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No Way Out uses a 2d6 dice-based system for any dice-based scenarios that occur during roleplay. While dice are not required for all interactions that occur in the server, it is unlikely that one will be able to explore the HRZ or engage with a Server Event without encountering some form of Dice Roll or Dice Combat.

Dice Stats are reflective of a character's various skills, traits, and attributes, ensuring that the unique image of a character is accurately represented in both mechanical gameplay and dice scenarios.

Skill RollsCombat RollsDeath and Injury SystemCharacter CreationCharacter Builder

Skill Rolls

All skill rolls are based on the skills available within Project Zomboid, as well as any other modded skills that may be present. For more information on skills, see the Project Zomboid wiki page on Skills.

Almost every Mechanical Skill is tied to a roll, automatically giving modifiers to it. Modifiers given by Skills are equal to Skill Level/2. So a Level 6 Skill will give a modifier of +3 to the relative roll.

General Rolls

Skill Name	Level 4	Level 6	Level 8	Level 10
Fitness	3 HP	4 HP	5 HP	6 HP
Strength	-1 to Melee Attack & Def	-	+1 Melee Attack & Def	+2 Melee Attack & Def
Nimble	+2 Nimble & Unarmed	+3 Nimble & Unarmed	+4 Nimble & Unarmed	+5 Nimble & Unarmed
Sneaking	+2 Hiding	+3 Hiding	+4 Hiding	+5 Hiding
Crafting Skills	+2 Crafting Skill	+3 Crafting Skill	+4 Crafting Skill	+5 Crafting Skill
Combat Skills	+2 Weapon Skill	+3 Weapon Skill	+4 Weapon Skill	+5 Weapon Skill
Aiming	+2 Ranged Attack	+3 Ranged Attack	+4 Ranged Attack	+5 Ranged Attack
Reloading	+2 Reloading	+3 Reloading	+4 Reloading	+5 Reloading

1.0 Crafting

1.1 Time & Point Threshhold

Players roll to accumulate "points" toward a crafting threshold equal to 2 x The Minimum Number of Days Requested. Point thresholds can reach no less than 0.5 (or an "instant" craft, 1 point maximum) but no more than 4 (or a "complex craft", 8 points maximum) based on the "complexity" of the project.

Staff determines the needed materials. Requested crafting materials will be based on an equivalent or near-equivalent crafting recipe, if available. If not available, this is a collaborative process. Never feel afraid to offer alternative suggestions to an offered crafting recipe, should any ideas arise.

Crafting begins once all materials are assembled. Players must provide sufficient RP showcasing what happens relative to their roll. Maybe they struggle to concentrate and don't get as much done as they hoped. Maybe they make a mistake and have to spend extra time correcting it. Maybe they have a breakthrough, and things go especially well that day. Your RP should reflect your roll, and your roll will inform your RP.

Examples of 0.5 or "Instant" Projects

• Sewing together some socks
• Minor whittling
• Basic soldering
• Tinting a car window

Examples of 4+ Day Projects

• Sewing a wedding dress
• Crafting an ornate bookshelf
• Rerouting plumbing
• Painting a car

Successful rolls past a certain DC (see below) earn 2 points. Unsuccessful rolls earn 1 point. Critical successes (a "natural 12" on the die) earn 4 points, effectively eliminating that day's work and an extra day's worth of work. No more than two critical successes can impact a project at a time. Subsequent critical successes are counted as normal successes. Critical failures (a "natural 2" on the die) accumulate no points, requiring an extra day, or lead to the destruction of one or more of the materials involved in crafting the item, requiring time to be spent to gather more. No more than one critical failure can impact a project at a time. Subsequent critical failures are simply counted as normal failures.

1.2 DC & Complexity

Your DC is chosen based on how complex the project is. Knitting a blanket, while time-consuming, is a trivial task for most people with basic tailoring knowledge. Building a computer, on the other hand, is a relatively hard task that, in theory, does not take a lot of time in experienced hands.

Example DCs:

• Trivial: DC 6
• Easy: DC 8
• Medium: DC 10
• Hard: DC 12
• Near-Impossible: DC 15

Please note the time ≠ complexity. A project can be time-consuming and simple, or quick when in expert hands. Your point threshold and complexity DC should be chosen independently to reflect this concept.

1.3 Simultaneous Projects

Projects attempted at the same time lead to an increase in the DC's "tier" for the projects. Both projects will still maintain their own time/point thresholds. For example, say you have two projects:

• 6 Point Threshold, Easy
• 2 Point Threshold, Medium

Should one choose to attempt to craft both of these at once, the DC tiers increase to Medium and Hard, respectively. Both rolls will still occur independently of each other and accrue points independently. Up to four projects can be attempted at once. Alternatively, projects can be attempted sequentially and will not incur a DC penalty.

2.0 Miscellaneous Skill Rolls

Rolling skills can be something done for personal roleplay purposes, or to achieve a goal through collaboration with NWO’s staff team.

In the latter case, a ticket should be opened to discuss it. Maybe players want to roll Foraging to track that bandit gang that passed through. Maybe they’re trying to get a few extra bites of food through a written Trapping session. Maybe they want to try their hand at Hunting one of the few animals left. If you have an idea that falls outside the rules listed here, open a Crafting Ticket to discuss further.

Combat

Here at NWO, we pride ourselves on the sense of danger and risk ever-present around our characters and plots. Every combat encounter can be a heroic victory or a crushing defeat, and very often brings with it lethal consequences. Every fight should be entered with the understanding that this...could be it.

While all players are expected to adhere to these rules when engaging in combat between characters on their own, we try to be more open and rewarding towards creativity when interacting with our Staff team in events and encounters. While the rules listed below are the usual standard used by our Storytellers and players during these Staff-hosted scenes, our NPC creations and environmental hazards sometimes require us to make adjustments to the mechanics of a scene to properly simulate the threats or conditions our players are facing.

Not to worry, though, as this same flexibility extends to you as a player! If you want to perform actions not easily expressed through these rules, talk to the Staff running the scene you are within in the OoC chat tab, and they will very often work with you to try and actualize your imagined plan. This is no guarantee that it will work, but player creativity is something we always attempt to reward.

Actions & Movement

A combat round is typically comprised of an Action and Movement. Reactions can sometimes be taken in special circumstances, such as Attacks of Opportunity or while Grappling someone. Exceptions will be noted in the relevant sections.

Movement is self-explanatory—It is the way a character “moves” around a space. Characters must toggle their movement range on their Dice Panel and may only move in one path to a point within their movement range. Movement imposes a -2 shooting penalty, regardless of the order of one’s Action or Movement.

Actions include a variety of things such as Attacking, Grappling, Shoving, Throwing, Helping, or virtually anything that is not movement.

Your combat roll in a scenario is determined by the weapon a character has equipped, but will generally be Melee, Ranged, or Unarmed.

Those who apply statuses (AoE, DoT, Suppressive Fire, etc.) or wish to utilize special rulings and mechanics are responsible for enforcing them. If you forget to apply your statuses or recall your rulings when using them on others, you lose that turn of said status. This rule applies to NPCs and PCs.

Engagement

Engagement occurs when one character enters another’s melee range. Engagement does not occur if the weapon being held is a ranged weapon. By default, this is one tile for all melee weapons except for spears, which have a two-tile range.

While Engaged, characters cannot shoot with two-handed ranged weapons and cannot make any movement without triggering an AOO, including movement around an attacker.

Dashing

As an action, a character can double their movement speed from 6 to 12 tiles. Dashing is not the same as Disengaging, and can still provoke Engagement or Attacks of Opportunity.

Disarming

As an action, a character may choose to Disarm their target so long as they have at least one hand free. An attacker with only one hand free attempts their Disarm at disadvantage. An attacker with two hands free attempts their Disarm with no penalty.

Disarms are made with a normal one-handed or unarmed attack roll. On success, the target is disarmed, dropping their weapon on the ground or in the hands of their attacker if the attacker has enough hands free (Attacker’s choice). The disarming character also deals damage equal to the weapon in their hand (1 damage if unarmed).

Swapping Weapons

Swapping weapons in combat is risky, but often necessary. Swapping weapons takes an action in most scenarios. However, if the weapon you are attempting to swap to is a one-handed weapon that is readily available, such as a holstered sidearm or a sheathed knife, you can choose to drop your currently equipped weapon on the ground to Quick Draw your one-handed weapon within the same turn. Your dropped weapon will require an action to pick up and equip once more. Please note that attachments, equipment, or other factors such as backstory or experience do not affect this rule.

Disengaging

As an action, a character may choose to Disengage from combat. This allows them to make any movement, barring any conditions which may prevent said movement, without proccing AOOs.

If you are Engaged by two or more people, Disengage actions require a Resolve (DC 12) roll to be attempted.

Helping

As an action, any character can Help another character by rolling a Resolve (DC 10) roll. On success, the target gains advantage on their next roll, depending on the nature of the help. Helping must be done with a specific intention that is laid out clearly and concisely by the helping player on their turn. In other words, you cannot blanket Help on every possible roll that another character might do. It is recommended to have a brief OOC discussion about what your Helping action will look like with the target.

Some examples of Help rolls might include:

• Attempting to restrain someone who is already grappled to give the attacking player an easier strike (Melee or Ranged Attack—While Grappling)
• Assisting a player in moving a heavy object (Strength)
• Providing an extra pair of hands during a medical emergency (First Aid)
• Providing an extra pair of hands while making dinner (Cooking)

This list is, of course, non-exhaustive. Be creative!

Stealth & Ambushing

Ambushing a combatant gives several advantages.

To attempt an Ambush, the attacker must succeed on a Hiding roll against the defender’s Perception roll. If the defender’s Perception roll beats the attacker’s Hiding roll, combat initiates as per usual, and no bonuses are obtained.

Combatants who are ambushed are Surprised and cannot act for the first round of combat. Conversely, attackers who have Ambushed a combatant or combatants have advantage on attack rolls made during this Surprise round.

Overwatch

While using a weapon, players can use their turn to go on Overwatch. Overwatch allows a player to “delay” their attack until certain events happen. Players must define these events clearly and concisely on their turn.

Examples of these events might include:

• When a specific character moves
• When any non-ally character enters a certain area
• Before or after another character acts
• If another character takes or deals damage

When Overwatch is triggered, typical range and rolling rules still apply. If Overwatch is not used, Overwatch ends on the player’s following turn unless used again.

Throwables, Areas of Effect (AoE), and Conditions

Various weapons, such as throwables, may leave an Area of Affect (AOE). AOEs can apply various Conditions to a target. Some examples of these Conditions include:

• Burning (Fire)
• Burning (Acid)
• Electrocution
• Smoke
• Poison

All of these Conditions apply the same mechanical effect. Regardless of the type, Conditions apply disadvantage to the afflicted character.

As a rule of thumb, AOEs affect a 3x3 tile area and linger on the ground for 3 turns unless specified by the item or Storyteller. A character moving into an existing AOE requires passing a DC 10 Robustness check or else risk taking on the Condition imposed by it.

An action can be spent by an afflicted character to remove a Condition unless attempted while within an AOE that applies it. Conditions can be stacked up to two times.

Throwable Examples

Name	Damage On-Hit	Area of Effect
Molotov	2	3x3
Smoke Bomb	-	5x5
Acid Attack	3	Single Target

Throwables can be tossed onto a tile, affecting the adjacent 3x3 area, by making a Ranged Attack (DC 12) roll. On failure, the throwable is placed in a random location within 2 tiles of the intended location.

Attacks of Opportunity

Attacks of Opportunity (AOO) or Opportunity Attacks can occur when a target chooses to leave an attacker’s Engagement range. Please note that moving while staying within range of an attacker does not trigger an AOO. By default, all Human characters can use one AOO per round of combat, resetting on that character’s turn. Zombies, infected, and other creatures may have more attacks of opportunity, dependent on their individual skill sets and Storyteller preferences.

Ranged weapons cannot utilize Attacks of Opportunity to deal a Ranged Attack. A person with a ranged weapon may make an Improvised Weapon roll to hit someone with a stock or “pistol whip,” but they cannot fire at a retreating opponent.

Going Prone

Prone refers to the act of lying on one’s back or stomach on the ground. In NWO, one can take a prone stance or be made to take a prone stance willingly or unwillingly. The Prone condition comes with several advantages and disadvantages:

• Prone characters can crawl to an adjacent tile while prone. If a character is prone and behind cover, they cannot make an attack unless their target is adjacent and not on the opposite side of said cover.
• Ranged attacks against prone characters are at a disadvantage.
  • Ranged attacks have advantage against prone targets within CQC/point-blank range (1 tile). If Engaged, typical Engagement rules apply.
• Melee attacks against prone characters are at advantage.
• Prone characters may use their movement or action to stand from being prone.
• Prone characters cannot Engage characters within melee range.

Shoving

Players may also choose to shove another player to displace or knock them down.

One player can shove another by engaging in a contested STR vs. STR or FIT (Defender’s choice) roll. Defenders can choose to automatically fail this roll if desired.

Shoving players can knock the target Prone or knock them away—Attacker’s choice.

• If knocked Prone, Prone rules apply.
• If knocked away, the target gets shoved back [Attacker’s ½ STR] tiles in the direction of the Attacker’s choice.

Grappling

Characters may choose to Grapple a target to prevent escape or otherwise impose various disadvantages.

One character may grapple another by engaging in a STR vs STR contest, so long as one of the Attacker’s hands is free. Attackers can drop a two-handed weapon same turn to attempt to Grapple a target, leaving their weapon on the ground. This weapon would need an action to be retrieved once more.

A Grappled character has the following disadvantages imposed upon them until the Grapple is broken:

• Movement is reduced to 0.
  • Grappled characters can rotate around the grappler, but cannot disengage or exit the tile adjacent.
• All attacks from the target are made at disadvantage
• Grappled characters do not provoke AOOs

On the Grappled character’s turn, they may use their action to attempt to break free with another STR vs STR contest. On fail, the Grappled character remains Grappled.

Characters grappling with a target can force that target to a prone state as an action with no additional contest. Both characters are considered Prone.

Grappled targets are not restrained or disarmed. Grappled characters may still attack any target that would normally be capable of with the weapon they may (or may not) have equipped, including the grappler, at disadvantage. A successful attack on the grappler from the target forces a reroll of the contest.

Grapplers may attack any character with a one-handed weapon at disadvantage. Disadvantage does not apply if their target is Cooperative.

Targets under duress, such as hostages, are considered Uncooperative, even if they are not attempting to actively fight their Grappler. Targets who are unconscious or otherwise incapacitated are considered Cooperative.

Human Shield

As an action or reaction, a Grappler may choose to use their target or themselves as a Human Shield.

When using a Human Shield, the Grappler gains a Full Cover bonus. When the Grappler is acting as a Human Shield, the target gains a Full Cover bonus.

Any Attacks made against the Shielded character will require a roll from the Human Shield as well. Regardless of the Shielded character’s success or failure, if the Human Shield fails their Defense roll, they take the attack’s damage as well.

Focusing

Focusing for a turn or starting combat while Focused gives Advantage to a Ranged Attack made on the next turn. If you do not fire after aiming, this bonus is lost unless Aiming is maintained.

Focusing can be done from cover. Becoming engaged or taking melee damage while Focused “breaks” your focus. If a ranged attack is made against a Focused character, that character must make a DC 12 Resolve roll to remain focused.

Focus is maintained so long as the character does not move or otherwise have their Focus broken. Once broken, Focus needs to be done once more.

Reloading

Once your available ammunition (clip, magazine, etc.) is spent, players using a ranged weapon must make a roll to Reload (DC 10). On success, their Reload is instant, allowing them to take a normal action. On failure, a turn must be dedicated to Reloading their weapon.

Suppressive Fire

With a fully automatic weapon aimed at a player behind cover, attacking players can lay down Suppressive Fire. More than half of the weapon’s magazine must remain.

Suppressive Fire requires a typical Ranged ATK vs. Ranged DEF roll. On the attacker’s success, typical damage applies.

Regardless of success or failure, the attacking player burns their magazine of their automatic weapon to attempt to negate movement or action from the defending player. If a defender attempts to move or act in a way that would expose them to Suppressive Fire, they must make a Resolve (DC 12) roll. On success, they may take their action as normal. On failure, they are startled in place. A target under Suppressive Fire may take any other action or reaction that would not expose them to suppressive fire.

Suppressive Fire ends at the beginning of the attacker’s next turn. At the end of Suppressive Fire, the attacking player must reload to continue using their currently equipped weapon.

Armor

Armor is applied as Light, Medium, or Heavy armor. Each type of armor has its own Armor Stacks and Drawbacks.

Armor Rules

Type	Stacks	Drawbacks
Light	1	-
Medium	2	-1 Initiative, -1 Movement
Heavy	3	-2 Initiative, -2 Movement

If an attack is taken while wearing armor, a stack is consumed to reduce the damage of that attack to 1. Critical attacks deal 2 stacks of damage to armor and deal full damage if only one Armor Stack is remaining.

Ranged Combat

Ranged Defense	-
Ranged Attack	Aiming/2

Several aspects of the mechanical environment affect ranged rolls, including the lighting of an area, whether or not a weapon is scoped, and more. Please note that Sniping a character from a distance, while an option, is still subject to appropriate combat rules, CK rules, and ticketing. The range of a ranged weapon is dictated by in-game line-of-sight (LoS). Consider the following before making an attack roll:

• Whether the target is ‘visible’
• Whether there is a clear line of fire from attacker to defender
• Whether any allies are engaged in any actions that may put them at risk of being hit (i.e. grappling)

The above factors determine whether a target can be hit. In the special case of the flamethrower, its range is 15 in-game tiles.

Ranged Weapons

Weapon Type	Damage	Crit Requirement	Crit Dmg
Assault Weapons	4	Double 5 or Double 6	6
M60/LMG's	5	Double 6	6
Rifles & Shotguns	4	Double 6	6
Pistols	3	Double 6	4
Flamethrowers	3	Double 5 or Double 6	4
Crossbows	4	Double 6	5

Melee Combat

Melee combat occurs with contested rolls. The success of a melee attack roll is dependent on the following values:

Throwable Examples

Melee Attack	½ Weapon Skill (or ½ Nimble if Unarmed) + STR Bonus (+1 at lvl 8, +2 at lvl 10)
Melee Defense	½ Weapon Skill (or ½ Nimble if Unarmed) + STR Bonus (+1 at lvl 8, +2 at lvl 10)

Each Melee weapon has its own damage and crit requirements.

Throwable Examples

Weapon Type	Damage	Crit Requirement	Crit Damage
Two-Handed	3	Double 5 or Double 6	4
One-Handed	2	Double 6	4
Spears	2	Double 6	3
Bare Hands, Improvised, Weapon Stocks	1	-	-

❤️‍🩹 Death and Injury System

Here on No Way Out, every fight, every wound, and every decision carries weight. In a world where civilization has crumbled, survival is never guaranteed. Conflict against the infected, the elements, or other survivors is high-stakes. Resources are scarce. Mercy is rarer. Second chances are few.

To reflect this, the DIS system determines the aftermath of combat. Outcomes range from temporary injuries to permanent traits to death. The goal is tension and consequence.

Injuries

Injury Type	Modifiers
Healthy	No Modifiers
Lightly Injured	-1 Modifier to All Rolls
Injured	-2 Modifier to All Rolls
Heavily Injured	-3 Modifier to All Rolls

There are two primary rolls:

• A 1d12 Death Roll sets the overall outcome.
• If permanent injury is indicated, a 1d20 Permanent Injury Roll sets the specific trait.

💀 The Death Roll

A 1d12 determines fate. Permanent injuries apply custom traits. Heavily and Lightly Injured are status effects toggled in the dice UI.

Immediate Medical Assistance

This modifier can only affect non-Death rolls. If a DIS roll lands on Instant Death, that character still dies. A player rolling 1-3, even with assistance from a medic, will die. Outside of that 1-3, the Medic's assistance will apply.

Medic DIS Modifiers

First Aid Roll Amount	Added DIS Modifier
≤ 4	-2
5 - 6	-1
7 - 8	0
9 - 10	+1
1 - 12	+2
13+ or Crit	+3

Normal Risk DIS

Normal DIS applies in all HRZ deaths and most events.

Normal DIS Results (1d12)

Roll	Outcome	Notes
1–3	Instant Death ☠️	Character dies.
4–6	Permanent Injury 🦴	Roll on Permanent Injury table.
7–8	Heavily Injured 🤕	Temporary status effect.
9–10	Injured 🩸	Temporary status effect.
11	Lightly Injured 🩹	Temporary status effect.
12	Unscathed	Minor, non-debilitating injuries.

Medium-Risk DIS

Medium-risk DIS events present a higher risk of permanent injury. The possibility of coming out unscathed is impossible if downed. Death is more likely, and injury is more common.

Normal DIS Results (1d12)

Roll	Outcome	Notes
1–3	Instant Death ☠️	Character dies.
4–9	Permanent Injury 🦴	Roll on Permanent Injury table.
10-12	Heavily Injured 🤕	Temporary status effect.

For recovery from non-permanent injuries, see Health & Recovery.

High-Risk DIS

High-risk DIS events guarantee death, where a DIS roll might typically be present. High Risk DIS is primarily reserved for world-ending narrative events.

🩻 The Permanent Injury Roll

If Permanent Injury is indicated, roll 1d20 to determine the trait.

Rules

• Traits change dice modifiers only. No mechanical stat changes.
• Some traits may grant minor advantages. Most add roleplay challenges.
• If on-scene medical help from a character with First Aid 4+ is available, add modifiers:
  • Patient: add their Robustness modifier.
  • Medic: add their First Aid modifier.
  • Modifiers are Skill Level ÷ 2.
  • Robustness applies only if the medic has First Aid 4+.
• First Aid can be administered only by characters present for the scene. Present means within shout range at the start, or arriving within 5 minutes of the conclusion.
• Add the medic to the ticket. Both parties must show the roll and applied modifiers.

1d20 Permanent Injury Table

d20	Trait	Effect
1	👁️‍🗨️ Blind	−5 to all Attacks, Defences, and Perception
2	✂️ Missing Arm	−3 all Attacks, −3 Melee Defence
3	🦿 Missing Leg	−4 Initiative, −1 Robustness
4	🧠⚡ Mental Trauma	−6 Resolve
5	🦴 Damaged Tendons	−1 all Attacks and Defence, −2 Robustness
6	🧠 Brain Damage	−4 Perception, −2 Initiative, +4 Resolve
7	🫀 Damaged Organs	−1 Melee Attack and Defence, −2 Robustness
8	🩹 Badly Healed Limb	−2 Melee Attack and Defence
9	✋ Missing Fingers	−1 Melee Attack, −1 Melee Defence
10	👁️❌ Missing Eye	−1 Ranged Attack, −2 Perception
11	⚡ Damaged Nerves	−1 Resolve, −2 Robustness
12	💪❌ Damaged Muscles	−2 Initiative
13	🦴 Spinal Injury	−2 Robustness
14	👓 Blurred Vision	−2 Perception
15	🩼 Limp	−1 Initiative
16	🧠🩹 Mental Scar	−1 Resolve
17	👂❌ Impaired Hearing	−1 Perception
18	🧵 Scarred	−1 Robustness, +1 Resolve
19	🩸 Heavily Injured	See Temporary Injuries
20	🛡️ Battle-Hardened	+2 Resolve

❓ When does the Death & Injury System apply

Not every death requires a DIS roll. These do.

• PvP encounters: DIS is standard. Defeated characters may request alternatives. Final say rests with the winning side.
• PVE deaths in High Risk Zones: DIS is standard unless caused by bugs or mechanical jank. Proof required. Open a PvP/PVE Death ticket and provide rolls or video evidence. See HRZ.
• Events: DIS is standard unless the Storyteller states otherwise. Events are labeled by danger level. Low-risk still carries risk. High-risk CK events may bypass DIS and result in immediate CK.

🩸 Health & Recovery guidelines

Heavily Injured, Injured, and Lightly Injured are applied using the in-game dice roller. Each status imposes negative modifiers to all rolls. Severity scales with tier.

Recovery process

• Once every 24 IRL hours, attempt a First Aid recovery roll.
• On 10+, the injury improves by one tier:
  • Heavily Injured → Injured
  • Injured → Lightly Injured
  • Lightly Injured → Healthy
• The roll may be made by the injured character or by another character providing medical RP.
• Only one recovery roll per character per 24 hours. Failing then having someone else try within 24 hours is a rule break.
• Document recovery via a General Ticket in ⁠🎫┃tickets-support.

Immediate Medical Assistance

This modifier can only affect non-Death rolls. If a DIS roll lands on Instant Death, that character still dies. A player rolling 1-3, even with assistance from a medic, will die. Outside of that 1-3, the Medic's assistance will apply.

Medic DIS Modifiers

First Aid Roll Result	Added DIS Modifier
≤ 4	-2
5 - 6	-1
7 - 8	0
9 - 10	+1
11 - 12	+2
13+ or Crit	+3

Character Creation

Characters on NWO are supposed to feel like real people, and each character build will first need to be approved before the character can Spawn. Using this guide, at the end of a Character Application thread, post what kind of Occupation and Traits the character should have. Every Trait will need to be justified properly in the Background. Both Negatives, and Positives.

Backgrounds

On NWO there are only four Occupations, called Backgrounds, that don't work like the basegame ones. Each occupation is better defined as a "Background", the backbones of what your character is, without limiting their skills. Each of these Backgrounds will give an amount of Trait Points, levels of Fitness and Strength, and two Thematic Traits with no connection to skills, but that give Mechanical and Dice effects and are unique to them.

Backgrounds

Name	Description	Trait Points	Base STR & FIT	Traits
Scavenger	Brave and resourceful, Scavengers are used to the dangers of the world outside the QZ.	8	STR 8, FIT 8	🍃 Outdoorsman: Unaffected by Weather Conditions 👂 Keen Hearing: Wider hearing Radius. +2 Perception Rolls
Thinker	Quick-witted and versatile, Thinkers can adapt to learn new essential skills.	10	STR 8, FIT 8	🫳 Dextrous: Faster Item transference speed 🧠 Fast Learner: 125% XP Gain
Stalwart	Bulwarks of resilience, Stalwarts are tough and enduring survivors, hardened by the dangers of this new world	8	STR 10, FIT 10	🩸 Fast Coagulation: Slower mechanical bleeding speed. 🦏 Thick Skinned: Less chance of mechanical Injury. +2 Robustness Rolls
Labourer	Robust pillars of their community, Labourers are strong workers especially capable in resource management.	8	STR 8, FIT 8	🚜 Heavy Lifter: Higher Carrying Capacity. +1 Robustness Rolls 🗄️ Organized: More storage space inside of containers.

Skill Caps & Traits

On NWO, every skill has a max cap level. Caps are influenced by the starting level in character creation, and will be 4, 6, 8 and 10. A skill that starts with at least one level will already be at its maximum possible level.

Gaining Levels & XP

If a character starts with 0 levels in a skill, they will be able to level it up to Level 4. Leveling these skills happens through normal PZ Mechanical Leveling up. For the purpose of making learning new skills more impactful, we have removed Skill Books.

Skill Traits

Since Backgrounds will not give any starting level in Crafting, Agility, Survival and Combat skills, a character build will mostly come from the selection of traits. Our custom Skill Traits are organized in three different tiers that have different costs and Starting levels:

Examples

Name	Point Cost	Points Added	Starting Level	Skill Cap	Limit
None	0	+0 Levels	Level 0	Level 4	None
🥉 Amateur	1	+1 Levels	Level 6	Level 6	None
🥈 Experienced	2	+2 Levels	Level 8	Level 8	Two Per Character
🥇 Expert	3	+3 Levels	Level 10	Level 10	One Per Character

A Character can't also have same Skill Traits of different Tiers. (For example: Both Amateur Carpenter *and* Experienced Carpenter).

Traits List & Costs

📖 Vanilla Positive Traits

Name	Cost	Description
Speed Demon	1	Example
Low Thirst	1	Example
Herbalist	1	Example
Iron Gut	1	+1 Robustness
Cats Eyes	2	+2 Perception
Adrenaline Junkie	2	+2 Initiative
Graceful	2	+2 Stealth
Brave	2	+2 Resolve
Inconspicuous	2	+2 Stealth
Fast Healer	2	+1 Robustness
Resilient	2	Example
Fit	3	Example
Strong	3	Example
Eagle Eyed	3	+1 Ranged Attack, +2 Perception
Desensitized	4	+4 Resolve

📖 Vanilla Negative Traits

Name	Cost	Description
Prone to Illness	1	-1 Robustness
Smoker	1	-1 Robustness
Slow Driver	1	Example
Slow Learner	1	Example
Weak Stomach	1	-1 Robustness
Fear of Blood	2	-2 Resolve
Agoraphobic	2	-2 Resolve
All Thumbs	2	Example
Claustrophobic	2	-2 Resolve
Cowardly	2	-2 Resolve
Pacifist	2	-2 Initiative
Short Sighted	2	-1 Ranged Attack, -1 Perception
Thin Skinned	2	-2 Robustness
Conspicuous	2	-2 Stealth
Clumsy	2	-2 Stealth
Hard of Hearing	2	-2 Perception
Disorganized	3	Example
Weak	3	Example
Unfit	3	Example
Illiterate	4	Example
Deaf	4	-4 Perception
Very Weak	5	Example
Very Unfit	5	Example

🥉 Amateur Skill Traits

Cost: 1 Point each. No Limit.

Name	Description
Amateur Carpenter	+1 Carpentry
Amateur Farmer	+1 Farming
Amateur Doctor	+1 First Aid
Amateur Engineer	+1 Mechanics, +1 Electronics
Amateur Metalworker	+1 Metalworking
Amateur Housekeeper	+1 Cooking, +1 Tailoring
Amateur Shooter	+1 Aiming, +1 Reloading
Amateur Outdoorsman	+1 Fishing, +1 Foraging, +1 Trapping
Amateur Athlete	+1 Nimble, +1 Sprinting
Amateur Rogue	+1 Sneaking, +1 Lightfooted
Amateur Fighter (Survival)	+1 Axe, +1 Spear, +1 maintenance
Amateur Fighter (Blunt)	+1 Long Blunt, +1 Short Blunt, +1 Maintenance
Amateur Fighter (Blade)	+1 Long Blade, +1 Short Blade, +1 Maintenance

🥈 Experienced Skill Traits

Cost: 2 Points each. Max 2.

Name	Description
Experienced Carpenter	+2 Carpentry
Experienced Farmer	+2 Farming
Experienced Doctor	+2 First Aid
Experienced Engineer	+2 Mechanics, +2 Electronics
Experienced Metalworker	+2 Metalworking
Experienced Housekeeper	+2 Cooking, +2 Tailoring
Experienced Shooter	+2 Aiming, +2 Reloading
Experienced Outdoorsman	+2 Fishing, +2 Foraging, +2 Trapping
Experienced Athlete	+2 Nimble, +2 Sprinting
Experienced Rogue	+2 Sneaking, +2 Lightfooted
Experienced Fighter (Survival)	+2 Axe, +2 Spear, +2 maintenance
Experienced Fighter (Blunt)	+2 Long Blunt, +2 Short Blunt, +2 Maintenance
Experienced Fighter (Blade)	+2 Long Blade, +2 Short Blade, +2 Maintenance

🥇 Expert Skill Traits

Cost: 3 Points each. Max 1.

Name	Description
Expert Carpenter	+3 Carpentry
Expert Farmer	+3 Farming
Expert Doctor	+3 First Aid
Expert Engineer	+3 Mechanics, +3 Electronics
Expert Metalworker	+3 Metalworking
Expert Housekeeper	+3 Cooking, +3 Tailoring
Expert Shooter	+3 Aiming, +3 Reloading
Expert Outdoorsman	+3 Fishing, +3 Foraging, +3 Trapping
Expert Athlete	+3 Nimble, +3 Sprinting
Expert Rogue	+3 Sneaking, +3 Lightfooted
Expert Fighter (Survival)	+3 Axe, +3 Spear, +3 maintenance
Expert Fighter (Blunt)	+3 Long Blunt, +3 Short Blunt, +3 Maintenance
Expert Fighter (Blade)	+3 Long Blade, +3 Short Blade, +3 Maintenance

Accessing the Dice Panel

The dice panel is accessible via the Skills tab in the Health menu.

Navigating the Dice Panel