The Expanse: Mythic D6 System

As a very productive use of my time, I was going through the different rpg systems that I own looking for how I would best run something like the Expanse.

I do know of the official adaptation that is soon to be released, but the quick-start didn't encourage me to abandon a home brew approach.

My initial requirements list:

- Not Savage Worlds
- Not Fate
- Mechanical depth
- 'Narrative' options
- Competent characters from the start
- Skill, not class based
- Viable non combat options
- Combat using 'Zones' or some narrative abstraction mechanism (Try doing three-dimensional space combat with miniatures...)

One book I Kickstarted, but never played was 'Mythic D6' by Khepera Publishing. It is a modern incarnation of the sturdy d6 system dating back to WEG Star Wars, but heavily enhanced with lessons learned since the late 80s.

The Basics:
- Each character falls under a broad archetype.
- Roll a number of d6 equal to you stat + skill. Count the successes (4-6).
- 'Specializations' give you on 'free' success per rank, so if you have a rank 1 specialization of Starship under your Piloting skill, every time you roll you start with 1 success.
- Advantages are special traits that may be invoked X number of times per session for a 3D bonus. In the character example below, if Chrisjen is trying to persuade the UN to not go to war, she might roll Presence + Influence + use her 'UN Political Operative' advantage for 3 more dice.
- Disadvantages are traits that can be negatively invoked, such as Chrisjen's 'Cesspool of UN Politics' which would come up quite often.
- Mythic d6 has a huge number of 'powers' available as well, as the author makes a very convincing argument that most RPGs are, at their heart, about 'superheroes'.
- 'Old' D6 ran Star Wars for quite a number of years, so its ability to handle Sci-Fi has been proven, and this incarnation is quite a bit more refined.

So let's start with the most important character in 'The Expanse':

Chrisjen Avasarala

Archetype: The Protector

Aegis

The protector may shield others equal to his REF from any attack (physical, mental, or social). The Hero must spend an action defending others and rolls her PER + willpower; everyone under the protector’s defense reduces the number of successes of the attack directed at them by one (1) plus the Effect Value of the roll (for a single attack). The Hero may do this times equal to his PER attribute per game.
Concept Penalty
The Protector adds 2D to the Aggravation Pool when she refuses through action or the expressed action of those around them to protect someone/thing in his charge.

Coordination 1D Knowledge 4D
Perception 4D Physique 1D
Presence 4D Reflex 2D
WealthRating 5D

Skills: Willpower 3D , Intuition 3D, Influence 3D, Investigation 2D, Performance 2D

Advantages: x2: UN Political Operative

Disadvantages: External: Cesspool of UN Politics 3D, Personality: Save Earth Above All Else 1D, Relationship: My Husband is my anchor 1D

PD: 0 PDV: 1 HeroPoints: 8 StressPoints: 25