility characteristic at 1. You’re stronger
incidental immediately after suffering a Critical
than average, but a little slower as well. Likewise, your
Injury and determining the result. If they do so,
wound threshold is higher than average, but your strain
they count the result rolled as “01.”
threshold is lower than average.
Finally, this archetype can choose between being a
Striker or a Tanker. Strikers can choose to deal more
damage by exposing themselves to greater risk, while
Tankers can shrug off critical injuries more easily than
any other character.
Archetype Abilities
3 1 2 2 2 2

• Special Abilities: Each type of Powerhouse has
its own special abilities, listed in the corre-
sponding entry.
Striker
Strikers are all about building strength for raw power.
They learn defense, but are more focused on dishing
out damage than taking it. They believe that endurance
isn’t as important if your enemy can’t stay standing long
enough to take a swing at you.
• Starting Skills: A Striker starts with one rank
in Athletics during character creation. They
obtain this rank before spending experience
points, and may not increase Athletics above
• Wild Swing: When making a close combat
attack, a Striker can choose to add to the
check to add +2 to the damage dealt by one hit
of that attack.
Tanker
Tankers know they’re going to get hit, and prepare for
the inevitable by training to absorb punishment with-
out slowing down. They win by outlasting anyone who
reaction times, and their raw speed allows them extra
The Dynamo flexibility in a fight, as they can simply do more in less
A Dynamo prizes speed and dexterity in com- time than others.
bat. They believe the best opponent is one who • Starting Skills: A Racer starts with one rank
can’t hit you, either because they’re too slow in Cool during character creation. They obtain
to keep up or because you’ve already landed a this rank before spending experience points,
dozen blows before they saw you coming. and may not increase Cool above rank 2 during
This archetype starts with the Agility char- character creation.
acteristic at 3 and the Brawn characteristic at 1. • Fleet of Foot: Racers can perform a second
You’re fast and nimble, but won’t be as strong as maneuver to move without suffering strain.
other fighters without extra training. Likewise, They still cannot exceed the limitation of two
your wound threshold is lower than average, maneuvers per turn.
due to your lithe frame but you have high strain
to show your strong endurance.
Finally, this archetype can choose between
being an Acrobat or a Runner. Acrobats are
extremely nimble and thus harder to hit in
combat, while Runners are extremely mobile in
a fight.
Archetype Abilities
1 3 2 2 2 2

• Starting Strain Threshold: 12 + Will-
power
• Special Abilities: Each type of Dynamo
has its own special abilities, listed in the
corresponding entry.
Acrobat
The Acrobat trains for agility, emphasizing
defense and fast movements. They are experts at
dodging and deflecting blows, and make up for
a lack of raw strength with precision attacks and
rapid strikes.
• Starting Skills: An Acrobat starts with
one rank in Acrobatics during character
creation. They obtain this rank before
spending experience points, and may
not increase Acrobatics above rank 2
during character creation.
• Nimble: Acrobats have a melee
and ranged defense of 1.
Racer
Racers are all about speed. They
have sharp reflexes and sharper
The SHOWOFF
Showoffs live for the limelight. They’re flashy, fancy, and
fun, and value panache over efficiency. They don’t just
want to win, they want to look good doing it. They love
fighting for a crowd, pulling off unbelievable feats, and
garnering fame (or infamy) for their skills. Embarrass-
ing their opponent is icing on the cake.
This archetype starts with the Presence charac-
teristic at 3 and the Intellect characteristic at 1. You
have a strong way with people, but are prone to taking
action without thinking things through. You begin with
a slightly above-average strain threshold and lower
wound threshold, representing the stamina to attempt
truly stunning moves.
The Showoff ’s special ability allows them to use
their Personality characteristic in place of any skill. It
represents their gift for using charm and charisma to
solve problems. It’s only usable once per session, but in
the right moment could make all the difference.
Archetype Abilities
2 2 1 2 2 3

• Starting Skills: The Showoff starts with one
rank in either Charm or Deception during
character creation. They obtain this rank before
spending experience points, and may not
increase the chosen skill above rank 2 during
character creation.
• Force of Personality: Once per session, your
character may spend a Story Point as an inci-
dental. If they do so, during the next check they
make during that turn, you count their ranks in
the skill being used as equal to their Personality.
ence between success and failure on a critical check.
The Strategist Archetype Abilities
The Strategist fights with their head, using their
cunning and intelligence to outwit opponents,
luring them into traps, countering their attacks, 1 2 3 2 2 2
or misdirecting their movements. A Strategist
character approaches combat like a game of • Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
chess, believing a good plan well executed can
bring down even the biggest foe. • Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
This archetype starts with the Intellect char- • Starting Experience: 100
acteristic at 3 and the Brawn characteristic at 1. • Starting Skills: The Strategist starts with one
You use your mind to solve problems, but that rank in Perception during character creation.
comes at the expense of some physical power. They obtain this rank before spending experi-
Both wound and strain thresholds are at the ence points, and may not increase Perception
average of 10. above rank 2 during character creation.
The Strategist’s special ability focuses on • Clever: Once per session, your character may
their skill at turning their mind into a weap- spend a Story Point as an incidental. If they do
on, allowing them to count ranks in any so, during the next check they make during
skill as equal to their Cunning. While it only that turn, you count their ranks in the skill
works once per session, it can mean the differ- being used as equal to their Intellect.
Your character starts with ranks in the Weapons
The Technician skill, and gains this skill as a permanent class skill.
The Technician is a fighter who won’t just rely on skill This allows access to incredible special attacks fueled
and physical aptitude—they add gadgets, weapons, and by the weapons and utilities they wield. Further-
more to the mix. Some Technicians believe in ancient more, their extensive studies have led them to be
ways, mastering sword or staff as an extension of their very knowledgeable and good with the maintenance
body. Others are modern gadgeteers, using bombs, and crafting of their weapons and devices, granting
drones, energy nets, grappling hooks and more to gain them bonuses to all Mechanics and Knowledge skill
the edge over their foes. checks.
A Technician starts with the Cunning character-
istic at 3 and the Personality characteristic at 1. Your
Archetype Abilities
cleverness and sharp wit came at the expense of your
people skills. You begin with a slightly 2 2 2 3 2 1
above-average strain threshold BRAWN Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
and lower wound threshold, • Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn

granting a better chance at de-
ploying more tech or weapon • Starting Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower
swings in battle. • Starting Experience: 100
• Starting Skills: The
Technician starts with one
rank in Weapons, and
gains Weapons as a career
skill. They obtain this
rank before spending
experience points, and
Weapons may not be
increased above rank
2 during character
creation.
• Inspiration: A
Technician adds automat-
ic a to the results of any
Mechanics or Knowledge
checks they make.
The Enhanced
In the world of King of the
Streets, humanity has begun to
truly transcend their natural limita-
tions. The Enhanced are characters who
have undergone treatments to either augment
their bodies with cybernetic upgrades or to modify
their genetics to unlock new heights of human
capability.
This archetype starts with all characteristics at 1
and is given almost double the starting experience
points of other archetypes so you can choose exactly
how your character has been augmented. This grants
a degree of flexibility other archetypes won’t enjoy.
Just remember—character creation is the only time
you’re able to spend XP on increasing characteristics!
Finally, this archetype can choose between
being a Cyborg or a Gene-Mod. Cyborgs may
choose any one cybernetic augmentation
without reducing their strain threshold, while
Gene-Mods are exceptionally gifted at physical
activities.
Archetype Abilities
1 1 1 1 1 1
• Starting Wound Threshold: 11 +

Brawn
• Starting Strain Threshold: 9 + Will-
power
• Special Abilities: Each type of En-
hanced has its own special abilities,
listed in the corresponding entry.
Cyborg
Anyone with any cybernetic enhancements is
considered a “Cyborg.” You may only have one
robotic arm, cybereyes, or you may have had
whole swaths of your body rebuilt from the
ground up—you could even use this arche-
type to build a true robot with a human-level
AI. Whatever the case, their new form makes
them something more than they had been
before. Rather than a defect or handicap, they
are transcending their limitations.
• Starting Skills: A Cyborg starts with
one rank in Mechanics during charac-
ter creation. They obtain this rank be-
fore spending experience points, and
may not increase Mechanics above
• Augmentation: During character
creation, you may select any one
cybernetic augmentation for free (see
pg. --). This augmentation does not
reduce your strain threshold.
• Starting Skills: After selecting their career,
Gene-Mod your Gene-Mod character may train one rank
Gene-Mods have gone through extensive in six of the eight career skills (instead of the
genetic therapy to alter their physical bodies at usual four).
a molecular level. They may be stronger, faster, • Perfected Physique: Gene-Mods are unaf-
smarter, or more beautiful than the average fected by toxins and poisons, are immune to
person. They are almost universally more hale disease, and excel at physical activities. They
and hearty, resisting sickness and poison to an remove from all Athletics and Acrobatics
uncanny degree. checks.
The Mystic Ki Fighters learn to manipulate life-force and harness
their fighting spirit, gaining Ki Mastery as a class
This archetype is for the fighter who knows there are skill and honing their physical bodies to their peak.
forces beyond our understanding. They have studied the Arcanists learn even more ancient arts, casting ancient
ways of magic and mysticism, either the natural life forc- spells with the Arcana skill and developing deep wells
es of Ki within their bodies and the world around them, of mental resolve.
or the arcane forces of true magic.
This archetype starts with the Willpower charac- Archetype Abilities
teristic at 3 and the Presence characteristic at 1. You’re
strong-willed and determined, but your studies often 2 2 2 2 3 1
force you to remain in solitude. You begin with average BRAWN Agility Intellect Cunning Willpower Presence
strain and wound thresholds, balancing the development
of body and spirit to survive • Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn
the forces you seek to wield. • Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
Mystics must choose • Starting Experience: 100
to focus on being a Ki
• Special Abilities: Each type
Fighter or an Arcanist.
of Mystic has its own spe-
cial abilities, listed in
the correspond-
ing entry.
Ki Fighter Arcanist
Ki Fighters have learned to feel the flow of life energy Arcanists are sorcerers, witches, and wizards—practi-
through themselves and the world around them. tioners of mystic arts long thought pure fiction. They
They can use that power to enhance their bodies or hone their mental skills to unleash a variety of energies
release it as bolts of energy. Ki powers become an and conjurations on unsuspecting opponents, relying
amazing compliment to their martial arts, creating on the sharpness of their mind to keep them in the fight
legendary warriors. long after normal combatants would have collapsed
• Starting Skills: A Ki Fighter starts with one from strain.
rank in Ki Mastery during character creation, • Starting Skills: An Arcanist starts with one
and gains Ki Mastery as a career skill. They rank in Arcana during character creation and
obtain this rank before spending experience gains Arcana as a career skill. They obtain this
points, and may not increase Ki Mastery rank before spending experience points, and
above rank 2 during character creation. may not increase Arcana above rank 2 during
• Endurance: Once per encounter, a Ki Fighter character creation.
may remove up to from any one Resil- • Force of Will: Once per session, your charac-
ience check. ter may spend a Story Point as an incidental.
If they do so, during the next skill check they
make during that turn, your character doubles
the strain they inflict or the strain they heal
(you choose before making the check).
Choose a Career
T his section introduces new careers specific to the
King of the Streets setting. They represent the most
common backgrounds for player character fighters
a factory worker to an auto mechanic, electrician,
construction worker, or trash collector. They could also
be a no-nonsense worker who has no time for anything
when they begin their adventures. The following ca- but the job at hand, or a creative craftsperson who
reers take the place of those described in the Genesys delights in building something innovative.
core rulebook. A Blue Collar worker counts the following skills as ca-
reer skills: Athletics, Coercion, Discipline, Knowledge
Careers (Streetwise), Mechanics, Perception, Resilience, and
Vigilance. Before spending experience during charac-
Adventurer ter creation, a Blue Collar worker may choose four of
The Adventurer lives a life of danger. Chasing thrills, their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.
exploring the world, getting into trouble as often as
possible. Adventurers might be vigilantes, wandering Entertainer
from town to town setting things right, or they could For the Entertainer, the whole world really is a stage.
be thrill-seekers always looking for their next challenge. Whether artists, actors, musicians, or professional
The Adventurer counts the following skills as career athletes, they make their living brightening the days of
skills: Athletics, Cool, Deception, Driving, Knowl- others. However, there can be a lot more to these in-
edge (Streetwise), Knowledge (World), Skullduggery, dividuals than meets the eye, as some Entertainers use
and Survival. Before spending experience during char- their acting skills to cover more serious agendas.
acter creation, an Adventurer may choose four of their The Entertainer counts the following skills as career
career skills and gain one rank in each of them. skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Charm, Cool, Deception,
Discipline, Skullduggery, and Stealth. Before spend-
ing experience during character creation, an Entertain-
Blue Collar er may choose four of their career skills and gain one
A Blue Collar worker can be anyone who works in rank in each of them.
skilled trades or manual labor. This can range from
ing skills that they’ve made it their career. Pro Fighters
Law Enforcement include boxers, pro wrestlers, MMA champions, and all
Whether police officers, private security, or intelligence manner of tournament competitors. They could even
agents, Law Enforcement characters make service and be off-circuit street fighters who make a living in shady
protection of others their life’s work. Equal parts inves- clubs and illegal cash matches. While all PCs in King of
tigator and combatant, they know everything there is to the Streets are dedicated to being the best, a Pro Fighter
know about dealing with criminals and underworld fig- depends on it for their livelihood. Fighting isn’t just
ures. They do their jobs at great personal risk, but they their passion, it’s their way of life.
have the strength and courage to carry on regardless.
The Pro Fighter counts the following skills as career
Law Enforcement counts the following skills as skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Coercion, Cool, Disci-
career skills: Athletics, Coercion, Deception, Insight, pline, Insight, Knowledge (The Circuit), and Resil-
Knowledge (Military), Knowledge (Streetwise), ience. Before spending experience during character
Perception, and Vigilance. Before spending experience creation, a Pro Fighter may choose four of their career
during character creation, Law Enforcement may choose skills and gain one rank in each of them.
four of their career skills and gain one rank in each of
them.
Scoundrel
The Scoundrel’s business is crime in all forms. Whether
Leader swindling, burgling, or running a complicated con, the
The Leader focuses on leading and directing their Scoundrel has the skills needed to separate marks from
fellows, as well as interacting with others. Leaders have their money and valuables. A Scoundrel could be a cat
a knack for taking charge and overseeing a situation, but burglar, con artist, or quick-draw specialist, or just a
their methods of leadership can vary wildly. A Leader smooth-talking person who cheats at cards.
can be a kind and caring boss, a soft-spoken politician,
The Scoundrel counts the following skills as career
or a military commander who believes in absolute
skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Charm, Cool, Deception,
discipline.
Knowledge (Streetwise), Skullduggery, and Stealth.
The Leader counts the following skills as career Before spending experience during character creation,
skills: Charm, Coercion, Cool, Discipline, Knowledge a Scoundrel may choose four of their career skills and
(Military), Knowledge (World), Leadership, and Per- gain one rank in each of them.
ception. Before spending experience during character
creation, a Leader may choose four of their career skills
and gain one rank in each of them.
Socialite
Socialites are the consummate social butterflies, at
ease in any interactions involving talking to someone
Monk else. Whether a rich debutante in the highest circles of
Monks are devotees of a spiritual calling. This can be society or a good-natured bartender who knows every-
religious or philosophical. Some gather in cloisters, oth- one’s name, a Socialite can get along with anyone and
ers in isolated monasteries. These monks are specifically everyone. More importantly, they always know how to
those whose spiritual pursuits have led them to master get the best out of any social interaction.
their Ki energy. This could represent a soft-spoken priest
The Socialite counts the following skills as career
who channels life energy to heal the wounded, or a rag-
skills: Charm, Cool, Deception, Knowledge (Histo-
ing battle-monk who smites enemies with brilliant blue
ry), Knowledge (Streetwise), Knowledge (World),
balls of power. In any case, Monks are devout believers
Perception, and Vigilance. Before spending experience
in something greater than themself.
during character creation, a Socialite may choose four
The Monk counts the following skills as career skills: of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.
Athletics, Discipline, Ki Mastery, Knowledge (Lore),
Medicine, Perception, Resilience, and Vigilance.
Before spending experience during character creation,
Soldier
a Monk may choose four of their career skills and gain Soldiers are warriors through and through. At home on
one rank in each of them. the battlefield, they know everything there is to know
about surviving the horrors of combat—and making
Pro Fighter sure the opposition doesn’t. Whether your Soldier is in-
fantry, special forces, or a mercenary for hire, the basics
Pro Fighters are so committed to perfecting their fight-
of a career member of the military never really change.
Vagabond
The Soldier counts the following skills as career
skills: Athletics, Coercion, Insight, Knowledge (Mil- The Vagabond wanders the earth, surviving in wilder-
itary), Leadership, Perception, Survival, and Vigi- ness and urban settings alike. Vagabonds tend to excel
lance. Before spending experience during character at surviving in difficult conditions, and they often are
creation, a Soldier may choose four of their career skills pretty good at keeping a low profile. Vagabonds may be
and gain one rank in each of them. former military, gruff and unsociable hunters, or people
who just prefer to see the world at the speed of their
Student two feet.
The Student is someone for whom school, or simply The Vagabond counts the following skills as career
education, is still their primary activity. They are often skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Knowl-
in a place where they’re still defining themselves. They edge (Streetwise), Knowledge (World), Perception,
might be college students who fight on the weekends to Stealth, and Survival. Before spending experience
earn tuition money, or high schoolers who sneak out during character creation, a Vagabond may choose four
on a school night to prove themselves in secret matches of their career skills and gain one rank in each of them.
against rival schools.
Wizard
The Student counts the following skills as career
skills: Charm, Computers, Deception, Knowledge The Wizard is a practitioner of ancient arts of sorcery.
(History), Knowledge (Technology), Knowledge Some like to drape themselves in all the trappings of
(World), Perception, and Stealth. Before spending their ancient arts, appearing as one would expect of a
experience during character creation, a Student may master of the mystic arts. Others appear no different
choose four of their career skills and gain one rank in from anyone on the street. However, the forces they
each of them. wield give all Wizards an aura of seeming somehow
unusual or odd—as if anyone they meet is inherently
THUG uneasy being so close to the arcane.
Thugs are a different kind of professional fighter; they The Wizard counts the following skills as career
make their way through life by being the biggest, skills: Arcana, Coercion, Discipline, Knowledge
toughest, and most intimidating people in a room. (Lore), Leadership, Skullduggery, Stealth, and Vig-
Some are street toughs working for ganglords, others ilance. Before spending experience during character
might be bouncers, enforcers, or guards. A Thug isn’t creation, a Wizard may choose four of their career skills
automatically a dumb brute; they just know that the and gain one rank in each of them.
key to their success lies
in the image of over-
whelming physicality
they present.
The Tough counts
the following skills as
career skills: Athletics,
Coercion, Deception,
Knowledge (Street-
wise), Perception,
Resilience, Skulldug-
gery, and Vigilance.
Before spending experi-
ence during character
creation, a Thug may
choose four of their
career skills and gain
one rank in each of
them.
Select a Fighting Style
I n the world of King of the Streets, a competitor’s style
says a lot about who they are. Whether you fight
with whirling kicks, slow, powerful punches; whether
Choosing a Style
Now that you know what fighting styles do, you’re
you leap and tumble around your opponents or simply going to select one style for your character. This is the
wade forward into the fray like a plow, deciding how only time you choose a fighting style for your character,
your character will fight is central to deciding what sort and once you make this choice, the choice is perma-
of character you’re building. nent. There’s no way to switch styles partway through
the game.
You can think of your fighting style as how your
character expresses themselves in combat. What style However, remember that almost all fighters respect
matches the sort of personality you envision your char- flexibility. You are free to purchase ranks in combat
acter having? What sort of moves do you imagine them skills outside your chosen style to fine-tune your char-
performing, and what style do those moves fit into? acter’s abilities and methods.
Styles can also speak to your character’s history: what
drove your character to learn to fight in this particu-
lar way? Was it a matter of convenience—there was a
school nearby and they wanted to learn—or did they
Fighting Styles
seek it out? Did they have a master, or were they self-
taught? Did they learn to fight for sport or survival?
Boxing
Boxing began in ancient history as brutal duels to the
Remember that, while this list is broad and diverse,
death for the entertainment of kings and has since
it is by no means comprehensive. There are hundreds
evolved into a professional sport with very specific and
of hand-to-hand combat styles in the world! You are
formalized rules. Boxers attack exclusively with punch-
recommended to come up with a specific variation of
es and tend to rely on brute force, using light footwork
whichever style you choose, so that you aren’t simply a
to dodge opponents’ attacks.
master of kickboxing—you’re a master of Mui Thai. You
aren’t just a wrestler, you use SAMBO. Boxers add Athletics, Coercion, Punch, and Resil-
ience to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these
You can also make up fictional styles to suit your
skills and gain one free rank in each without spending
character’s background. Your character could be a
starting experience.
master of karate—or they could be a master of Den-
kendo: The Way of the Electric Fist! You can bring your Boxers exist at all weight classes, from nimble strik-
own ideas to the table, or you and the GM can work ers to hulking bruisers. They are frequently seek fame
together to flesh out where you’re character’s fighting and fortune in the ring, where the goal is to drop your
style comes from. opponent in as few rounds as possible. The faster the
KO, the greater the glory.
Bonus Career Skills Example Fighters: T.J. Combo (Killer Instinct),
The fighting style you choose serves a secondary Heavy D, Vanessa (King of Fighters), Balrog, Dudley
purpose as well—combat skills. While your character’s (Street Fighter), Steve Fox (Tekken)
career gives a range of broad skills to choose from, your
fighting style will grant you four additional career skills Brawling
that represent the particular way that style behaves in
combat. Brawlers aren‘t formally trained in fighting. There are
no “schools” for brawling; no specific techniques, no
After you select a fighting style, choose two of its ancient masters. Brawlers figure out how to fight by
four career skills. Your character starts the game with fighting a lot and paying attention to what works. They
one rank in each of those two skills without spending also tend to absorb almost as much punishment as they
XP. If these skills are duplicates of career skills already dish out. Brawlers‘ don’t mind taking a punch in order
gained through your career, it is possible to raise their to give one back, and so naturally become tougher and
starting rank to 2 in this stage. Remember, though, that more resilient with every fight.
no skill may be raised above rank 2 during character
creation. Brawlers add Grapple, Knowledge (Streetwise),
Punch, and Resilience to their class skills. They may
choose 2 of these skills and gain one free rank in each Commando
without spending starting experience.
Commando training covers a wide variety of disciplines
Brawlers come from all walks of life. There are no taught to military and law enforcement professionals,
common personality traits among them, with one including cops, soldiers, special ops troopers, and mer-
exception: they love to fight. Maybe they go looking for cenaries. Military-grade hand-to-hand training tends
action, maybe action always seems to find them, but to be exceedingly pragmatic, aimed at incapacitating an
nobody becomes an expert brawler unless they enjoy opponent as efficiently as possible, while being able to
the act of fighting enough to keep doing it until they endure a great deal of punishment in return.
become expert at dishing out pain.
Commandos add Cool, Grapple, Kick, and Punch
Example Fighters: Terry Bogard (Fatal Fury), Cody to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these skills
(Final Fight), K’, Shen Woo (King of Fighters), Birdie and gain one free rank in each without spending start-
(Street Fighter), Miguel (Tekken) ing experience.
Capoeira Commandos are disciplined and extremely dedicat-
ed. They are the elite fighting forces of their countries,
Capoeira is a martial art of African and Brazilian origin
willing to give their lives to protect others. This can
developed by slaves as a way to train in combat secretly.
often make them bullheaded and stubborn, unwilling
It combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music,
to compromise their mission or their honor.
delivering quick and complex moves using speed and
leverage for a wide variety of kicks, spins, and highly Example Fighters: Bayman, Leon (Dead or Alive),
mobile techniques. Ralf Jones, Leona Heidern (King of Fighters), Sonya
Blade, Stryker (Mortal Kombat), Guile, Cammy (Street
Capoeirista add Acrobatics, Deception, Kick, and
Fighter)
Punch to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these
starting experience. Jeet Kun Do
A true performer’s fighting style, the heart of the Jeet Kun Do (“Way of the Intercepting Fist”), often
style is the ginga, a back-and-forth, rhythmic danc- abbreviated as JKD, is a hybrid martial art system and
ing movement that serves as the starting point for all philosophy of life born of the belief that a fighting
attacks. Dancing the ginga can mislead and deceive “style” is by its nature rigid and unrealistic; that real
opponents, rhythmically parry and counter attacks, or combat is spontaneous and unpredictable. A com-
give stable foundation for powerful, acrobatic strikes. batant, then, should base their fighting methods on
the strengths and weaknesses of whichever opponent
Example Fighters: Lisa (Dead or Alive), Bob Wil-
they’re facing. To contain a truly expert fighter within
son, Richard Meyer (Fatal Fury), Elena (Street Fighter),
Eddie Gordo, Christie Monteiro (Tekken)
one style would be like trying to contain a gallon of Jujutsu masters tend to be patient, reactive fighters,
water in a napkin—this is the “style of no style.” studying their opponent and their surroundings for
Practitioners add Acrobatics, Insight, Kick, and any openings they can use to their advantage. Their
Punch to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these philosophy of combat may extend to social interaction
skills and gain one free rank in each without spending as well, waiting to speak until the perfect moment.
starting experience. Example Fighters: Geese Howard (Fatal Fury),
JKD practitioners are often drawn to the style either Kasumi and Ryuhaku Todoh (King of Fighters), Nina
for its flashy moves and acrobatics or for its ideology of and Anna Williams (Tekken)
contemplation and adaptation. Thus, masters can vary
wildly from showboats and glory-hounds to thoughtful Karate
martial philosophers and sages, or anything in-be- Karate is a martial art tracing its origins to the 14th
tween. century and is considered the quintessential Japanese
Example Fighters: Jann Lee (Dead or Alive), Moe fighting form. It is primarily a striking hand-to-hand
Habana (King of Fighters), Johnny Cage (Mortal Kom- form, emphasizing punches and kicks; deflecting
bat), Fei Long (Street Fighter), Marshall Law (Tekken) attacks to launch devastating counters. It is a balanced
style capable of great power in the right hands.
Jujutsu Karateka add Discipline, Grapple, Kick, and
Jujutsu is an ancient Japanese technique designed to al- Punch as additional class skills. They may choose 2
low an unarmed combatant to take down fully armored of these skills and gain one free rank in each without
samurai. Aikido, Judo, and Hapkido all derived from or spending starting experience.
drew inspiration from this form. Jujutsu avoids directly Karate originated in Okinawa, but has spread wide-
confronting force with force, instead using the momen- ly. There are dozens of styles and variations taught in
tum and power of an enemy against them with a series hundreds of dojo across the world. As a result, karateka
of grapples, throws, and crippling locks. characters could cover a diverse range of archetypes,
Practitioners add Discipline, Grapple, Insight, and from the lone-wolf wanderer to the plucky student or
Punch to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these the charismatic entertainer. Players are encouraged to
skills and gain one free rank in each without spending name a style of Karate for their characters—either real
or fictional—to set them apart from generic karateka Example Fighters: King (Art of Fighting), Zack
and give a sense of unique history for their moves. (Dead or Alive), Joe Higashi (Fatal Fury), Adon, Sagat
Example Fighters: Ryo, Robert, Takuma, Yuri (Art (Street Fighter), Bryan Fury, Katarina Alves (Tekken)
of Fighting), Ein, Hitomi (Dead or Alive), Ryu, Ken,
Sakura, Makoto (Street Fighter), Heihachi & Kazuya Kung Fu
Mishima, Jin Kazama (Tekken) The term “kung fu” is practically a catch-all term for
“Chinese martial arts,” in which case it encompasses
Kickboxing around 1,500 different styles based on a broad range
of philosophies and theories. There are animal forms
Kickboxing, as its name implies, relies heavily on kicks (tiger, crane, leopard, snake, and dragon), the Shaolin
of all sorts in combination with a crisp, in-and-out box- form of ancient monks, Wing Chun, Tai chi, and, of
ing technique. Usually, punching attacks lead into or course, the Drunken Fist. These fighters are light on
help set up the more devastating kicks of the discipline, their feet and make flowing, stylized movements as
and a heavy emphasis is placed on blocking attacks. Ki they deliver hard striking attacks.
blasts are not at all unusual for very advanced practi-
tioners. They train their bodies to endure a great deal of Practitioners add Acrobatics, Discipline, Kick, and
punishment; using shins and forearms to block teaches Punch to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these
to fight through pain. skills and gain one free rank in each without spending
Kickboxers add Discipline, Kick, Punch, and Re-
silience to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these Kung Fu masters can fit any archetype, though their
skills and gain one free rank in each without spending choice of this art often leads them to take an interest in
starting experience. ancient lore and mythology. Many of the greatest Kung
Fu warriors have become myths in their own right.
There are many schools of kickboxing across the
world—Yaw Yan in the Philippines, Savate in France, Example Fighters: Leifang (Dead or Alive), Jago
Lethwei in Myanmar, Muay Lao in Laos, and of course (Killer Instinct), Chin Gentsai (King of Fighters), Liu
Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport. Fighters are Kang, Kung Lao (Mortal Kombat), Chun Li, Gen, Yun
similarly diverse in their motivations but kickboxers and Yang (Street Fighter), Lei Wulong (Tekken)
are often drawn to the style for its overwhelming power
potential.
Ninjutsu A relatively recent form, TKD was developed in
the mid-20th century in Korea, but has gained broader
Ninja are feared as assassins, vicious fighters and popularity in competitive circles for its use of speed and
masters of stealth. More an art of tricks than an actual agility to trump raw power. The fighting stance of TKD
martial art, Ninjutsu includes methods of both armed is completely relaxed and peaceful, conserving energy
and unarmed combat, gathering information, deceit for sudden strikes. This methodology is often reflected
and subterfuge. in the personality of fighters who master this style—re-
Ninja add Grapple, Kick, Punch and Stealth to maining calm until the very moment action is required.
their class skills. They may choose 2 of these skills and Example Fighters: Rig (Dead or Alive), Kim
gain one free rank in each without spending starting Kaphwan (Fatal Fury), Jhun Hoon (King of Fighters),
experience. Juri (Street Fighter), Baek Doo San, Hwoarang (Tek-
All ninja belong to a clan, for only these ancient ken)
orders can teach the arts. Players may still be members,
by blood or by oath, or they may have split from their Wrestling
clan. The clan may be large or small—it may consist Wrestling may be the oldest system of unarmed com-
only of your character and their master! In any case, bat, and today it is present in many forms: Japanese
this family is an essential part of their background and Sumo, Russian SAMBO, classical Greco-Roman wres-
will shape much of the person they have become. Some tling, Shoot fighting/MMA, and of course pro-wres-
of the most ancient orders can even impart super- tling, whether the testosterone-laden American style,
natural skills, from which come the legends of ninja the high-flying stunts of masked Mexican luchadors, or
who could fly, turn invisible, control the elements, or the often brutal world of Japanese puroresu.
summon animals to their side. How much of this is fact
Wrestlers add Acrobatics, Athletics, Grapple, and
or fiction remains unclear.
Punch to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these
Example Fighters: Eiji Kisaragi (Art of Fighting), skills and gain one free rank in each without spending
Ryu Hyabusa, Hitomi, Akane (Dead or Alive), Mai starting experience.
Shiranui (Fatal Fury), Guy, Maki (Final Fight), Sub-Ze-
Needless to say, wrestlers specialize in grappling
ro, Scorpion (Mortal Kombat), Ibuki (Street Fighter),
moves, though they seldom use these exclusively. In
Yoshimitsu (Tekken)
general, wrestlers tend to be strong, tough charac-
ters that make good use of brute force. They go in for
Tae Kwon Do bone-crunching throws and terribly painful submission
Tae Kwon Do combines combat and self-defense moves but, depending on the particular character, can
techniques with an emphasis on speed and agility. It mix in luchador-style high-flying moves.
is characterized by head-height kicks, jumping and Example Fighters: Nina and Bass (Dead or Alive),
spinning kicks, and lightning-fast techniques. To facil- Raiden, Blue Mary (Fatal Fury), Hugo, Mike Haggar
itate fast-turning kicks, Tae Kwon Do generally adopts (Final Fight), Angel, Goro (King of Fighters), Zangief,
stances that are narrower and hence less-stable that the E. Honda, R. Mika (Street Fighter), King, Craig Marduk
broader, wide stances used by martial arts forms like (Tekken)
Karate. In exchange, the fighter is incredibly fast and
mobile—including being able to throw kicks after full
540° spinning leaps.
Practitioners add Acrobatics, Cool, Discipline, and
Kick to their class skills. They may choose 2 of these
SK ILLS
CHAPTER 2:
TAble 2-1: Complete Skill List

W hether leaping across rooftops while chasing
a fleeing opponent or dueling a Ki-powered
warlord on a rain-slicked cliffside, we expect your
Combat Skills
Grapple
Characteristic Source
Brawn KOTS pg --
character to do exciting and dangerous activities in the Kick Brawn KOTS pg --
course of their adventures. Whether those exciting and Punch Brawn KOTS pg --
dangerous actions succeed or fail is determined by your FX Skills Characteristic Source
character’s skills. Arcana Intellect KOTS pg --
This section introduces new skills specific to the Ki Mastery Willpower KOTS pg --
King of the Streets setting. Table 2–1: Complete Skill Weapons Cunning KOTS pg --
List includes both these new skills and the skills from
the Genesys Core Rulebook that are used in this set- SOCIAL SKILLS Characteristic SOURCE
ting. Charm Presence GCRB pg 54
Coercion Willpower GCRB pg 55
General Skills Deception Cunning GCRB pg 56
T
Leadership Presence GCRB pg 56
his group of skills represents the majority of the
actions your character attempts, and is probably KNowledge SKILLS Characteristic SOURCE
the broadest category of skills in the game. The Circuit Intellect KOTS pg --
History Intellect KOTS pg --
Acrobatics (Agility) Lore Intellect KOTS pg --
In the course of adventures, characters sometimes find Military Intellect KOTS pg --
themselves needing to stay stable on unsteady surfaces, Streetwise Intellect KOTS pg --
crawl through narrow openings, or even land safely af- Technology Intellect KOTS pg --
ter a fall. Overcoming these types of challenges requires World Intellect KOTS pg --
a sense of balance and a heightened degree of flexibility,
both of which are represented by the Acrobatics skill. General SKILLS Characteristic SOURCE
Acrobatics serves as a measure of your character’s flexi- Acrobatics Agility KOTS pg --
bility, sure-footedness, and hand-eye coordination. Athletics Brawn GCRB pg 58
Computers Intellect GCRB pg 58
Your character should use this skill if…
Cool Presence GCRB pg 59
• Your character tries to swing back and forth on
Discipline Willpower KOTS pg --
a rope or rappel down a structure.
Driving Agility GCRB pg 54
• Your character walks across a narrow surface Insight Cunning KOTS pg --
while trying to keep their balance.
Mechanics Intellect GCRB pg 60
• Your character tries to squeeze into a tiny or Medicine Intellect GCRB pg 61
cramped space such as a crawlspace, sewer Perception Cunning GCRB pg 62
pipe, air duct, or narrow crevice.
Piloting Agility GCRB pg 62
• Your character falls and needs to try to slow the Resilience Brawn GCRB pg 63
fall or land safely.
Skullduggery Cunning GCRB pg 64
• Your character needs to escape from physical Stealth Agility GCRB pg 64
restraints (such as handcuffs or ropes) and Survival Cunning GCRB pg 65
wants to contort their limbs or hands so that
Vigilance Willpower GCRB pg 65
they can slip out of their bindings.
Your character should not use this skill if…
• Your character tries to climb up or down a
rope or climb up a structure. This activity relies
more on strength than agility, and calls for an Your character should use this skill if…
Athletics check instead.
• Your character confronts something terrifying
• Your character falls from a short height or onto and wants to avoid fleeing in horror (or to
something soft enough that they won’t suffer avoid other debilitating effects of fear).
damage when they land, or is in any similar sit-
• Your character tries to keep their sanity in the
uation that has no consequences for failure (is
face of something that defies reality and ratio-
lowered down a structure in a firmly secured
nal thought.
harness, for example.)
• Your character wants to heal strain they are
DISCIPLINE (Willpower) suffering from at the end of an encounter.
Discipline is your character’s ability to focus their mind • Your character wants to meditate, calm their
and quiet their thoughts. Discipline represents your mind, and reach a mental equilibrium.
character’s maintaining self-mastery and focus, specif- • Your character needs to activate the special
ically. Your character also uses Discipline to overcome properties of certain Ki abilities.
fear or terror and stay calm in the face of the horrify-
ing. In addition, Discipline represents your character’s Your character should not use this skill if…
mental fortitude to resist threats or coercion, or to • Your character tries to keep their composure in
disobey orders. Finally, Discipline is used to focus the a social setting and avoid letting their emotions
mind and channel your body’s Ki flow, strengthening show. Your character would make a Cool check
certain Ki abilities. instead.
• Your character catches a lie as it is being told.
Noticing a lie depends on your character’s
Vigilance.
Insight (Cunning)
On the fighting circuit, your character will face a wide
variety of enemies and opponents. Insight represents
their ability to watch an enemy and glean infor-
mation about how they think, act, and fight. Use
Insight to determine your opponent’s fighting
style or how they were trained. If an enemy
shows signs of having learned a rare technique,
Insight helps you recognize and analyze the
technique so you can be better prepared to defend
yourself. Insight can be used to see through a feint,
though it only works while you’re in a fight. Insight
won’t help you against an ambush, sneak attack, or to
see through deceptions in conversation. It can, howev-
er, be used in conversation to glean information about
a target’s motivation.
• Your character wants to know in-
formation about the moves an opponent is
using.
• Your character wants to know the
fighting style, archetype, or career of
an enemy.
• Your character is defending
against a feint or deception in
combat.
• Your character tries to learn
someone’s motivation. • Your character wants to secure a spot on a
fighting tour or in a tournament bracket.
• Your character just got ambushed or surprised.
Use Vigilance instead. • Your character wants to know how an oppo-
nent’s special techniques work. That’s better for
• Your character is searching for something or
an Insight or Knowledge (Lore) check.
examining a room, place, or object. Use Percep-
tion instead. • Your character wants to convince a manager to
represent him or earn the respect of other fight-
• Your character is being lied to or tricked in a
ers. Those would require social skill checks.
conversation. Use Vigilance for this, too.
The skills at the table so you can always have some-
thing to contribute to every session.
History
This broad-based Knowledge skill covers all aspects
of world history. In the context of King of the Streets,
Knowledge Skills however, this will also include the alternate history that
K nowledge skills let you make characters who are

smarter than you are. They give your character a
measure of expertise in aspects of the world of King
led to a world of Ki-blasting, cybernetically-enhanced,
genetically modified super fighters; a world where cit-
izens gather by the millions to watch televised tourna-
of the Streets that you couldn’t be expected to have on ments of celebrity martial artists fight tooth-and-nail in
your own. That way, if your character needs to know technologically advanced arenas of the future. How did
who to contact in order to secure a spot in the World we get here? Make a Knowledge (History) check.
Martial Arts Tournament, they can make a Knowledge
(The Circuit) check and pick up the phone even if the
player has no idea where to begin. • Your character wants to know about the signifi-
cance of a place, person, or thing.
As a note, this is by no means an exhaustive list of
all possible Knowledge skills. That would be impossible! • Your character wants to know how a certain sit-
If a player has an idea for an area of expertise beyond uation came to be or how cultural norms were
those listed here, and it seems specific (and useful!) established in a region.
enough to see a lot of playtime, GMs are encouraged to
allow the creation of new Knowledge categories.
• Your character wants to know how some piece
The Circuit of technology or mysticism works. That’s a
Technology or Lore check.
Knowledge (The Circuit) covers the world of profes-
sional fighting and beyond. If you want to know what • Your character needs to contact an important
the highest-paying tournaments are, how to qualify for figure. History might help you know who is
a fight, who the good managers are, where the arenas and isn’t important in a historical context, but it
are at, who the biggest fighters are, and more, this is won’t help you strike up a conversation.
the skill for you. Knowledge of the Circuit also confers
some second-hand rumors about street fighters and Lore
underground fight clubs, though detailed information The Knowledge (Lore) skill is for a different kind of
and contacts in that world would be more suited for the history—the secret kind. Lore is the domain of secret
Knowledge (Streetwise) skill. societies, ancient mystical orders, arcane wonders,
Your character should use this skill if… Ki powers, wizards, monks, demons and more. Lore
covers a knowledge of things both true and false—some
• Your character wants to find a manager for lore really happened, some is just myth, but both can be
their fighting career. useful in different ways.
• Your character wants to know what people are
saying about other pro fighters, or research an
opponent before a match. • Your character wants to know the history and
meaning of a particular supernatural ability or
• Your character wants to know more about the
power (such as Ki attacks).
history or significance of a particular arena or
tournament. • Your character wants to know if a region has
any history of arcane events.
• Your character wants to know the background and services, and other information crucial for making
of a particular secret organization or mystic their way in the seedy underbelly of a major city.
sect.
• Your character wants to know if someone’s
• Your character looks for a merchant who sells
grand claims of supernatural power are based
black-market goods or illegal services.
in known reality or not.
• Your character wants to understand particular
Your character should not use this skill if… references or slang in a conversation.
• Your character wants to cast a spell or throw a • Your character tries to find their way around an
fireball. Lore is the knowledge of how things unfamiliar city.
work, not the ability to work them.
• Your character needs to know a more general
point of history. Lore only covers mythical and • Your character tries to approach criminals and
arcane matters. start up a conversation without appearing like
an outsider or a threat.. Though Knowledge
Military (Streets) might be helpful, that would ultimate-
ly require the Deception skill.
If you want your character to be an expert in military
tactics, warfare, important military figures, and the
weapons and tools of war, take Knowledge (Military).
Technology
This skill also applies to various law enforcement Characters will often need to interact with high-
agencies such as police, special forces, and intelligence ly advanced tech in this setting. Some of it will be
agencies. computerized, but when that tech is a device such as a
weapon, cybernetics, or advanced science, you’ll want
Your character should use this skill if… the Knowledge (Technology) skill to know what you’re
• Your character wants to know what tactics an doing. This skill is also used by characters with the Tech
enemy force is likely to use in a battle. skill to maintain special abilities and powers of their
• Your character wants to know what an enemy gear.
agent is likely to know and how they were likely Your character should use this skill if…
to have been trained by their agency.
• Your character wants to know what a high-tech
• Your character wants to know how a particular device is capable of.
military or law enforcement agency operates.
• Your character wants to know how to operate a
• Your character wants to know how a particular piece of advanced machinery.
military vehicle or weapon operates and if it has
• Your character wants to sustain the effects of
any known weaknesses.
Tech powers and abilities over multiple rounds.
• Your character wants to shoot a gun or drive
• Your character wants to activate Tech powers
a tank. This is a knowledge skill, not a combat
and abilities. That requires the Tech skill.
skill.
• Your character wants to shoot a BFG. Knowl-
• Your character needs to pretend to be an officer
edge (Technology) tells you how it works,
to sneak into a base. Though Knowledge (Mil-
but aiming and firing successfully requires a
itary) might be helpful, that would ultimately
Ranged attack check.
require the Deception skill.
Streetwise World
One significant feature of the King of the Streets setting
Some call it the “school of hard knocks,” while others
is that characters come from all over the world. It
refer to it as “street smarts” or “gut instincts,” but in all
would be helpful, then, to have a broad working knowl-
cases, Knowledge (Streetwise) is your character’s ability
edge of geography and world cultures. If you agree with
to survive and thrive in rough and dangerous urban
that sentiment, Knowledge (World) is for you. Invest
areas. If your character has ranks in Streetwise, they
ranks in this skill to know increasingly specific details
know how criminals tend to operate, which locations
about sociology, politics, international relations, and
to avoid after dark, where to go to obtain illicit drugs
cultural anthropology. • Your character fights with a projectile weapon
or a thrown weapon. If your character targets
Your character should use this skill if… someone not at arm’s reach, they should use the
• Your character wants to know something about Weapons skill.
where a target is from.
• Your character wants to recognize someone’s Kick
nation of origin based on their speech and The legs have much more power potential than the
behavioral patterns. arms and kicks are capable of dealing incredible dam-
• Your character needs to know how to dress and age. This skill allows your character to strike opponents
behave to blend in with locals. with their feet or knees, roundhouse kicks, flying kicks,
spinning back-heels, and more.
• Your character wants to know the history of a
region. This skill is more about current events • Your character wants to attack an enemy using
and trends, not history. their feet, heels, or knees.
• Your character wants to know how to find • Your character wants to use a Move that re-
underground black markets, shady figures, or quires the Kick skill to activate.
other criminal enterprises. That’s a Knowledge
(Streetwise) check.
• Your character wants to grab or entrap an
• Your character wants to know where popular
enemy with their legs. A submission or throw
fighting arenas are in a given country. That’s
attack that uses the legs is still a Grapple check.
more likely a Knowledge (The Circuit) check.
• Your character fights with a projectile weapon
Combat Skills or a thrown weapon. If your character targets
someone not at arm’s reach, they should use the
C ombat skills feature prominently in King of the

Streets. This is a game of over-the-top martial
Weapons skill.
combat, after all. Basically, when your character needs Punch

to punch, kick, throw, or shoot somebody, they use a
combat skill to do so. They determine both how likely The most basic of all attacks, the Punch skill encom-
you are to hit with certain kinds of attacks and how passes all attacks with your character’s arms—whether
much damage you’ll deal if you do. using the fist, elbow, or shoulder. While not always as
powerful as a kick, punches are more reliable and don’t
leave you as open for counterattacks if you miss.
Grapple
This skill is used for grabbing, pinning, and throwing Your character should use this skill if…
an opponent. It is the primary skill of wrestlers, but • Your character wants to attack an enemy with
most fighters will want some ability to grab and throw their fist, elbow, or shoulder.
their opponents, if only for the fact that Grapple moves • Your character wants to use a Move that re-
tend to do heavy damage and grant more control over quires the Punch skill to activate.
the flow of combat by moving your opponent around
the field of battle—either by bullrushing them, tossing Your character should not use this skill if…
them, tripping them, or some other means. • Your character wants to grab or entrap an
Your character should use this skill if… enemy before punching them. A submission or
throw attack that includes punching the enemy
• Your character wants to pin, grapple, or hold is still a Grapple check.
someone.
• Your character fights with a projectile weapon
• Your character wants to use a Move that re- or a thrown weapon. If your character targets
quires the Grapple skill to activate. someone not at arm’s reach, they should use the
Your character should not use this skill if… Ranged skill.
• Your character wants to punch or kick some-
body, or use a weapon against an engaged
target. These actions have their own skills.
FX Skills •
of wounds or disease.
Your character attempts to communicate with
T hese skills are a unique subset that include mag-
ic, Ki energy, and both traditional and high-tech
equipment and gadgets used in combat. For more
animals or gain the cooperation of natural
forces.
details on their specific uses, see the Special Effects • Your character wants to enhance their physical
rules (pg. --). prowess, jump incredible distances, or tempo-
rarily sharpen their sensory perception.
Arcana Your character should not use this skill if…
The Arcana skill represents your ability to manipulate • Your character wants to cast a spell to trans-
magical energies, whether they are the fundamental mute objects, summon creatures, or create
forces of nature or power drawn from an unnatural runic circles of protection. Ki isn’t magic—you
source. Magic is used to cast spells and identify sources need the Arcana skill for that.
of magic in the world. It also includes your general
• Your character tries to counter an enemy’s spell.
knowledge of magic and its function.
Your character should use this skill if… Weapons
• Your character wants to throw a fireball at a This broad skill is for characters who use high-tech gear
group of enemies. and gadgets and those who specialize in fighting with
• Your character tries to use a crystal ball to weapons. This can include everything from traditional
see the future or observe the movements of a warriors who fight with swords, halberds, maces and
distant target. the like to gunslingers and riflemen to fighters with cy-
bernetic enhancements or special devices and gizmos.
• Your character attempts to summon a magic It doesn’t cover all uses of gear or equipment—only
barrier to block a passage. those that are either directly connected to their weap-
• Your character wishes to curse a foe and bring ons and technological enhancements, or those that
misfortune on their actions. relate to a character’s typical suite of abilities. Batman’s
utility belt would fall under the Weapons skill, but his
Your character should not use this skill if… crime lab, Batmobile, and supercomputer would not.
• Your character attempts to heal an ally.
• Your character wants to enhance the power of
their own body using its own natural energy. • Your character wants to carry guns, swords, or
other weaponry beyond their bare fists and feet.
• Your character wants to create energy effects
that are undetectable by scrying or other arcane • Your character wishes to purchase cybernetic
means. enhancements that have special properties
beyond simply replacing lost body parts.
Ki Mastery • Your character seeks to use flashbangs, gre-
nades, nets, grappling hooks, flamethrowers, or
Ki is the name for a naturally generated energy that
other kinds of gadgets and utilities.
springs from the life-force of all living things. This skill
allows you to manipulate this web of energy to create Your character should not use this skill if…
incredible effects, from enhancing your own strength • Your character attempts to deliver a brutal
and physical prowess to healing wounds and summon- punch or kick with a cybernetic body part.
ing energy attacks comprised of pure life energy. For
most practitioners, this is completely different from • Your character needs a vehicle or other piece of
magic, but many others see little practical distinction large, heavy or otherwise significant equipment.
between the alleged sources of the wondrous effects • Your character wants to carry food, drink, or
worked by sorcerers and sages. other perishables in their utility belt or cyber-
netic compartment.
• Your character wants to use their Ki to hurl
energy bolts, add flaming power to punches, or
blast Ki lightning from their fingertips.
• Your character needs to heal themself or others
TALENT S
CHAPTER 3:
T
you may spend aaa or t to use this talent to knock
his section introduces new talents specific to the
the target prone and move them up to one range band
King of the Streets setting. These talents, along with
away from your character.
those listed in Table 3–1: Complete Talent List, on
page 85, can also be used in other settings should the
GM and players desire. Challenge!
Tier: 1
Tier 1 Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: Yes
Animal Expertise Once per encounter, your character may use this talent
Tier: 2 to choose a number of adversaries within short range
Activation: Passive no greater than your character’s ranks in Challenge!
(a minion group counts as a single adversary for this
Ranked: Yes
purpose). Until the encounter ends or your character
Add per rank of Animal Expertise to all checks when is incapacitated, these adversaries add to combat
interacting with beast or animals (including combat checks targeting your character and to combat
checks). checks targeting other characters.
Bad Cop Combat Analysis

Tier: 1 Tier: 1
Activation: Passive Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes Ranked: No
May spend aa from a Deception or Coercion check When making a Grapple, Kick, or Punch check, your
to upgrade ability of a single ally’s subsequent Social character may use Intellect instead of Brawn.
Interaction check against the target a number of times
equal to ranks in Bad Cop. EX Parry
Brace Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Tier: 1
Ranked: Yes
Activation: Active (Maneuver)
When your character uses the Parry maneuver, your
Ranked: Yes
character may reduce one additional damage per rank
As a maneuver, the character may Brace himself. This of EX Parry. This talent can only be used once per hit.
allows a character to remove per rank of Brace from
the next skill check based on changing conditions,
inclement weather, unstable surfaces, zero gravity,
Finesse
heavy gravity, or other disruptive physical obstacles that Tier: 1
would make a skill check more difficult. Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
Bullrush When making a Grapple, Kick, or Punch check, your
Tier: 1 character may use Agility instead of Brawn.
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No
When your character makes a Grapple, Kick, or Punch
combat check after using a maneuver to engage a target,
TAble 3-1: Complete Talent List
Combat Skills Tier Activation Ranked Source
Acrobatic Dodge 5 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Ambush 3 Active (Maneuver) No King of the Streets
Animal Companion 3 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 77
Animal Expertise 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Arcane Awakening 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Anticipate Attack 3 Active (Maneuver No King of the Streets
Backstab 3 Active (Action) No King of the Streets
Back-to-Back 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Bad Cop 1 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Blilndsense 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Body Guard 3 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets
Body Guard (Improved) 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Body Guard (Supreme) 5 Passive No King of the Streets
Bought Info 1 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 72
Brace 1 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets
Bullrush 1 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Can’t We Talk About This? 4 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 79
Careful Planning 4 Active (Action) No King of the Streets
Center of Being 3 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets
Center of Being (Improved) 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Challenge! 1 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets
Clever Retort 1 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No GCRB pg. 73
Command 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Combat Analysis 1 Passive No King of the Streets
Conduit 4 Active (Maneuver) No King of the Streets
Combat Analysis 1 Passive No King of the Streets
Coordinated Assault 2 Active (Maneuver) Yes GCRB pg,. 75
Counteroffer 2 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 75
Crushing Blow 5 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Daring Pilot 2 Active (Incidental) Yes GCRB pg. 75
Deadeye 4 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 79
Dedication 5 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 81
Defensive Driving 4 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 80
Defensive Stance 2 Active (Maneuver) Yes GCRB pg. 75
Defensive Sysops 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 73
Defensive Sysops (Improved) 2 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 76
Defensive 4 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 80
Desperate Recovery 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 73

TAble 3-1: Complete Talent List (Continued)
Dirty Tricks 2 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Disarming Smile 3 Active (Action) Yes King of the Streets
Disorient 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Dodge 3 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Yes GCRB pg. 78
Durable 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 72
Eagle Eyes 3 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 78
Enduring 4 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 80
EX Attack 3 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
EX Counter 3 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No King of the Streets
EX Parry 1 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Yes King of the Streets
Exploit 2 Active (Incidental) Yes King of the Streets
Explosive 3 Active (Incidental) Yes King of the Streets
Fearsome Rep 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Fearsome 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Feint 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Field Commander 3 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 78
Field Commander (Improved) 4 Passive No GCRB pg. 80
Finesse 1 Passive No King of the Streets
Forager 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 73
Formation Tactics 3 Active (Action) No King of the Streets
Freerunning 2 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Freerunning (Improved) 3 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Full Throttle 3 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 78
Good Cop 1 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Grit 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 73
Harass 3 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Hard Headed 2 Active (Action) Yes King of the Streets
Heightened Awareness 2 Passive No GCRB pg. 76
Heroic Recovery 2 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Heroic Will 3 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No GCRB pg. 79
How Convenient! 4 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 80
Indomitable 5 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No GCRB pg. 81
Informant 3 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Inspiring Leadership 5 Active (Action) No King of the Streets
Inspiring Rhetoric 2 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 76
Inspiring Rhetoric (Improved) 3 Passive No GCRB pg. 78
Inspiring Rhetoric (Supreme) 4 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 80
Iron Body 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets

Jump Up 1 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 73
Knack for It 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 73
Let’s Ride 1 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 74
Lethal Blows 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Life or Death 3 Passive No King of the Streets
Lucky Strike 2 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 76
Mad Inventor 4 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 80
Master Exploder 5 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Master 5 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 81
Maximize FX 3 Active (Incidental) Yes King of the Streets
Natural 3 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 79
One with Nature 1 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 74
Outside the Box 3 Passive No King of the Streets
Outwit 2 Active (Out of Turn) No King of the Streets
Overbalance 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Overcharge 4 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 80
Overcharge (Improved) 5 Passive No GCRB pg. 81
Painkiller Specialization 3 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 79
Physical Training 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Precision 1 Passive No King of the Streets
Proper Upbringing 1 Active (Incidental) Yes GCRB pg. 74
Quick Strike 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 74
Rage Mode 2 Active (Maneuver) No King of the Streets
Rapid Reaction 1 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Yes GCRB pg. 74
Reckless Charge 2 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Reflexive Barrier 4 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No King of the Streets
Resolve 4 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Respected 1 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Retribution 5 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No King of the Streets
Ricochet Effect 5 Active (incidental) No King of the Streets
Ruinous Repartee 5 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 81
Scathing Tirade 2 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 77
Scathing Tirade (Improved) 3 Passive No GCRB pg. 79
Scathing Tirade (Supreme) 4 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 81
Second Wind 1 Active (Incidental) Yes GCRB pg. 74
Sense Emotions 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Shapeshifter 1 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Shapeshifter (Improved) 2 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets

Shortcut 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Shortcut (Improved) 3 Passive No King of the Streets
Side Step 2 Active (Action) Yes GCRB pg. 77
Signature Special 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Signature Special (Improved) 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Sorry About the Mess 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Spiritual Awakening 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Staggering Blow 1 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Steady Aim 4 Passive No King of the Streets
Street Smarts 4 Active (Action) Yes King of the Streets
Stunning Blow 2 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Stunning Blow (Improved) 3 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Surgeon 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 74
Swift 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 75
Thorough Assessment 5 Active (Action) No King of the Streets
Thug Thrasher 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Toughened 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 75
Tumble 1 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Ultra Combo 4 Active (Maneuver) No King of the Streets
Unrelenting 4 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets
Unremarkable 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 75
Unstoppable 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Weapons Training 2 Passive No King of the Streets
Well Rounded 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets
Whirlwind 5 Active (Action) No King of the Streets
Good Cop When making a Grapple, Kick, or Punch check, your

character may use Cunning instead of Brawn.
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive Respected
Ranked: Yes Tier: 1
May spend aa from a Charm or Negotiation check Activation: Passive
to upgrade ability of a single ally’s subsequent Social Ranked: Yes
Interaction check against the target a number of times
equal to ranks in Good Cop. When first acquired, choose one social group. The
character downgrades the difficulty of checks to interact
Precision with members of that social group a number of times
equal to his ranks in Respected. The social group
Tier: 1 affected must be approved by the GM, but possibilities
Activation: Active (Incidental) include institutions of higher learning, law-enforcement
agencies, a street gang, etc.
Ranked: No
Shapeshifter Command
Tier: 2
Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Ranked: No
Add per rank of Command when making Leadership
When your character is incapacitated due to having
checks. Affected targets add to Discipline checks for
exceeded their strain threshold while in their nor-
next 24 hours.
mal form, they undergo the following change as an
out-of-turn incidental: they heal all strain, increase
their Brawn and Agility by one to a maximum of 5 Dirty Tricks
and reduce their Intellect and Willpower by one to Tier: 2
a minimum of 1. They deal +1 damage with close
combat attacks and their close combat attacks have a
maximum Critical rating of 3, but they cannot use FX Ranked: No
skills or make ranged attacks. Your GM should ensure After your character inflicts a Critical Injury on an
that NPCs react appropriately to this (at the very least, adversary, they may use this talent to upgrade the diffi-
upgrading the difficulty of social skill checks twice). culty of that adversary’s next check.
Your character reverts to their normal form after eight
hours or if they become incapacitated (for instance, by
exceeding their wound or strain threshold).
Disorient
Tier: 2
Staggering Blow Activation: Passive
Tier: 1 Ranked: Yes
Activation: Active (Incidental) After hitting with combat check, may spend aa to
disorient target for number of rounds equal to ranks in
Ranked: No
Disorient.
When your character uses a Punch or Kick move
against a minion or rival, you may spend aaaa or
t to stagger the target until the end of the target’s next
Distracting Behavior
turn. Tier: 2
Tumble Ranked: Yes
Tier: 1 Make a Distracting Behavior maneuver and suffer strain
Activation: Active (Incidental) no greater than ranks in Cunning. Until the beginning
of next turn, equal number of engaged NPC’s suffer h
Ranked: No
on checks. Range increases with additional ranks.
Once per round on your character’s turn, they may suf-
fer 2 strain to disengage from all engaged adversaries. Exploit
Tier 2 Tier: 2
Arcane Awakening Ranked: Yes
Tier: 2 When your character makes a Grapple, Punch, or Kick
check, they may suffer 2 strain to use this talent to
Activation: Passive
add the Ensnare quality to the attack. The rating of the
Ranked: No Ensnare quality is equal to your character’s ranks in
Knowledge (Lore) and Arcana are now career skills for Exploit.
your character
Fearsome
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
When an adversary becomes engaged with the char- Rage Mode
acter, the character may force the adversary to make a
Tier: 2
fear check, with the difficulty equal to the character’s
ranks in Fearsome. Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Freerunning Once per encounter, your character may use this talent.
Tier: 2 Until the end of the encounter or until they are in-
Activation: Active (Incidental) capacitated, your character adds saa to all melee
combat checks they make. However, opponents add s
Ranked: No to all combat checks targeting your character. While in
Suffer 1 strain when making a Move maneuver to move rage mode, your character cannot make ranged combat
to any location within short range. checks.
At the end of the encounter (or when they are inca-
Hard Headed pacitated), your character suffers 6 strain.
Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Action)
Reckless Charge
Tier: 2
Ranked: Yes
When staggered or disoriented, perform the Hard
Headed action; make a Daunting ( ) Discipline Ranked: No
check to remove status. Difficulty reduced per rank of After using a maneuver to move engage an adversary,
Hard Headed. your character may suffer 2 strain to use this talent.
They then add sshh to the results of the next
Heroic Recovery Punch, Kick, or Grapple combat check they make this
Tier: 2 turn.

Sense Emotions
Ranked: No
Tier: 2
When your character acquires this talent, choose one
Activation: Passive
characteristic. Once per encounter, you may spend one
Story Point to use this talent to have your character heal Ranked: No
strain equal to the rating of the chosen characteristic. Add to all Charm, Coercion, and Deception checks.
Outwit Shapeshifter (Improved)

Tier: 2 Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No Ranked: No
After an opponent targets you with an attack and miss- Once per session, your character may make a Hard
es, may spend d or hhh to deal automatic damage
to the opponent equal to your Intellect. This damage ( ) Discipline check as an out-of-turn incidental
ignores soak. either to trigger Shapeshifter or to avoid triggering it
when they exceed their strain threshold.
Physical Training Shortcut
Tier: 2
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Ranked: Yes
Add per rank of Physical Training to Acrobatics,
Athletics and Resilience checks. During a chase, add per rank in Shortcut to any
checks made to catch or escape an opponent.
Signature Special Thug Thrasher
Tier: 2
Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Ranked: No
Your character adds to his close combat checks when
When your character gains this talent, decide on a
engaged with multiple opponents and to close
signature special power for them, consisting of a par-
combat checks when engaged with multiple minions.
ticular Ki, Arcana, or Weapon action with a specific set
This includes single groups of multiple minions.
of one or more effects. When your character uses their
signature special (consisting of the exact combination
of action and effects previously chosen), reduce the Unstoppable
difficulty of the check by one. Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Spiritual Awakening Ranked: No
Tier: 2
If a Critical Injury roll is 1 or reduced to 1, do not
Activation: Passive receive the critical injury.
Ranked: No
Discipline and Ki Mastery are now career skills for your Weapons Training
character. Tier: 2
Activation: Passive
Stunning Blow Ranked: No
Tier: 2
Knowledge (Technology) and Weapons are now career
Activation: Active (Incidental) skills for your character
Ranked: No
While making Punch or Kick combat checks, may
inflict damage as strain instead of wounds. This does
not ignore soak.
this talent. Choose one ally engaged with your charac-
Tier 3 ter; until the end of your character’s next turn, upgrade
the difficulty of all combat checks targeting that ally a
Ambush number of times equal to the strain suffered.
Tier: 3
Center of Being
Tier: 3
Ranked: No
Once per round while benefiting from cover, may
Ranked: Yes
perform the Ambush maneuver. Add damage equal to
Stealth skill to one hit of next successful combat check Your character may perform a Center of Being maneu-
against a target within short range before the end of the ver. Until the beginning of your character’s next turn,
turn. whenever an enemy makes a melee attack targeting
them, the critical rating of the enemy’s weapon counts
Anticipate Attack as 1 higher per rank of Center of Being.
Tier: 3
EX Attack
Tier: 3
Ranked: No
Once per turn, may perform the Anticipate Attack ma-
Ranked: No
neuver to add your Intellect as a bonus to your melee
and ranged defense until the start of your next turn. Once per round on your character’s turn, your charac-
ter may suffer 3 strain to use this talent to add damage
Backstab equal to their ranks in Discipline to one hit of a success-
ful close combat attack.
Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Action) EX Counter
Ranked: No Tier: 3
Your character may use this talent to attack an unaware Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
adversary using a Punch or Kick move. A Backstab is a
Ranked: No
melee attack, and follows the normal rules for perform-
ing a combat check (see page 101 of the Genesys Core When your character uses the Counter maneuver to hit
Rulebook), using the character’s Skullduggery skill an attacker, they may also activate a move quality for
instead of Punch or Kick. If the check succeeds, each the move they used as if they had generated aa on a
uncanceled s adds +2 damage (instead of the normal combat check using that move.
+1).
Explosive
Blindsense Tier: 3
Tier: 3 Activation: Active (Incidental)
Activation: Passive Ranked: Yes
Ranked: Yes When your character makes an attack with a move that
As long as your character can hear, you may ignore has the Blast quality, you may spend one Story Point to
setback imposed by darkness or blindness within short use this talent to trigger the move’s Blast quality, instead
range. Each additional rank increases range. of spending a (even if the attack misses).
Body Guard Disarming Smile

Tier: 3 Tier: 3
Activation: Active (Maneuver) Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: Yes Ranked: Yes
Once per round, your character may suffer a number of Take the Disarming Smile action; succeed at an op-
strain no greater than their ranks in Body Guard to use
posed Charm check against a target within short range Heroic Resilience
to lower all defenses of a target by ranks in Disarming
Tier: 3
Smile until the end of the encounter.
Fearsome Rep Ranked: Yes
Tier: 3 Immediately after being hit by an attack but before
Activation: Passive suffering damage, spend 1 Story Point to increase soak
by ranks in Resilience.
Ranked: Yes
Add a to results of Coercion checks equal to ranks in Informant
Fearsome Rep.
Tier: 3
Feint Activation: Active (Incidental)
Tier: 3 Ranked: No
Activation: Passive Once per session, may reveal a contact who can shed
light on a chosen subject.
Ranked: Yes
Spend t or aaa generated on a missed close Intimidating
combat attack to upgrade difficulty of opponent’s next
Tier: 3
attack targeting character by ranks in Feint.
Formation Tactics Ranked: Yes
Tier: 3 May suffer a number of strain to downgrade difficulty
Activation: Active (Action) of Coercion checks, or upgrade difficulty when targeted
by Coercion checks, by an equal number. Strain suf-
Ranked: No fered this way cannot exceed ranks in Intimidating.
Make a Hard ( ) Leadership check. If successful,
choose a number of allies within short range equal to Iron Body
s generated. Upgrade the difficulty of attacks against Tier: 3
these allies once until the end of your character’s next
turn. Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Freerunning (Improved) Remove per rank of Iron Body from Acrobatics, Ath-
Tier: 3 letics, and Resilience checks. Reduce the critical rating
Activation: Active (Incidental) of close combat attacks by 1 per rank of Iron Body (to a
minimum of 1).
Ranked: No
Your character must have purchased the Freerunning Lethal Blows
talent to benefit from this talent. Suffer 4 strain when Tier: 3
making a move maneuver to move to any location
within medium range. Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Harass Add +10 per rank of Lethal Blows to any Critical Injury
Tier: 3 results inflicted on opponents.
Ranked: No
Shortcut (Improved)
Tier: 3
Whenever the character’s animal companion makes a
successful combat check against a target, it may forgo Activation: Passive
inflicting damage to upgrade the difficulty of the tar- Ranked: No
get’s next check once instead.
Your character must have purchased the Shortcut talent Center of Being (Improved)
to benefit from this talent. When engaging in a chase
Tier: 4
or race, may suffer 2 strain to add s equal to ranks in
Shortcut to the check. Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Stunning Blow (Improved) Suffer 1 Strain to use a Center of Being maneuver as an
Tier: 3 incidental.
Ranked: No
Combo Breaker
Tier: 4
Your character must have purchased the Stunning Blow
talent to benefit from this talent. When dealing strain Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
damage with Melee or Brawl checks, may spend t to Ranked: No
stagger target for 1 round per t.
Once per encounter, when an opponent successfully ac-
tivates the Combo property of a move used against you,
Well Rounded you may spend 1 Story Point. Reduce incoming damage
Tier: 3 by half and automatically succeed on an immediate
Activation: Passive Counter maneuver.
Ranked: No
Conduit
Choose any 2 non-FX skills. They permanently become
Tier: 4
career skills.
Tier 4 Ranked: No
Once per encounter, your character may spend a Story
Back-to-Back Point to perform a special effects action as a maneuver.
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Overbalance
Tier: 4
Ranked: No
Activation: Passive
While engaged with one or more allies, your charac-
ter and allies they are engaged with add to combat Ranked: No
checks. If one or more allies engaged with your charac- Whenever an enemy engaged with the character makes
ter also have Back-to-Back, the effects are cumulative to a combat check, after the attack is resolved, the charac-
a maximum of . ter may spend d or hhh to stagger the attacker until
the end of the attacker’s next turn.
Body Guard (Improved)
Tier: 4 Reflexive Barrier
Activation: Passive Tier: 4
Ranked: No Activation: Active (Incidental, Out of Turn)
Your character must have purchased the Body Guard Ranked: No
talent to benefit from this talent. Once per session, Once per session, when your character is targeted by an
when an ally protected by the Body Guard maneuver attack, you may activate the Barrier effect as an out of
suffers a hit, suffer the hit instead. turn incidental.
Careful Planning
Tier: 4
Activation: Active (Action)
Ranked: No
Once per session, may introduce a “fact” into the narra-
tive as if a Story Point had been spent.
Ranked: Yes
Resolve Add +1 damage to one hit of successful combat checks
Tier: 4 against disoriented targets per rank of Sucker Punch.
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes
Ultra Combo
Tier: 4
When a character involuntarily suffers strain, he suffers
1 less strain per rank of Resolve to a minimum of 1. Activation: Active (Maneuver)
Ranked: No
Signature Special (Improved) Perform the Ultra Combo maneuver to ignore the
Tier: 4 increased difficulty due to the Combo quality of attacks
Activation: Passive made this turn.
Ranked: No
Unrelenting
Your character must have purchased the Signature
Tier: 4
Special talent to benefit from this talent. When your
character uses their signature special, reduce the diffi- Activation: Active (Incidental)
culty of the check by two instead of one. Ranked: No
Once per round after resolving a successful close com-
Sorry About the Mess bat check, your character may suffer 4 strain to use this
Tier: 4 talent to make an additional close combat attack as an
Activation: Passive incidental against the same target. Increase the difficul-
ty of the combat check by one if this attack uses a sec-
Ranked: No ond move, or by two if the attack uses the same move.
Decrease the Critical Rating of a move by 1 (to a min-
imum of 1) against targets that have not yet acted this
encounter.
Tier 5
Steady Aim Acrobatic Dodge
Tier: 5
Tier: 4
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Ranked: No
When targeted by a combat check, may spend 1 Story
Your character does not lose the benefits of the aim Point to add f equal to ranks in Acrobatics to check.
maneuver if they perform other maneuvers (including
moving) or actions. Your character does lose the bene-
fits of the aim maneuver if the encounter ends.
Body Guard (Supreme)
Tier: 5
Street Smarts Activation: Passive
Tier: 4 Ranked: No
Activation: Active (Action) Your character must have purchased the Body Guard
Ranked: Yes talent to benefit from this talent. Body Guard maneu-
ver may protect a number of engaged characters up to
Once per session, may take a Street Smarts action; ranks in Resilience.
make a Formidable ( ) Knowledge (Streetwise)
check to learn one vital clue from the GM. Reduce the
difficulty once per rank of Street Smarts.
Crushing Blow
Tier: 5
Sucker Punch Activation: Active (Incidental)
Tier: 4 Ranked: No
Activation: Passive
Once per session after rolling a close combat attack but Thorough Assessment
before resolving the check, your character may suffer
Tier: 5
4 strain to use this talent. While resolving the check,
the weapon gains the Breach 1 and Knockdown item Activation: Active (Action)
qualities, and destroys one item the target is wielding Ranked: No
that does not have the Reinforced quality.
Once per session, take a Thorough Assessment action:
Inspiring Leadership make a Hard ( ) Insight check to gain equal to
s that can be distributed during the encounter.
Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Action) Whirlwind
Ranked: No Tier: 5
Make a Hard ( ) Leadership check. If successful, Activation: Active (Action)
a number of allies not exceeding your character’s Pres- Ranked: No
ence within short range add s to their next skill check.
Your character may suffer 4 strain to use this talent
Master Exploder to make a Grapple, Kick, or Punch attack against the
engaged adversary who is hardest to hit (as determined
Tier: 5 by the GM), increasing the difficulty by one. If the
Activation: Passive combat check succeeds, each adversary engaged with
the character suffers one hit from the attack, that deals
Ranked: No base damage plus damage equal to the total s scored on
Decrease the a cost to activate the Blast quality on any the check.
attack by 1 to a minimum of 1.
Ricochet Effect
Tier: 5
Ranked: No
When your character fails an FX skill check that
targets another character or NPC, may spend t or
aaa to immediately reroll the attempted effect
with a new target.
Retribution
Tier: 5
Ranked: No
Once per round when an adversary attacks an ally
within medium range, your character may spend
one Story Point to use this talent to automatically hit
that enemy once if the enemy is within range of your
attack. The hit deals the move’s base damage, plus
any damage from applicable talents or abilities.
S P EC IAL MOVE S
CHAPTER 4:
F
can only trigger on a successful attack, unless specified
ighters are defined by their moves. How you attack
otherwise.
is who you are. Thuggish brutes might fight with
haymakers and lunging punches, contemplative kung Accurate (Passive)
fu masters with open palm strikes and spinning kicks,
Accurate moves hit more often, either because of care-
or a flashy wrestler with throws, piledrivers, and
ful aim, selective targeting, or some other reason. For
clotheslines. Selecting your fighter’s moves is as much a
each level of this quality, the attacker adds to their
part of their design as selecting their skills. When you
combat checks while using this move.
create your Genesys character for the King of the Streets
setting, you also choose special moves for your charac- Aerial (Active)
ter during Step 4 of character creation (see page 44 of
Aerial moves require you to be airborne to activate,
the Genesys Core Rulebook).
whether by jumping, flying, or some other means. In
This chapter contains a selection of basic moves order to use a move with the Aerial quality, the charac-
every fighter receives at character creation, as well as ter must first perform a Jump maneuver (though they
a list of special moves you can purchase for XP . There may perform a Jump maneuver at the end of their turn
are also rules for designing your own custom moves and use the Aerial move at the start of their next turn).
to make sure your fighter reflects exactly the kind of For each level of this quality, the attacker adds to
persona you’re looking for. their combat checks while using this move.
Using Special Moves Anti-Air (Passive)

Special moves work exactly like weapons in a regular Anti-Air moves are at a great advantage when used
Genesys game. Unless otherwise stated, you activate against opponents who are jumping, flying, or other-
them as an action during your turn, or as part of the wise airborne. When targeted by a move with the Aerial
Counter maneuver. To use a move to attack, use the quality while you are using the Counter maneuver, add
combat skill associated with that move (Grapple, Kick, s to your Counter check for each level of Anti-Air
or Punch). Damage is calculated by using the move’s the move possesses. You must use this move as your
base damage plus your Brawn characteristic, plus the counterattack if activating its Anti-Air quality as part of
number of s rolled on the attack. your Counter check.
Buildup (Passive)
Move Qualities Moves with this quality require time to set up before
Some moves feature special qualities that add variety being used. The user must perform a number of prepa-
and depth to the attacks your character may encounter. ration maneuvers equal to the move’s Buildup rating
Move qualities are special rules that can change how before using the move. At your GM’s discretion, mov-
the move acts. They let us add more variety to a move ing, being knocked prone, or other disruptions may
than we could by only manipulating its raw charac- require the user to perform the preparation maneuvers
teristics. They also make the moves more interesting again before using the move.
for you, since many qualities may require you to think
Combo (Passive)
about your character using that move differently.
A Combo move is actually a string of attacks executed
Special qualities are generally either passive or
in a tight sequence, one blending into the next faster
active. Passive qualities are always “on” and require no
than an opponent can dodge or block. As connecting
activation on the part of the user. Active qualities must
with a Combo is generally more difficult, the attacker
be triggered by the user, often by spending one or more
must increase the difficulty of the check by . The user
a to activate the effect. Move qualities usually have
may choose not to use the Combo quality on a move; in
a number associated with them. This is their rating.
this case, they cannot trigger the quality but also do not
Ratings affect qualities in different ways, depending on
suffer the aforementioned penalty.
the quality in question.
If the attack hits, the attacker can trigger Combo by
Active qualities require aato activate unless oth-
spending aa. Combo can be triggered multiple times.
erwise stated in their description. Active move qualities
Each time the attacker triggers Combo, it deals an
Demanding (Passive)
additional hit to the target. Each of these counts as an A Demanding move is one that requires a great deal of
additional hit from that move, and each hit deals base physical strength to be effective. To use a Demanding
damage plus the number of s on the check. move properly, the character needs an Brawn charac-
teristic equal to or greater than the move’s Demanding
These additional hits can be allocated to the original
rating. For each point of Brawn by which the charac-
target, or to other targets engaged with the attacker. If
ter is deficient, they must increase the difficulty of all
the attacker wishes to hit multiple targets, they must
checks made while using the move by one.
decide to do so before making the check. Furthermore,
if they wish to hit multiple targets, their initial target Dire (Active)
must always be the target with the highest difficulty and
Moves with Dire inflict damage over time. When Dire is
highest defense (if this is two separate targets, the GM
triggered, one target hit by the attack continues to suffer
chooses which is the initial target). The initial hit must
the move’s base damage each round for a number of
always be against the initial target. Subsequent hits
rounds equal to the move’s Dire rating. Apply damage at
generated can be allocated to any of the other designat-
the start of each of the target’s turns. If multiple targets
ed targets.
suffer hits from a move with Dire, the quality may be
Combo moves can also activate one Critical Injury triggered multiple times, affecting a different target
for each hit generated on the attack, per the normal each time.
rules; the Critical Injury must be applied to the target
A victim might be able to stop the damage by per-
of the specific hit.
forming an action to shake it off and make an Average
Complicated (Passive) ( ) Resilience check. An Easy ( ) Medicine check
stops the damage immediately.
A Complicated move is one that can be particularly dif-
ficult to use for those without impressive dexterity and Disorient (Active)
hand-eye coordination. To use a Complicated move
A move with Disorient can daze an opponent. When
properly, the character needs an Agility characteristic
Disorient is triggered, one target hit by the attack is
equal to or greater than the move’s Complicated rating.
disoriented (see Genesys core rulebook page 114) for a
For each point of Agility by which the character is
number of rounds equal to the move’s Disorient rating.
deficient, they must increase the difficulty of all checks
A disoriented target adds to all skill checks they
made while using the move by one.
perform. If multiple targets suffer hits from a move with
Concussive (Active) Disorient, the quality may be triggered multiple times,
affecting a different target each time.
The move can leave the target shell-shocked from
mighty blows or punishing shock waves, unable to Exhausting (Passive)
perform any but the most basic actions. When Concus-
Exhausting moves tend to deal incredible damage, but
sive is triggered, one target hit by the attack is staggered
need time to recover or cool down between attacks. A
(see Genesys core rulebook page 114) for a number of
move’s Exhausting rating dictates the number of rounds
rounds equal to the move’s Concussive rating. A stag-
that must pass before the move can be used again after
gered target cannot perform actions. If multiple targets
attacking. For example, a charging haymaker with Ex-
suffer hits from a move with Concussive, the quality
hausting 2 must wait two rounds after being used before
may be triggered multiple times, affecting a different
it can be used again.
target each time.
Inaccurate (Passive)
Defensive (Active)
Inaccurate moves are less likely to strike a target
Activating the Defensive quality increases the user’s
precisely. When making an attack with an Inaccurate
melee defense by its Defensive rating. This bonus lasts
move, add to the check equal to the Inaccurate
until the start of the user’s next turn.
rating.
Deflection (Active) Knockback (Active)
Activating the Deflection quality increases the user’s
Knockback allows the attacker to move the target away
ranged defense by its Deflection rating. This bonus lasts
from them after a successful attack. You may send a
until the start of the user’s next turn.
target flying a number of range bands from you in a
direction of your choice equal to the move’s Knockback
rating. Increase the cost to trigger Knockback by an
additional a per silhouette of the target beyond 1. the person using them and can only be used so often
before requiring the user rest and recover. A move with
If the target moved by Knockback would strike a
the Limited Use quality may be used to make a number
solid, immobile object before completing the distance
of attacks equal to its Limited Use rating before the
moved (a wall, vehicle, or other structure or object too
character must recover with a maneuver.
large or heavy to be moved by the character) the target
takes additional damage as if it had fallen the distance Mobile (Passive)
travelled, reduced by half. For example, if a character
Moves with the Mobile quality allow a character to
struck a target with an attack that had Knockback
move across range bands during the attack. Each rank
2, they could send the target up to medium range.
of Mobile allows the attacker to move closer to the
If the target would strike a stone wall at short range,
target of the move as though they had used a movement
the target would hit the wall, stop moving, and take 5
maneuver. For example, a body missile move with Mo-
wound damage and 5 strain damage (half the normal
bile 1 would allow a character to move from short range
damage for a fall from short range). The target may roll
to engaged before attacking. A jump kick move with
to reduce that damage as normal.
Mobile 4 would allow a character to move from long
If multiple targets suffer hits from a move with range to engaged (2 movement from long to medium, 1
Knockback, the quality may be triggered multiple from medium to short, 1 from short to engaged).
times, affecting a different target each time.
The attacker is not required to use all of this move-
Knockdown (Active) ment when using the move. The attack resolves after the
movement has been decided.
When Knockdown is triggered, one target hit by the
attack is knocked prone. If multiple targets suffer hits Multi-Strike (Active)
from a move with Knockdown, the quality may be
Some moves are designed to hit a target multiple times
triggered multiple times, affecting a different target
in rapid succession. When a character attacks with a
each time.
Multi-Strike move, on a successful attack, the move
Unless specified otherwise, Knockdown requires deals one hit. The attacker may spend aa to gain an
aa to trigger, plus one additional a per silhouette of additional hit, and may do so a number of times equal
the target beyond 1. to the move’s Multi-Strike rating. Additional hits from
the Multi-Strike move may only be applied against the
Limited Use (Passive) original target. Each hit deals the move’s base damage
Some moves greatly tax the strength and endurance of
Sustained moves may be continued from round to
plus damage equal to the s scored on the check. round. When activating the Sustained quality, roll an
Paralyze (Active) opposed Brawn vs. Agility check. If you succeed, the
target loses their turn and you automatically deal the
A move with Paralyze locks down a foe and restricts
move’s base damage again. If you fail, the move is bro-
their movements. When Paralyze is triggered, one tar-
ken and the target may act on their turn as normal.
get hit by the attack becomes immobilized (see Genesys
core rulebook page 114) for a number of rounds equal A move may be maintained for as many additional
to the move’s Paralyze rating. An immobilized target rounds as its Sustained rating.
cannot perform maneuvers. If multiple targets suffer Unguarded (Passive)
hits from a move with Paralyze, the quality may be
triggered multiple times, affecting a different target An Unguarded move lowers the attacker’s defenses,
each time. leaving them more exposed to a target. An Unguarded
move generates automatic h on all checks.
A Paralyzed target may perform an action to at-
tempt a Hard ( ) Athletics check on their turn to Vicious (Passive)
break free from the effect. When an attack with this move results in a Critical
Pierce (Passive) Injury or Hit, the character adds ten times the Vicious
rating to the Critical roll. With Vicious 3, for example,
Any hits from this move ignore a number of points you would add +30 to the resulting Critical Injury or
point of soak equal to the move’s Pierce rating. If the Hit result.
move has more ranks of Pierce than the target’s total
soak, it completely ignores the target’s soak. For exam-
ple, Pierce 3 against a soak of 2 ignores two points of Sample Moves
soak, but the extra point of Pierce has no further effect.
Recharge (Passive)
Basic Moves
Basic moves represent the simplest attack types a fighter
A move with this quality does not deal damage. Instead, can learn. They are the foundational strikes and grap-
when the check is made, any S rolled may be stored as ples that all combatants have as part of their arsenal,
meter or spent to recover strain damage. After using a regardless of style or background.
Recharge move, the character adds aa to all attacks
made against them until the start of their next turn. All characters begin play with these basic moves at
character creation without spending XP.
Stun (Active)
Defensive Strike (Punch)
A move with Stun can deal strain to the target. When
the Stun quality is activated, it inflicts strain equal Using this move, a character assumes a defensive
to the move’s Stun rating. Since this is strain and not posture, using a weaker attack to deflect an opponent’s
strain damage it is not reduced by the target’s soak. strikes. It deals little damage, but makes the user harder
to hit.
Stun Damage (Passive)
KICK (Kick)
A move with this quality can only deal strain damage
(damage applied to the target’s strain threshold). Be- This move represents a strike with the legs. It can easily
cause this is strain damage, not strain, it is still reduced be renamed as a roundhouse, spinning back-kick, knee
by a target’s soak. strike, and so on to add more flavor to your character’s
move arsenal.
Sustained (Active)
This is normally a standing move, but can be com-
TAble 4-1: Basic Moves

Move Skill Dam Crit XP Cost Special
Defensive Strike Punch +0 6 - Defensive 1, Deflection 1, Inaccurate 1
Kick Kick +2 4 - Aerial 1
Punch Punch +1 4 - Aerial 1, Combo, Defensive 1
Throw Grapple +3 3 - Accurate 1, Knockdown, Unguarded

Special moves are more advanced attacks that represent
bined with the Jump maneuver to become an aerial
training and exercise, often over many years. Special
attack.
moves are purchased by a player using XP. At character
PUNCH (Punch) creation, each player receives a bonus 30 XP that can
only be used to purchase special moves. Any of this
The backbone of any fighter’s repertoire, punches are
starting XP that is not spent cannot be saved, and it
easy to throw and easy to combo. Swinging a simple
cannot be used for any other purpose (e.g. increasing
punch also allows the fighter to maintain a light de-
characteristics, upgrading skills, etc.). A player may
fense, keeping up their guard through the swing. This
choose to spend additional starting XP on special
move can be renamed as an uppercut, jab, backhand,
moves during character creation, so long as no starting
elbow strike, palm strike, and so on to add more flavor
special move XP is spent for any other purpose.
to your character’s move arsenal.
This is normally a standing move, but can be com- Body Missile (Punch or Kick)
bined with the Jump maneuver to become an aerial This move covers any number of attacks where the
attack. character hurls their entire body at the opponent. This
can cover a flying headbutt, a particularly long-range
THROW (GRAPPLE)
drop kick, or a rolling “cannonball” attack.
Throws are the foundation of all grappling attacks. The
When purchasing this move, the player must define
fighter grabs their opponent, lifts them off their feet and
whether the attack is a punch or a kick. The move may
hurls them to the ground. It might involve sweeping the
be purchased multiple times, once as a punching move
target over their leg, flipping them over their shoulder,
and again as a kick.
or even something more flashy or complicated. The end
result is the same – the target is forcibly slammed to the Charging Punch (Punch)
ground at the attacker’s feet.
This move includes the attacker rushing forward sud-
Throws are hard to block, but leave the attacker denly, rapidly closing the distance with their target to
open for retribution. put extra power into their punch.
Special Moves Dive Kick (Kick)

This move is a jumping attack where the character
TAble 4-2: Special Moves

Move Skill Dam Crit XP Cost Special
Body Missile Punch or Kick +3 3 10 Complicated 3, Mobile 3
Charging Punch Punch +3 4 14 Inaccurate 1, Knockdown, Mobile 3
Dive Kick Kick +2 2 8 Aerial 1, Challenging 3, Mobile 1
Falling Strike Punch or Kick +3 2 10 Accurate 1, Aerial 2, Complicated 4
Haymaker Punch +4 3 12 Demanding 3, Disorient 1, Inaccurate 1, Knockback 1
Hurl Grapple +3 3 12 Knockback 2
Leaping Power Throw Grapple +4 4 12 Anti-Air 1, Demanding 3, Disorient 1, Knockdown
Lightning Strike Punch or Kick +2 3 16 Multi-Strike 4
Power Throw Grapple +4 3 15 Concussive 1, Demanding 3, Knockdown
Rising Strike Punch or Kick +3 3 14 Accurate 1, Anti-Air 2
Sliding Sweep Grapple +2 4 10 Knockdown, Stun 1
Spinning Multi-Kick Kick +3 3 16 Aerial 2, Challenging 3, Multi-Strike 2
Submission Hold Grapple +2 3 16 Sustained 2
Taunt Any None - 5 Recharge, Unguarded
Through Strike Punch +2 3 16 Accurate 1, Complicated 2, Combo, Mobile 3
Whirling Kicks Kick +3 3 12 Complicated 4, Combo, Defensive 2

with fists or feet shooting skyward, does a high backflip
leaps into the air, rights themself, then dives diagonally
to kick or punch on the way up, uses a powerful upward
downward, striking the target with a massive kick. knee or elbow strike, or something similar. The result is
Falling Strike (Punch or Kick) a strike that lifts the enemy off their feet or knocks them
out of the air.
This potent attack is made by first leaping high into
the air, then falling down on an opponent from above. When purchasing this move, the player must define
The jump is so high that your target may lose sight of whether the attack is a punch or a kick. The move may
you, making your strike more likely to penetrate their be purchased multiple times, once as a punching move
defenses. and again as a kick.
When purchasing this move, the player must define Sliding Sweep (Grapple)
whether the attack is a punch or a kick. The move may This move requires the attacker to drop to the ground
be purchased multiple times, once as a punching move while lunging forward with hands or legs, entrapping
and again as a kick. the target’s legs and dragging them to the ground. The
Haymaker (Punch) attacker hops back to their feet, but their target is left
prone.
This punch puts all the force a character has into one
mighty swing. It connects with such power that it actu- Spinning Multi-Kick (Kick)
ally hurls the target backwards, putting space between This difficult move requires the attacker to leap into
the attacker and their opponent. the air and spin their body around, striking multiple
Hurl (Grapple) times with one or both feet before hitting the ground. If
successful, it can send an opponent reeling.
While similar to a typical throw, a hurl move sends an
opponent flying away from the attacker, putting more Submission Hold (Grapple)
distance between them and allowing the fighter to con- When attacking with a submission hold, the character
trol the spacing of the fight. grabs the opponent and holds them. While held, they
Leaping Power Throw (Grapple) either twist a limb painfully, apply pressure to vital
points, or even just start punching or biting the target
This potent grappling attack includes the fighter repeatedly. Whatever the case, the attacker simply con-
grabbing their target, jumping into the air and using tinues hurting their opponent until they can manage to
their momentum to slam the target to the ground with
break free.
incredible force. A very powerful move, but one which
leaves the attacker open for punishment on a miss. Taunt (Any)
Lightning Strike (Punch or Kick) Taunting is a classic part of fighting culture. After a
particularly effective move, a combatant will stand back
A lightning strike is a barrage of short, fast attacks.
and mock their opponent or play to the crowd, drawing
While it doesn’t deal a large amount of damage on its
their target’s ire and getting a boost from the audience.
own, the real danger comes from it’s Multi-Strike qual-
Taunting is a mind-game, but it also gives the fighter
ity, allowing it to potentially hit the opponent several
time to collect themselves and to draw in energy (build-
times in a single attack.
ing Super meter) at the expense of leaving themselves
When purchasing this move, the player must define defenseless for the round.
whether the attack is a punch or a kick. The move may
When taunt is chosen, select which combat skill
be purchased multiple times, once as a punching move
you wish to tie it to—grapple, kick, or punch. When
and again as a kick.
taunting, describe how your character uses that skill to
Power Throw (Grapple) provoke their opponent.
This move is an especially dangerous grappling attack. Through Strike (Punch)
The attacker uses overwhelming strength to lift and
In this clever attack, the fighter dashes directly through
slam the target to the ground, usually landing on a
the target’s space with lightning speed, delivering one
vulnerable or delicate part of the body such as with a
or more blows with such precision that the damage isn’t
spinning piledriver or similar attack.
even felt until a moment later.
Rising Strike (Punch or Kick) This move has a special property allowing the
One of the most well-known attacks in fighting games. attacker to use some or all of the movement from its
With this move, the attacker either launches upwards
damage on average, they might only need a move with a
Mobile quality after the attack has been made (rather
+3 base damage (3 Brawn + 2 s average + 3 base move
than having to use it all before the attack).
damage = 8).
Whirling Kicks (Kick) Light attacks (jabs, sweeps, joint-locks) tend to have
This graceful move is as powerful as it is difficult. The a damage rating of +1 to +3. Heavy attacks (uppercuts,
fighter spins his body, striking out with one leg after roundhouses, slams) tend to have a damage rating of +3
the other to attack any and all opponents nearby. If to +5. Only the most incredible (and expensive) moves
executed properly, it not only deals impressive damage, might have a damage rating of +6.
but can also make the fighter much harder to hit in the
process. Critical Rating
When choosing a Crit rating for your move, consider
Creating Custom Moves how lethal you want the move to be. Crit ratings range
from 1 to 6. Values of 1 or 6 are very rare, since checks
Not every character can be built using only the moves
generate a really often and almost never generate
provided here. You may have very specific ideas about
aaaaaa. The “average” Crit rating is 3. This
the things your fighter can do (A kick that deals mas-
should probably be the default for your move, as it
sive knockback! A grappling move that only deals stun
makes Critical Injuries rare enough to be an event, but
damage!) that aren’t represented well enough. For these,
still common enough to happen a couple of times per
we provide rules that allow you to build new special
encounter. A Crit rating of 2 should be applied to a
moves of your own.
more deadly move. Likewise, a Crit rating of 4 is a move
The balance of the game is a delicate thing. When that is going to inflict lasting or immediately lethal in-
designing new moves, don’t just think about how cool juries less often. A Crit rating of 5 or higher means the
it could be—think about whether it would feel fair in move is almost never going to inflict a Critical Injury
a fighting game if your opponent hit you with it. All without spending t.
custom moves have to be approved by the GM, and it’s
recommended you work together to design something Move Qualities
that gets you what you want while maintaining balance.
When choosing qualities for your move, think through
The following general attributes should be used as a
guideline when designing new moves.
TAble 4-3: Move Cost Calculations
Skill Characteristic Additional XP Cost
The three combat skills—grapple, kick, and punch— +1 - +2 Damage 2
should be flexible enough to cover most any kind of
move your character might use in a fight. They are +3 Damage 4
largely self-explanatory; when deciding what skill to +4 Damage 6
use with the move, just pick the description that best
+5 Damage 10
fits.
+6 Damage 15
Damage Crit Rating 5-6 0
When using moves, remember two things. First, you Crit Rating 4 2
add your character’s Brawn rating to any successful hit
Crit Rating 3 4
to determine base damage. When you’re thinking of a
damage rating, mentally add three to the value you’re Crit Rating 2 6
considering to determine actual damage (most fighters Crit Rating 1 10
will average around a 3 Brawn).
Complicated and Demanding Qualities -2 per rank beyond 1
The second is that the move’s damage plus your
Disorient, Accurate, and Stun Qualities 2 per rank
Brawn score are only the base damage. When a char-
acter uses the move, they add additional damage based Dire, Paralyze, and Multi-Strike 3 per rank
on the number of s their check generates. You should Defensive and Deflection Qualities 4 per rank
think of your move as dealing 1 to 2 more damage than
Concussive and Sustained Qualities 5 per rank
the base damage on average.
Other Positive Qualties 2 per rank (or 4)
As an example, if a player wanted to make a power-
ful new kick for their fighter that would deal at least 8 Other Negative Qualties -2 per rank (or -4)
have lower damage. It’s recommended that a move with
the interactions of the various qualities. For example,
these qualities not have damage higher than +3.
don’t give a weapon Recharge and Pierce, since Pierce
only affects a move’s damage and Recharge prevents Build-Up, Exhausting and Limited Use: These qual-
your move from doing any damage. ities represent moves that are too tiring to be used too
many times in a row, or which take time to prepare, so
Overall, you probably want to limit the number of
they should have low ratings of 1 or 2. Waiting three
move qualities you chose to three or four at maximum,
rounds before using a move (or having to spend more
and don’t be afraid to only use one (or even none).
than a turn’s worth of maneuvers preparing to use a
Qualities are meant to add extra interest or utility to
move) makes it nearly worthless in most players’ eyes.
a move, and sometimes to represent certain unique
aspects of its use (for example, a bodyslam would need Mobile and Knockback: Both of these moves al-
to have the Knockdown quality). However, give a move low movement during an action phase. They should
too many qualities, and it becomes hard to interpret typically only have ratings of 1-2 to do what they were
exactly what that move does when you’re playing. intended to (move a character from short or medium
to engaged range) and should only have ratings of 5 or
Most qualities have a rating associated with them.
6 in the rarest of circumstances. A rating higher than 6
This rating is a numeric value, and it defines some as-
provides no additional benefit.
pect of the move quality. Deciding what number to give
a quality can be tricky, so we have some suggestions: Multi-Strike: Since we used Multi-strike to represent
moves that hit multiple times in rapid succession,
Concussive, Dire, Disorient, Paralyze, and Sustained:
choose a value that best represents the number of
These qualities all have ratings that affect the duration
strikes this move can make in a round (counting the
of their effect. The higher the rating, the more rounds
number of limbs if you have to, as with a 1-2 punch).
the effect lasts. Disorient is fairly mild, so you can give
Just remember, the Multi-Strike rating determines
it higher ratings of 4 or even 5. You don’t want to give it
additional hits. If you have a move representing that 1-2
a rating of 1, because that’s no different than spending
punch above, you would give it Linked 1. The move can
aa to add to your target’s next check. Dire and
score one initial hit, and one additional hit, for a total
Paralyze are more potent. Generally, these should have
of two.
ratings of 1 to 3, with 4 only very rarely. Concussive
and Sustained are extremely potent and should only be Stun: Keep this quality’s rating at 1 to 4. Any more, and
given a rating of 1 or possibly 2. you could potentially incapacitate your target in one hit,
which we want to avoid.
Complicated and Demanding: Since these qualities
require your character to have certain characteristics Vicious: Vicious amplifies the effect of Critical Inju-
or suffer penalties, you should use them to balance out ries. Since Critical Injuries are the only way characters
powerful moves by adding drawbacks. If you use these can be killed, Vicious makes moves especially deadly.
qualities, just make sure you don’t give them a rating Any rating of Vicious is powerful (so don’t apply this
of 1. Since the rating is the minimum Brawn or Agility to too many moves), but don’t give a move a Vicious
the wielder needs to have, and all characters start with a rating of 6 or higher. Adding +60 to a Critical Injury
minimum of 1 in every characteristic, a rating of 1 does result means that the right roll can permanently kill a
nothing. completely uninjured character, which breaks the spirit
of the game.
Accurate, Inaccurate, Aerial, Anti-Air, Defensive,
and Deflection: Since these are qualities that add dice
to checks, keep the ratings at 1 or 2 to avoid excessive
bloat in your dice pools. Also, remember Inaccurate is a
penalty, and should be added to balance moves that are
otherwise cheap or powerful.
Pierce: With Pierce, just keep in mind that until you get
to ratings of 5 or higher, you can think of your Pierce
rating as the equivalent of adding damage to checks.
Pierce has diminishing returns after the value exceeds
average soak values, so price moves accordingly.
Defensive and Deflection: These qualities represent
moves which can be used defensively or which make
a user harder to hit for some reason. There are few
attacks capable of this, and those that are will typically
S UPE R MOVE S
CHAPTER 5:
P
your character come by their extraordinary
layer characters in King of the Streets are the most
attack?
powerful fighters in the world, with unique capa-
bilities that set them apart from the normal residents 3. Name Your Move: Every Super Move needs a
of the world. They can unleash attacks so blinding unique, evocative name—they have to be able
and fierce that only the strongest can withstand them. to shout it out whenever they use it!
When you create your Genesys character for the King
of the Streets setting, you also choose a Super Move for Choose a Primary Move Effect
your character during Step 4 of character creation (see A primary move effect is the core of a Super Move. The
page 44 of the Genesys Core Rulebook). Each player effect tells you what your move does—the benefit your
character has only one Super Move, which helps set character gets from activating it or the effect on an ene-
them apart as a fighter. As your character grows in my you use it against. A Super Move gets only one pri-
experience, they receive ability points which you spend mary move effect, so choose carefully! Your character
on upgrades that further customize your character’s begins play with the base ability and can spend ability
Super Move. points during play to upgrade to the improved or su-
preme version. Unless stated otherwise, the benefits of
Using a Super Move each level of the effect are cumulative, so if you spend
ability points for the improved effect, your character
Super Moves are quite powerful, so there are some
still get all the benefits of the base effect.
pretty significant limitations on when you can use
them. However, one of the ways you can customize When deciding on a primary move effect, look to
your Super Move is by spending ability points to reduce your character’s concept and what you know about
these restrictions. them already. Their Super Move is central to who your
character is and how they fight. It is probably the big-
When engaged in combat, any time you are attacked
gest, coolest attack in their arsenal—it helps define your
and the opponent rolls h, you may choose to use it
character.
as normal, or you may store up to 2 hrolled in the
attack as Meter which can be used to activate a Super
Move. A character can accumulate as much Meter as HARD TO KILL
they choose, but any unspent Meter at the end of an When your character steels their resolve, they can
encounter is lost. shrug off the worst the enemy throws at them. In
By default, activating a Super Move requires you to moments of dire import, they face down overwhelming
spend 10 Meter. If the Super Move is an attack, it may opposition without taking a scratch. This might repre-
only be activated as an action on your round (unless sent raw toughness and the will to power through, or it
upgraded to be able to used as a counter). If the Super might be an effect of magic or ki.
Move is an ongoing effect, it can be activated as an in- Base: While this ability is active, your character gains
cidental and it will last until the end of your character’s +4 soak.
next turn. In any case, you can only activate it once per
Improved: While this ability is active, your character
encounter.
also increases the difficulty of combat checks targeting
them by one.
Creating a Super Move Supreme: While their Super Move is active, your char-
To create your Super Move, you’ll need to follow a acter becomes immune to damage; reduce all damage
series of simple steps. Once you finish, you will have a the character suffers to 0.
Super Move tailored to your character.
1. Choose Primary Move Effect: The primary PARAGON
effect is the core of your Super Move. It defines When it comes to a particular skill, your character is
what the move does when you activate it. Even simply the best. Whether their abilities really are super-
at the base level, these effects are potent. natural (or just seem that way), your character always
2. Determine Your Move’s Origin: How does
move qualities of any moves in the Power Combo are
achieves the check they want when it really counts.
cumulative for the purposes of this Super Move. Addi-
More importantly, even when things could go disas-
tionally, add aa to the results of the attack.
trously wrong, they never do.
You cannot activate the Combo quality of any move
Base: When you select this primary ability effect,
as part of the Power Combo Super Move.
choose one skill. While this ability is active, after rolling
the dice for a check using that skill but before resolving Improved: You may add one additional move to the
the results, you may remove of your choice from combo. Calculate the new base damage by adding the
the pool. (Ignore the symbols shown on that die when base damage of the core move plus 1/4 the base damage
resolving the check.) of each of the additional moves.
Improved: While this ability is active, you may remove Superior: You may add one additional move to the
of your choice from the results of checks using your combo. Calculate the new base damage by adding the
chosen skill. base damage of the core move plus 1/4 the base damage
of each of the additional moves.
Supreme: While this ability is active, you may remove
instead of from the results of checks you make
using the chosen skill. Ultra Move
You have the ability to infuse one of your special moves
Power Combo with unbelievable force. This might be a skill learned
through exhaustive training, or it might be an enhance-
When backed into a corner, you can string a series of
ment from technology, magic, or ki—whatever the case,
extremely powerful moves together into one heavy
this Ultra Move is devastating and truly awesome to
combination attack. Your Super Move is actually a
behold.
number of other moves (up to four) performed in
sequence and with considerable extra power. Base: When you select Ultra Move as your Super,
choose one of your standard special moves. When you
Base: To create a Power Combo, take one of your char-
activate your Super Move, it functions in all ways like
acter’s moves and declare it the core of the combo. This
the core move you selected, with the following excep-
move cannot have the Knockback or Knockdown qual-
tions:
ities—only the final move in the combo can have these
qualities! Then select an additional move to be part • It gains +10 base damage.
of the combo. When you activate your Super Move, • It cannot be used as a counter (unless you pur-
calculate damage by adding the base damage of the core chase the Super Counter upgrade).
move plus 1/2 the base damage of the second move. All
Improved: Your Ultra Move gains the Knockback 4
move quality.
Super Move UPGRADES
As your character grows in experience, they gain ability
Superior: After activating your Ultra Move, regain a points to spend on upgrades for their Super Move.
number of strain equal to the s rolled in the attack. Obviously, upgrades improve the ability, but more im-
portantly, they help to differentiate it. Even if two player
UNBOWED characters have the same primary ability effect for their
Your character can fight on despite having the most Super Moves, different choices of upgrades can result in
horrendous injuries. It might be sheer willpower that very different abilities.
lets them accomplish this feat, or perhaps they are Your character receives ability points based on the
something more than mortal. In any case, even the XP they gain through play. Every time your character’s
most grievous wounds do not slow them down in the XP total increases by 50, they gain one ability point to
heat of battle. spend. Your character does not gain ability points based
Base: When you activate this Super Move, choose one on their starting XP determined by their species, but
Critical Injury your character is suffering (except for if you are creating a character with additional XP (see
dead’). As long as this ability is active, do not suffer any the Experienced Characters sidebar on page 44 of the
effects of that Critical Injury, including adding +10 to Genesys Core Rulebook), your character does gain an
further rolls on the Critical Injury Result table. You can ability point for each additional 50 XP.
also activate this Super Move as an out-of-turn inciden- When your character gains ability points, you decide
tal when your character suffers a Critical Injury. how to spend them. Each upgrade includes a cost, and
Improved: While this ability is active, your character spending the required ability points on an upgrade
does not suffer the effects of any Critical Injuries they permanently adds the benefit of that upgrade to your
are suffering (except for the “dead” Critical Injury). Super Move. Some upgrades have a cumulative effect if
you purchase that upgrade multiple times.
Supreme: While this ability is active, your character
also ignores the effects of the “dead” result. They still
die when the ability ends, unless the Critical Injury is
COUNTER
somehow removed first. Cost: Special
The first time you purchase this upgrade, it costs one
UNLEASH ability point and you may use your Super Move as a
When pushed to the breaking point—or maybe just counterattack as part of the counter maneuver. You
when they want to show off—your character can abso- may purchase this upgrade a second time at a cost of
lutely demolish groups of enemies. They might whip another two ability points to add ss to your counter
around through a sea of thugs, punishing them with a skill check.
flurry of blows in a massive combo attack, or perhaps
release a shockwave of energy that takes them all off DURATION
their feet. No matter the effect, the result is your char- Cost: 1 Ability Point
acter becoming a one-person wrecking ball.
Your character’s Super Move effect lasts for one addi-
Base: While this ability is active, your character may tional turn for each purchase of Duration.
perform a maneuver once per round on their turn to
immediately defeat one minion group within short
range.
Fast Super
Cost: 2 Ability Points
Improved: While this ability is active, your character
may instead perform an incidental once per round on Your character only needs to spend 5 Meter to activate
their turn to immediately defeat one minion group the ability. You can only purchase this upgrade once.
within short range. (This replaces the base effect.)
Supreme: When you activate this ability, your character
immediately defeats all minions within short range.
FREQUENCY DRAIN
When your character activates their Super Move and at
Cost: 2 Ability Points
the beginning of each of their turns it remains active,
Your character can activate their Super Move one enemies within short range suffer 2 strain.
additional time per encounter for each purchase of
Frequency. EMPOWERED
While the ability is active, your character adds to
POWER their skill checks.
Cost: Special
The first time you purchase this upgrade, it costs one
EMPOWER ALLIES
ability point and your character’s primary ability gains While the ability is active, allies within short range add
the improved effect. You may purchase this upgrade a to their skill checks.
second time at a cost of another two ability points to
gain the supreme effect. REJUVENATION
When your character activates the ability and at the be-
SECONDARY EFFECT ginning of each turn they take while it remains active,
Cost: 1 Ability Point your character heals 2 strain.
Add a secondary effect to your character’s Super Move.
When you purchase this upgrade, select one of the
REJUVENATE ALLIES
following secondary effects. You may purchase this When your character activates the ability and at the be-
upgrade a second time to choose a different effect, for ginning of each turn they take while it remains active,
a total of two secondary effects. As with the primary all allies within short range heal 2 strain.
ability effect, you should work with the GM to come up
with an exciting narrative explanation for each second- RENEWAL
ary effect. When your character activates the ability, you may
Even if the primary effect is instantaneous, the choose to generate a new PC Initiative slot. You may
duration of the Super Move matters for many second- choose to use Cool or Vigilance for this roll. The new
ary effects. Remember, a Super Move lasts until the end result remains for the duration of the encounter. The
of your character’s next turn, or longer if you take the new Initiative slot is immediately available for use, but
Duration upgrade. it does not allow any PC to take an extra turn during a
round.
DEVASTATING
While the ability is active, your character adds +2 dam-
age to one hit of each of their attacks.
DIMINISH
While the ability is active, enemies within short range
add to their skill checks.

Genesys King of The Streets

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K

W elcome to King of the Streets, a setting of fast-

and fists, and colorful, larger-than-life characters. This

• Starting Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

• Starting Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn

• Starting Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn

• Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn

and lower wound threshold, • Starting Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn

• Starting Wound Threshold: 11 +

TAble 2-1: Complete Skill List

character to do exciting and dangerous activities in the Kick Brawn KOTS pg --

General Skills Deception Cunning GCRB pg 56

K nowledge skills let you make characters who are

C ombat skills feature prominently in King of the

combat, after all. Basically, when your character needs Punch

Bad Cop Combat Analysis

Ambush 3 Active (Maneuver) No King of the Streets

Animal Companion 3 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 77

Animal Expertise 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets

Arcane Awakening 2 Passive No King of the Streets

Anticipate Attack 3 Active (Maneuver No King of the Streets

Backstab 3 Active (Action) No King of the Streets

Back-to-Back 4 Passive No King of the Streets

Bad Cop 1 Passive Yes King of the Streets

Blilndsense 3 Passive Yes King of the Streets

Body Guard 3 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets

Body Guard (Improved) 4 Passive No King of the Streets

Body Guard (Supreme) 5 Passive No King of the Streets

Bought Info 1 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 72

Brace 1 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets

Bullrush 1 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets

Can’t We Talk About This? 4 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 79

Careful Planning 4 Active (Action) No King of the Streets

Center of Being 3 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets

Center of Being (Improved) 4 Passive No King of the Streets

Challenge! 1 Active (Maneuver) Yes King of the Streets

Clever Retort 1 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No GCRB pg. 73

Command 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets

Combat Analysis 1 Passive No King of the Streets

Conduit 4 Active (Maneuver) No King of the Streets

Combat Analysis 1 Passive No King of the Streets

Coordinated Assault 2 Active (Maneuver) Yes GCRB pg,. 75

Counteroffer 2 Active (Action) No GCRB pg. 75

Crushing Blow 5 Active (Incidental) No King of the Streets

Daring Pilot 2 Active (Incidental) Yes GCRB pg. 75

Deadeye 4 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 79

Dedication 5 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 81

Defensive Driving 4 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 80

Defensive Stance 2 Active (Maneuver) Yes GCRB pg. 75

Defensive Sysops 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 73

Defensive Sysops (Improved) 2 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 76

Defensive 4 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 80

Desperate Recovery 1 Passive No GCRB pg. 73

Disarming Smile 3 Active (Action) Yes King of the Streets

Disorient 2 Passive Yes King of the Streets

Dodge 3 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Yes GCRB pg. 78

Durable 1 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 72

Eagle Eyes 3 Active (Incidental) No GCRB pg. 78

Enduring 4 Passive Yes GCRB pg. 80