In Short
Alpha Omega delivers far future, post-apocalypse, magic using, mega-city living, alien invading, angel and demon fighting, mutant hiding, monster destroying action in a beautiful package. With very traditional, crunchy game design players take on the role of a disparate band of, well, people who work to survive the harsh reality of the future. If you like the idea of taking cyberpunk, modern magic, and post-apocalyptic settings and throwing them all in a blender then this game is sure to have something you will love.
The Good: With so many character options available it’s hard to imagine a player who can’t find something to love here. A complete lack of player narration, ‘hero points’, or elements of modern game design may work well for some folk. A mechanically involved system attempts to make the game as realistic as possible.
The Bad: The setting may be a little over the top for some readers, and no implications of the presence of magic, sapient A.I., and imminent alien invasion are explored. The sorts of character building options one might expect from earlier games – merits and flaws, lots of stats, lots of tables, etc. – may turn some readers off from the system. For a game that stresses combat and, at times, monster hunting it’s curious that there are no monsters and the only meaningful opponents in the entire book are stats for two security guards.
The Physical Thing
This 404 page glossy full color hardcover showcases the very highest game production standards for its $45.99 price tag. Its dimensions are unusual, being wider and shorter than a standard RPG – more like a standard RPG turned on its side – but the book is still packed with material. The character artwork is good throughout, but the full page landscapes are gorgeous.
The game doesn’t use page numbers but uses a sort of chapter/section numbering system that makes it even easier to find material. As if that’s not enough, there’s a complete table of contents and index. The editing is perfect, the formatting is solid – there’s just nothing but beauty here.
Under the Cover
The Setting
In the near the Earth itself turns against humanity. Volcanoes are unleashed, super storms develop, and everything that can go wrong goes wrong. Then humanity engages in a biological and nuclear war with itself. Then comet fragments strike the Earth, causing immense destruction. The authors’ goal in this slightly silly sequence of disasters is to have an excuse for monsters roaming the countryside and mega-cities where humanity fled to hide away from the dangerous outside world. So, at the start of 2280 there are mutants in the wastelands, monsters, giant mega-cities filled with people, and parts of the world still unexplored.
Technology has continued to develop. Truly sapient A.I. exist, as do A.I. forced into cybershells. Genetic engineering is common, as are vat grown genetically engineered people. Computers are ubiquitous and most people are tied into an augmented reality system at all times. All previous governments have failed, being replaced with nefarious city-states that offer citizenship to only the most desirable and constantly compete with one another for resources. The world is a wild and wondrous place.
Advanced technology is only half the story, however. See, there are two really powerful alien races (effectively angels and devils) that wage war on Earth every 10,000 years. They leave some stragglers behind to keep an eye on everything. Well, this war is just about to take place again and the stragglers have been pretty active in letting people know about it. Add to that the discovery of magic, both arcane and divine, and you’ve got a setting that is completely filled with possibility.
The best part of the setting is easily the attention given to the mega-cities in various parts of the world. Often accompanied by beautiful full page illustrations, having an overview of what’s out there is useful and provides the reader with a good general idea of what the world really looks like. The worst is the attention to signature NPCs, which take up a fair bit of room and are not accompanied by any sort of stat blocks which could otherwise make them useful at least as example NPCs.
Be aware that the setting, as with the game generally, seeks to provide an overview of the world but does not go into depth on anything. On the one hand, this provides plenty of room for adding in your own content. On the other, folk like me who enjoy detailed settings will be disappointed at the brevity with which setting elements are addressed and then discarded.
The System
The system is called the 6-6 system because each combat turn is split into 6 segments and characters have up to 6 dice, ranging from d4 to d20, that they may distribute through those segments as they wish. The basic unit of most RPGs is the Skill check, and Alpha Omega handles that in an unusual way. Players compare their Quality to a table to determine how many dice they get. They then roll those dice, add them up, and add their Skill Rank + Equipment bonus to the total. For Skills this is usually compared to a static difficulty number or part of an opposed roll.
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Example: A character is trying to remember an important fact from History. The character has the History Skill at Rank 2. The History Skill is based on the Wisdom Quality, which this character has at 18. Looking at the table I discover that an 18 results in a pool of 3d6 3d4. For my History check I roll those six dice, add up the results, and then add 2 (my Skill Rank) to the total. A much higher Wisdom Quality would have resulted in a more favorable dice pool, such as 1d8 5d6 for a 26 Wisdom. A much higher Skill would have resulted in just a higher flat modifier.
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Additionally, whenever a character rolls the dice they also roll a d20 to check for a Critical Roll. On a 1 a Critical Failure occurs, and on a 20 a Critical Success occurs. The Critical result can override whatever the character would otherwise achieve.
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Example: Let’s expand on my above example. The Difficulty set by the GM is 30 – average. Note that starting Qualities don’t typically exceed 20 or 25 for the character’s absolute best areas, so most characters will have difficulty hitting average difficulties starting out. Assume my example historian rolls perfectly, getting a 30 and then adding 2 more on for a 32 – success! If a 1 is rolled on the Critical Die then that success becomes a Critical Failure. If a 20 is rolled then the success stands as a Critical Success.
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A Human’s base Quality is 12, with a max of 20. The example character built in the rules buys 3 Ranks in her most important Skill – not unreasonable considering how expensive Skills are (though she buys no other Skills at all). The simple NPCs in the back have higher Skills, which at first made me think this example character is an exception, but upon further investigation I realized that even the simple NPCs are built on hundreds of points more than what starting characters receive. A Quality of 12 provides 6d4, which with a Skill at 3 is not enough to ever hit an Average Difficulty. A Quality of 20, the max for humans before genetic engineering / cyberware, provides 4d6 2d4. That makes it possible, but very unlikely. Note that this isn’t balanced by any sort of reroll / hero point mechanic in the game.
The Combat system further develops the game. Depending on the Reaction Tertiary Quality characters will participate in 1-6 of the 6 combat phases. The dice a character receives are for the entire turn, so going often isn’t necessarily the best option. The game fully supports the use of miniatures, including rules for movement, facing, and example grids. Oddly, all of the example grids appear to be for dungeons.
When combat breaks out characters roll for Reaction and then take turns through the phases performing half or full phase actions (such as Full Attack). All characters have a Defense rating. Attacking is very simple. Either roll against the static Defense Rating or, if the target is Actively Defending, roll against their Active Defense roll. Just like Skill checks it boils down to roll vs. static or roll vs. roll. The combat system will be particularly intuitive for folk coming from a d20 background. Damage is determined based on weapon damage, character skill, and the target’s armor.
Unlike the Skill system, I have no immediate objections to the combat system. It’s intuitive and a lot of the features – such as armor being destroyed as it absorbs damage – will appeal to many players. Many condition modifiers are included but, ultimately, the game comes down to a simple Hit Point and Endurance Point tracking system.
One last mechanic deserves some attention. Alpha Omega has an interesting approach to tracking mental states, the State Tracking Table. These exist for all sorts of different qualities, from Fear and Thought to even physical qualities like Size. They range from -4 to 4, with 0 being standard, and various Skills/Spells can shift characters along these State Tables. For example, the default state for Fear is Normal. Going in one direct invokes Confident, Inspired, etc. The other direction invokes Anxious, Scared, Terrified, and so on. I like this because it doesn’t just assume a binary fear/not-feared state but takes into consideration the possibility of characters being in a superior state of mind already, such as thanks to a good leader. Mechanically, it’s also easy to work with while providing a fun bit of additional crunch.
Character Creation
Character creation begins with a concept!
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Example: I’m building Aaron Voidheart, a half demon half angel (called a Annunaki) bounty hunter. Aaron was just too damn good at her job and, after taking in a crime lord, one day found herself with a huge bounty on her head. Now she’s trying to keep one step ahead of the competition while looking for a way to resolve her own bounty.
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Alpha Omega throws plenty of species options at the player. Humans are as simple as ever, but have more potential to grow than any other species. The Necrosi are an S&M loving offshoot of humanity that evolved elsewhere on Earth after so much global destruction. They have an appearance akin to undead, but otherwise are similar to humans. Remnants are mutants who have been living out in the radioactive wastelands. A.I. are, well, A.I. forced to live in humanoid robotic bodies. Unfortunately, there is no support for playing A.I. in unusual bodies, A.I. outside of robotic bodies, or the general implications of a computer mind (they’re not necessarily any smarter than anyone else). The Bio-Engineered are humans created in vats who have several advantages but, as a result, can’t use magic. The Nephilim, Lesser Nephilim, Grigori, Lesser Grigori, and Annunaki reflect alien species and alien/human offspring. Often resembling devils and angels, some of these races have been at war for quite some time and are preparing for a new battle on Earth.
Each species has a host of special abilities and character options. Some can use magic. Some can use magic really well. Some can be augmented with cyberware and evolutionary changes. Some have higher Skill caps than others. The designers clearly set out to balance versatility, Skill, and raw power against each other though it’s unclear at what stage this balancing really comes into play. Some of the species seem notably more powerful than others right out the gate, with disadvantages that are unlikely to really come into play until a campaign has been going on for a little while. In addition to balance considerations, some readers may be frustrated by the seemingly arbitrary nature of many of the changes. It makes perfect sense that the mutant humans should have bonus mutations, but why can the Bio-Engineered not use magic when magic is presented as an applied science? Little explanation is given for the additional rules.
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Example: The Annunaki have a lot going on. All their base Qualities are 7, max 25, and varied bases: Strength 20, Agility 20, Conditioning 18, Vitality 18, Discipline 14, Intelligence 15, and Charisma 14. They begin the game at Ascension Level 1, providing a host of special benefits. They can use Innate and Spiritual Wielding (magic) but not Arcane. They receive bonus Ranks in various magic. They can have no Skill or Field (broad skill) higher than 2 at character creation. And it goes on.
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After choosing a species characters have 500 points to spend on everything else they might want. Raising Qualities and Skills is a no brainer, but characters can also purchase genetic deviations and Abiilities/Drawbacks (merits/flaws). Let’s walk through these while building a character.
Qualities are a big deal. They determine what six dice are present for a character to use as well as what Secondary and Tertiary Qualities a character has. All told there are 19 Qualities, 12 of which are derived from the core 7 Qualities. Only core Qualities can be increased and the number of character points to increase each depends on where it falls on a specific chart, typically resulting in a cost of 10-25 points per 1 point of increase for starting characters. The higher a Quality gets the more expensive to increase it.
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Example: All told I spent a few hundred points on Qualities. This character is going to both be an active combatant and a magic user. Because of that I put special attention on Qualities that make her a better magic user and Qualities that ultimately increase her combat prowess, such as those that factor into defense.
Her final Qualities include Str 20, Agil 20, Con 20, Vit 20, Disc 23, Int 15, Cha 11. These are then added and divided in various combinations to create the Secondary Qualities Athletics 20, Physical Acumen 20, Fitness 20, Will 22, Wisdom 19, Wit 13, and Presence 16. Secondary Qualities are then manipulated in various ways to produce Tertiary Qualities. These include Reaction 20, Physis 15, Endurance 53, Defense 10, and Health 40.
None of the math is difficult, amounting to nothing more than simple addition and division. However, there sure are a lot of Qualities to keep in mind.
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Abilities and Drawbacks allow the player to either get back points for taking a disadvantage or purchase a special advantage. They’re utterly unremarkable, including all the classics like Heightened Senses and Light Sleeper. They also include a lot of small, odd additions like Sense Weather and Good Driver. The Drawbacks are much the same, with Phobias and Nightmares and all the others you would expect. The one odd option is Price on Your Head. Most Drawbacks restore 10 – 80 points or so, but just by having a bounty a character can get back 160 points!
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Example: Looking over the lists, I don’t want to fool with most Abilities/Drawbacks. I take Price on Your Head for the concept and ridiculous number of character points it provides.
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Genetic Deviations allow for alterations to the default human physiology. Increases in the efficiency of the circulatory system, the density of bone, and the immune system are all provided. They’re well thought out and interesting, covering all the basics you might expect.
The Skill system encompasses about 70 Skills split into 17 Fields. Characters can purchase Fields to be generally proficient at a variety of sub-Skills, or just purchase individual Skills (or both). The Skills are very specific. For example, the Fitness Field is split into Running, Swimming, Climbing, Throwing, and Tumble. Some odd Skill choices include Mortars, Theology (not discussed in the book), Orienteering, and Culinary Arts. I point these out only to suggest that it’s a very large Skill set that doesn’t seem particularly tailored to any specific game goal. There are also no supporting rules for these Skills. What does Genetics do? I don’t know.
Skills cost a varying number of build points to raise based upon whether it’s a Skill or Field and the rating the Skill/Field is being increased to. 10-15 per Skill and 30-45 per Field rank are common costs starting out, and with only 500 total points for a character it’s very easy for Skill costs to add up.
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Example: My example character’s Skill list looks like this: Arcane 2, Tactics 2, Two-Handed Melee 2, Tracking 2, Heavy Assault Weapons 2. Her Field list includes: Core Fitness 2, Melee Combat 2, Survival 2, and Alertness 2. I think this makes for a well rounded starting character able to adequately perform her character goal – bounty hunting. Field and Skills stack, so the Melee Combat
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Using magic is called Wielding. Magic is split up into Arcane Magic, Innate Magic (also Arcane), and Alpha and Omega (priestly/divine). Characters purchase access to whatever type of magic (or types, they can do it all) they want, and the dice pool for that type of magic is determined by the character’s Qualities. Characters also buy Intentions as Skills. Intentions correspond to certain types of magic and enable the character to perform a variety of effects. Example Intentions include: Creation (summon elementals, create elements, etc.), Clarity (Raise Thought State, Remove Coercion), and Damnation (Decrease Damage Resistance, Penalize Resistances). The one major downside here is that the utility of these spells isn’t clear without any sort of more developed adversary to compare them to.
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Example: Because of her species my Bounty Hunter gets a big advantage for wielding Alpha/Omega and/or Innate powers. I decide to have her use Omega and Innate Void magic. At base she looks like this:
Omega: Control Intention Rank 3
Void: Anarchy Rank 3, Constancy Rank 3, Insight Rank 3.
Her magic enables her to be a lot more flexible, especially when it comes to mental manipulation. She still relies on her physical might and arsenal to carry her through a fight.
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Ultimately magic is performed by picking an Intention, describing what the character is trying to do, and then checking a variety of difficulty modifiers (such as targets and range) to determine the final difficulty. This is then rolled against based on the relevant Quality and Intention Rank. Endurance Points are exhausted as part of the spell casting, ultimately limiting the number of spells a caster can drop over a given time period. It’s not a hard system, offering a little flexibility, but casters are limited in their options to the included effects.
What’s left for characters? Gear! Gear is extremely important in Alpha Omega. Money can buy raw character power in the form of biological and technological increases to Qualities and other abilities. In fact, this is definitely something worth watching as money could create balance problems between characters able to improve themselves and those that can’t. I’m a little disappointed that every Quality has its own upgrade in different levels, as that provides the illusion of even more upgrade options, but the system is simple enough and ultimately limited by a character’s body.
Illustrated weapons and vehicles of a large variety are presented, though I have to admit that I find many of the weapons to be silly. A lot of the firearms have been turned into firearms with melee weapons attached to them, including such bizarre combinations as a rifle + axe and a machine gun + flail. But, at the end of the day the weapons are like the setting and concepts – completely over the top and meant to be taken in with a healthy dash of suspended disbelief.
The Rest
A few other elements are worth briefly touching on. First, the GM advice is of the traditional “The GM writes a story and players play through it” variety. The GM support consists of a few NPC stat blocks for common characters and nothing more. This is particularly unfortunate given the game’s focus on adventuring outside of the major cities. At least a few unique NPCs and monsters would be a welcome addition.
Second, the system tends to assume Qualities and other values going all the way up to 100. This is in stark contrast to starting characters who have Qualities in the teens to low 20s. At first I thought this was to support various monsters, but as I kept reading the text I began to wonder if characters were meant to progress to that point. There’s certainly nothing to prevent them from doing so, but I’m left with an incredible lack of clarity as to how characters are meant to ultimately progress. Given the ‘whiff’ factor of Skills and some combat actions it seems as if characters should progress quite a ways from their starting point.
Finally, what setting is here is very barebones. It seems to beg for a metaplot, but none is to be found. The alien invasion seems tacked on to a game about mega-cities and, well, shadowrunning. The setting, as the game generally, may become much better developed through supplements but as it is I feel like I’m left with the briefest of snapshots of the setting and nothing more.
My Take
In many ways
Alpha Omega is well executed. I can’t fault its production values in the slightest way, and the system is presented well. The setting, while almost comical at times, does provide a variety of funky character options that are sure to excite many players. However, when I compare this game to the one it most tries to emulate – Shadowrun – I see it coming up short. The setting isn’t developed enough, there aren’t enough adversaries right out of the gate, and starting characters seem surprisingly inept despite the high action presentation.
System wise the game often reminded me of d20 and Shadowrun with its presentation of different elements, though ultimately the 6-6 system stands on its own. Table use seemed common at first, but on reflection I think players just need a print out of one or two tables to be ready to go.
Nevertheless, if you like beautiful artwork, post-apocalyptic settings, and classic tabletop action and adventure then take a look at Alpha Omega.
Review Summary