<Cybercore>

Movement - Flying / 0-G

The Movement - Flying / 0-G skill is the ultimate expression of freedom, allowing you to soar above the ground and defy gravity itself. Whether you're in a zero-g environment or the gravity of a planet, you are at home in the air. You are a master of flight, able to navigate through any obstacle and come out unscathed. Your rocket boots or jetpack are an extension of your body, giving you the power to reach new heights and explore new worlds. You are a daredevil, a thrill-seeker always seeking the next challenge to push your skills to the limit. Nothing can hold you down, and no obstacle is too great for you to overcome. You are the embodiment of freedom, and the sky is your playground.

Using Flying / 0-G

Each zero-gravity or flight maneuver will have a difficulty rating based on the complexity of movement, environmental hazards, precision required, and equipment reliability. The more challenging the zero-g environment or daring the aerial maneuver, the higher the difficulty.

When you attempt to fly with jetpacks or rocket boots, navigate zero-gravity environments, perform aerial maneuvers, control orientation in microgravity, or execute precision flight, you will make a Movement - Flying / 0-G skill check against the task's difficulty rating. The GM may apply Boons or Banes based on factors such as equipment condition, fuel available, debris or obstacles, or atmospheric conditions.

  • A Critical Success means you achieve perfect flight control. Your movements are graceful and precise - you fly faster than expected (25-40% speed increase), execute complex aerial maneuvers flawlessly, navigate zero-g with exceptional efficiency, use less fuel than anticipated, or perform spectacular aerial feats that leave observers amazed. In zero-g, you move like you were born in space.
  • A Regular Success allows you to successfully navigate flight or zero-gravity. You control your jetpack or rocket boots properly, orient yourself in zero-g, execute aerial maneuvers safely, or reach your destination. You accomplish your movement objectives.
  • A Failure means your flight control is imperfect but not dangerous. You drift off course slightly in zero-g, waste fuel with inefficient maneuvering, execute clumsy aerial moves, struggle with orientation, or move slower than intended. You eventually reach your destination but it takes longer and uses more fuel.
  • A Critical Failure results in flight disaster: you lose control of your jetpack and crash (2d6 impact damage), tumble uncontrollably in zero-g and can't stop spinning (Disoriented), run out of fuel mid-flight and fall, collide with obstacles or debris (2d6 damage and equipment damage), or your flight equipment malfunctions catastrophically. You're in serious danger.

Flying / 0-G Tricks

Rather than spending skill points to move up skill levels, you may instead spend skill points to purchase any of the following tricks.

Zero-G Reflexes:

Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can orient yourself instantly in zero-gravity. Once per operation, when you enter zero-g or become disoriented, you can immediately stabilize and control your rotation. You automatically know which way is "up" relative to the station, can stop tumbling instantly, and position yourself for optimal movement. This prevents the disorientation that plagues spacers new to microgravity.

Controlled Hover:

Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can maintain perfect stationary position in flight. Once per operation, you can hover motionlessly in mid-air using your jetpack or zero-g maneuvering, maintaining position for up to 1 minute. This allows you to take aim, perform delicate tasks, or observe from aerial vantage points. You remain stable enough to use ranged weapons without penalty.

Fuel Efficiency:

Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can conserve jetpack or rocket boot fuel through expert technique. Once per operation, your flight equipment uses 50% less fuel for the duration of one extended flight or pursuit. Your efficient maneuvering and trajectory optimization stretch your operational range significantly, allowing flights that would normally be impossible.

Aerial Combat:

Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can fight effectively while flying or in zero-g. Once per rest, when engaging in aerial or zero-g combat, you gain a +1d8 Boon to all attack and defense rolls. You can maneuver, aim, and fight while flying with the same effectiveness as on solid ground. Your three-dimensional combat awareness is exceptional.

Precision Flight:

Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can execute incredibly precise flight maneuvers. Once per rest, you gain a +1d8 Boon to navigate through tight spaces, thread needle-gap passages, fly through debris fields, or execute complex aerial acrobatics. You can fly through environments that would crash other pilots - asteroid fields, tight corridors, or industrial machinery.

Afterburner Boost:

Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can coax maximum performance from your flight equipment. Once per rest, you can activate an afterburner boost that doubles your flight speed for up to 30 seconds. This explosive burst of velocity allows you to catch fleeing targets, escape pursuers, or cross vast distances in seconds. You consume 3x normal fuel during the boost.

Zero-G Master:

Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You achieve perfect mastery of zero-gravity movement. For one mission in a zero-g environment, you move with supernatural grace - you automatically succeed on all zero-g movement checks, can push off surfaces to fly exactly where you want, catch objects perfectly, and never become disoriented. You move through zero-g like you were born in space. Gravity is optional.

Atmospheric Ace:

Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: Your jetpack or rocket boot flying becomes legendary. For one aerial chase, combat, or flight sequence, you perform impossible maneuvers - vertical climbs at full throttle, barrel rolls through tight spaces, flying backwards while firing, or executing aerobatic stunts that defy physics. You automatically succeed on all flight checks. Nothing can catch you, nothing can shake you. You own the sky.

Emergency Rescue:

Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can execute one impossible rescue flight. Once per mission, you can fly into any danger - through explosions, failing space stations, collapsing structures, burning buildings, or deadly debris fields - grab a person in distress, and fly them to safety. You automatically succeed, no matter how impossible the rescue seems. Your courage and skill save lives others would consider lost.

Crafting

Two-Stage Creation Process

Stage 1: Survey and Map (Blueprint)

  • Requires: Movement - Flying / 0-G check (DC varies by environment complexity)
    • Simple Path (DC Easy): Open airspace or simple zero-g corridor
    • Advanced Path (DC Medium): Complex station interior, asteroid field navigation
    • Elite Path (DC Hard): High-speed orbital path, debris-filled zero-g combat zone
  • Time: 1-3 days of surveying and testing per route
  • Resources: Flight equipment, fuel for test runs, navigation sensors

Stage 2: Optimize and Mark (Crafting)

  • Requires: Multiple test flights + waypoint marking + timing optimization
  • Time: 1-2 days of refinement
  • Materials:
    • Navigation Beacons: Electronic markers or visual indicators (Cheap to Moderate)
    • Fuel: Test runs to optimize path (Moderate)
    • Documentation: Flight computer waypoints or mental map (Cheap)
  • Workshop: The actual environment - zero-g stations, airspace, asteroid fields

Benefits: Stacking Boons and Flight Advantages

Each flight path grants a stacking Boon to Movement - Flying / 0-G rolls when using that route:

  • 1 Path: +1d4 Boon
  • 2 Paths: +1d6 Boon
  • 3 Paths: +1d8 Boon
  • 4 Paths: +1d10 Boon
  • 5+ Paths: +1d12 Boon (then +1d4 for each additional)

Boons apply when:

  • Flying along the documented flight path
  • Navigating zero-g through known routes
  • Executing maneuvers in mapped airspace
  • Evading pursuit using pre-planned escape routes
  • Teaching flight paths to other pilots

Material Benefits

Flight paths provide practical advantages:

  • Fuel Efficiency: 20-40% fuel savings using optimized routes
  • Faster Travel: 30% reduction in travel time through known paths
  • Safety: Avoid known hazards, debris fields, and obstacles
  • Tactical Advantage: Pre-planned aerial combat positions and escape routes
  • Emergency Routes: Tested emergency landing or evacuation paths
  • Zero-G Mastery: Navigate complex stations like you grew up there

GM Note: Flight paths can become hazardous if conditions change (new debris, station reconfiguration).

Maintenance Requirements

Flight paths require periodic updates:

  • Verification Flights: Test routes monthly to ensure they're still safe
  • Beacon Maintenance: Replace or recharge navigation markers (Cheap)
  • Route Updates: Adjust for environmental changes (new obstacles, station modifications)
  • Weather Impact: Atmospheric routes affected by storms or wind changes
  • Sharing: Can teach routes to trusted pilots or teammates

Example: Station Courier's Network

"Meteor" Kim maps zero-g delivery routes:

  1. Survey Station (DC Medium): Kim spends 2 days mapping Orbital Station 7, rolls Movement - Flying / 0-G (success)
  2. Create Paths: Documents 3 zero-g routes:
    • Express corridor: Fastest path through central hub
    • Service route: Access to restricted maintenance areas
    • Emergency escape: Hull-walking path to airlocks
  3. Cost: Moderate for test fuel and beacons
  4. Benefit: When navigating station, Kim gains +1d8 Boon and 35% faster movement
  5. Duration: Valid until station undergoes major reconfiguration

Example: Combat Pilot's Tactical Routes

Fighter pilot "Hawkeye" maintains aerial superiority:

  1. Multiple Paths: Hawkeye has mapped 5 tactical flight routes around the combat zone
  2. Benefit: Gains +1d12 Boon when flying in known airspace
  3. Advantage: Pre-planned attack runs, evasion patterns, and emergency bailout routes
  4. Fuel Savings: 30% fuel efficiency allows extended patrol time

GM Notes

  • Limit to 5 active paths per character to represent realistic navigation memory
  • Environment Specific: Flight paths only work in the mapped area
  • Story Opportunities: Mapping routes drives exploration and reconnaissance
  • Team Benefit: Teaching routes to squadmates spreads tactical advantage
  • Dynamic Environments: Debris fields and combat zones change constantly