Over The Edge

Overview

For those of you unfamiliar with Over The Edge, think Twin Peaks or The Outer Limits. Over The Edge takes you over the edge of reality into the dark world of human fears and emotions, illusions and insanity. It is a role-playing game of surreal danger.

Jonathan Tweet wrote the system with Robin D. Laws and Atlas Games publish it. Many of you will know Jonathon Tweet from Ars Magica and from his large contribution to the latest and much improved 3rd Edition Dungeon & Dragons. Here is Jonathon's quote on the game:

"This game is a coded message. You will decode the message in your dreams and execute its instructions in the spaces between moments at will. Neither you nor I will ever know the contents of the message."

The game world is special to Over The Edge and is called Al Amarja. The book suggests that it is for experienced characters only and is better than using a familiar setting where players know what to expect. There are several nice things about this system:

1. It is simple and easy to use.
2. It allows a lot of flexibility for GM and players alike.
3. Everything is contained within the one rulebook.

I know several GMs have adopted the system, or parts of it, for their own settings. I myself use a good part of the character creation system in my game, JAF, due to restart shortly on DreamLyrics. Amadan did a similar thing when he ran STD (The Stand) on the RPGames forum of CompuServe.

The character generation system itself does not use dice. Values are assigned to character concepts that are then used in conjunction with dice to determine some outcomes when in play. It is not a heavily dice-dependant system, far from it, and you only need about half a dozen d6. The system is fairly simple, a little like FUDGE for those of you familiar with it, where rolling a 1 means you've screwed up.

I am not going into the game setting in detail but I will cover the character system in more depth, mainly because I like it. Any GM that does not want to get bogged down into reams of figures and details should take a look at this system. There is enough to both give a good rounded character and allow the GM to resolve events with its built-in flexibility.

Concept

First, create a character concept, something we are all familiar with. The book suggests that you look everywhere for inspiration: modern-day movies, pseudo-cyber books, supermarket tabloids, childhood day dreams, On the EdgeT game cards, other role-playing games, advertisement illustrations, New Age philosophy, and your own twisted imaginings.

For Al Amarja, characters sell their services as bodyguards, mercenaries, and such. Play one of these things if nothing else comes to mind. This concept gives you fight-worthiness and a reason to get involved in various plots as you search for employment and ways to improve your skills. Now just ask yourself where you come from, what special skills you have to offer a potential employer, and your concept is ready to go.

Traits

Each character has four traits:

- a central trait, usually defining the character;
- two side traits, additional skills or characteristics; and
- a final trait which is a flaw or disadvantage.

Each of the four traits entails a sign, some visible or tangible aspect of that trait, and one of the traits is selected as the superior trait of that character. Please read on for more detail.

Central Trait

First, you have one central trait, essentially your identity - who you are, what you do. This trait can take into account a variety of aptitudes, skills, or characteristics. When you, as a player, describe your character, you are likely to use this trait as the central concept. For example, "I'm a model," or "I'm a former secret agent." If you want to be something weird, this trait must cover that identity. Some examples of this might be:

Doctor - Includes ability to diagnose diseases, perform surgery, prescribe drugs, perform first aid, and charge outrageous fees with a straight face. Probably entail wealth, certainly education, though this education may be narrow. [Terrible handwriting, clinical air]

Photographer - Perceptive, familiar with a variety of photographic techniques, can develop own film, may have connections in the publishing industry. [Carries a camera everywhere, delights in visual imagery]

You can see that each trait provides a skill list that gives guidance to both GM and player as to what the character is likely to be able to achieve in a given situation. The details in brackets are the "visible signs" of that trait. So you get a wide skill set and ways to help others visualise your character.

Side Traits

Once you have chosen your central, identifying trait, choose two side traits. They may or may not be related to your central trait. Unlike the central traits, these side traits are very specific, representing discrete characteristics or skills.

Just because a trait is your "side trait" does not mean it is insignificant to your character. For example, a professor with the side trait of "hack writing" might be on Al Amarja to pursue her writing career. Her attempts to gain inspiration for her fiction may be more important in play than her teaching career. Indeed, she may be better at writing than teaching. Some other examples of side traits might be:

Intelligent - Putting clues together to form a valid hypothesis, understanding the meanings of obscure names and words, impressing similarly intelligent or erudite people. This trait represent a broad intelligence, whereas a trait like "scientist" includes intelligence highly focused on the specific area of knowledge. [Does crosswords rapidly and in pen, uses big words]

Ladies' Man - Impressing, charming, and good at seducing women. [Has a "little black book," winning smile]

Quick - Can move and react quickly. Use this score for either attack or defense rolls, but not both in the same round. [Good reflexes, lithe body]

Flaws

Once you have determined your first three traits (the central trait and two side traits), you need to decide which of those three is your superior trait, the one you are best at, and assign scores to it. The methodology is simple and in the book. Then it is time to choose a flaw. A flaw is any disadvantage that your character will have in play. It must be important enough that it actually comes into play and makes a difference (being a bad cook just doesn't cut it). Ideally, your flaw should be something directly related to your central trait or side traits or to your character concept, rather than just a tack-on disadvantage. For example, if your character is a professor, long-windedness may be his flaw.

Often a flaw causes one to roll penalty dice. For example, someone with strong B.O. may get a penalty die when rolling to make a good first impression. Other flaws cause problems that the player simply must role-play. Some examples of flaws are:

Closed Mind - Unable to accept ideas that run counter to pre-established beliefs. [Mocks any mention of that which his culture or faith does not accept or understand]

Sucker for a Pretty Face - Penalty die when resisting manipulation by an attractive person. [Always talking about this or that good-looking man or woman]

Signs

For each trait, including your flaw, describe one sign related to it that others could notice. Use these signs when describing your character. That way you can tell other players, "I'm a tall, slim man who walks with a confident gait and wears a strange gold medallion around his neck." Isn't that better than, "I'm agile; I come from a wealthy British family; and I dabble in magic?" Some signs are not always apparent. They might appear when you use the trait in question, or only occasionally. Each of the example traits above lists at least one possible sign that might go with it. Look at those for ideas.

Other

To round off your character, Over The Edge suggests you jot down something under the following headings:

1. Motivation - What do you want out of life? What are you trying to accomplish?

2. Secret - Choose some secret, some hidden fact that few others, if any, know about you. Pick a dark secret, if you can, something you desperately want to keep hidden from others.

3. Important person - Choose one person who was important in your past, and decide how that person was important to you. It could be someone you know personally, or merely someone you admire, even a fictional character.

4. Picture - Draw your character.

5. Background - past history

6. Equipment - what the character is carrying

In Summary

Over The Edge has something to offer most people and I suggest you take a look at it. I hope I have given you some flavour of the game that is full of humour, dark doing, intrigue and excitement. If I can just leave you with a quote from the book that sums it up perfectly:

Nothing Is True
Anything Is Possible
Everything is Permitted - William S. Burroughs