Mass Effect 5e

We call the Dungeon Master the Galaxy Master (tm tm tm)

5ft = 2m

Playmat: 2m = 1 square

Mass Effect 5e uses meters instead of feet. Why? Because this is set in the future, and it's sci-fi, and using metric make more sense.

Your Strength score determines the amount of weight you can bear. The following terms define what you can lift or carry. These weights have been adjusted from 5th Edition to work with kilograms (kg) instead of pounds (lbs).

Carry Capacity

You can carry capacity is your Strength score multiplied by 5. If you are wearing armor, your carry capacity is your Strength score multiplied by 10 (due to the built-in servos and pneumatics). This score is not affected by weapons or armor (see below).

Push, Drag, Lift

You can push, drag, or lift a weight in kgs up to twice your carrying capacity or 10 (20 w/ armor) times your Strength score. While pushing or dragging weight in excess of your carrying capacity, your speed drops to 2 meters.

Size & Strength

Larger creatures can bear more weight, whereas Tiny creatures can carry less. For each size category above Medium, double the creature's carrying capacity and the amount it can push, drag, or lift. For a Tiny creature, halve these weights.

Weapons

You have 2 weapon slots and can equip a single weapon in either slot. Weapons equipped in a slot do not affect your carry capacity. Any additional weapons you pick up count against your carry capacity.

Armor

The armor matrix has a minimum Strength score for the combination of armor types. You must meet or exceed that score.

The lifting and carrying rules attempt to keep the simplicity of 5th edition, with the added restrictions of weapon capacity. Here is a variant if you are looking for more detailed rules for determining how a character is hindered by the weight of equipment. When you use this variant, ignore the minimum Strength column of the Armor table and ignore the weapon slot limitation.

Your carry weight is equal to two times your Strength score.

Each weapon and armor piece has a weight. If your total weight from all weapons and armor is in excess of your carry weight, you are encumbered, which means your speed drops by 4m.

If your total weight from all weapons and armor is in excess of four times your Strength score, you are instead heavily encumbered, which means your speed drops by 10m and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.

In Mass Effect 5e, we restrict a race's class options. The primary reason is that biotic abilities available to Adepts, Vanguards, and Sentinels are either rare or non-existent in certain races. Instead of making our own distinctions about what races can play what classes, we used the race/class combinations available in the Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect: Andromeda multiplayer system. Feel free to review the Race/Class combinations in the links below:

• Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer
• Mass Effect: Andromeda Multiplayer

Recommendation, not Law

However, our restrictions should be considered a rule of thumb and are not based on game balance. Therefore, we encourage players and Galaxy Masters to talk about other race/class combinations and make their own decisions.

If the decision concerns whether or not a race can play as a biotic-capable class, we recommend reading the Mass Effect Wiki's page about biotics. Specifically, the sections titled "Alien Biotics" and "Biotics in Andromeda." If the decision is based on a different combination, we cannot offer any other insight other that using your own judgement.

There aren't enough spells and powers to justify making bonuses like "double damage to beast". In addition, many of the 5th Edition creature types don't make sense in the sci-fi setting (celestials, undead, fey, elemental, etc.). Instead there are only three creature types: Organic, Synthetic, and Synthorganic.

Synthorganic creatures are considered both synthetic and organic.

A creature with infrared vision, out to a specific range, can see in darkness, is unaffected by lightly or heavily obscured areas, and see invisible and hidden creatures and objects that give off heat.

However, the creature cannot see beyond intense heat sources and is effectively blind when looking at an intense heat source.

The Variant: Paragon & Renegade (P/R) rule adds another layer of complexity to skill checks.

Paragon and Renegade points

Your Paragon and Renegade points can add a bonus to skill checks. You gain a +1 bonus to your skill check for every 10 Paragon or Renegade points you have. For example, if you had 14 Paragon points and 22 Renegade points, you would add +1 to any paragon rolls and +2 to any renegade rolls.

You can gain points in Paragon and Renegade, but your total combined points can never be more than 100.

Paragon and Renegade rolls

A Paragon or Renegade roll is any skill check in which your GM allows your P/R bonus to augment the outcome of the roll. It's the player's responsibility to ask the Galaxy Master about adding the P/R bonus, but the Galaxy Master can proactively ask for a check with the P/R bonus added.

When to or when not to apply P/R bonus to a roll is entirely up to the GM. However, the rule of thumb is that the action taken is more Paragon-like or more Renegade-like than what an average sentient being would do.

Paragon examples:

• Acrobatics: jump in front of a bullet to protect someone
• Athletics: Hold fast a door why your party escapes a threat
• Intimidation: Threaten someone with justice
• Medicine: Stabalize an enemy
• Vehicle Handling: Lead your chasers right to the authorities

Renegade example:

• Athletics: Hold fast a door so the threat burns inside
• Deception: Convince the bounty hunters their target fled into that cave (which happens to be booby-trapped)
• Electronics: Broadcast the controversial research to the galaxy, let the politicians and scientists figure it out
• Intimidation: Threaten someone with pain
• Vehicle Handling: Lead your chasers right into a reinforced-steel wall

Earning P/R points

In general, whenever you succeed on a P/R roll, you should gain one point for the trait you used as your bonus. Depending on the magnitude of the action, the GM can award additional points, but no more than 5. GMs can also reward P/R points for non skill checks based on a player's roleplaying choices.

For Galaxy Masters, you want to award about 5 points of paragon or renegade per player level. I.e., a level 20 character should have about 100 points if they added their P/R scores together.

P/R and Alignment

Paragon and Renegade aren't necessarily correlated with alignment. Paragon doesn't mean 'good' or 'lawful' just as Renegade doesn't mean 'evil' or 'chaotic'. However, characters who a chaotic evil would tend towards renegade and vice versa.

WTF is sexy level? ... A joke. But please read this very scientific article for more information.

Shields are regenerating temporary hit points. When damage is applied it is subtracted from your shield points first, then from your hit points. Some abilities "bypass" your shields. In these instances, you subtract damage from your hit points leaving your shield points unchanged.

Shield devices

All armor chest pieces come standard with 5 shield points and a regen of 5. However more advanced mods and armor sets can provided additional shields. Additionally, personal shield generators are available, which can provide shields without the character equipping armor.

Lightning Damage

All shields are vulnerable to lightning damage. In the event that a lighting attack removes all shield points, the following steps outline how to divvy up the damage:

1. Double the damage.
2. Subtract the shield points from the total damage.
3. Reduce the remaining damage by half
4. Apply the new amount to the target's hit points.

Melee Weapon Attacks

All damage resulting from a melee weapon attack by-passess shields. The Mass Effect codex explains that shields are "... repulsive mass effect fields projected from tiny emitters. These shields safely deflect small objects traveling at rapid velocities. This affords protection from bullets and other dangerous projectiles, but still allows the user to sit down without knocking away their chair." Therefore, melee weapon attacks move slow enough to by-pass a shield's protective barrier.

Galaxy Masters should take note of the above rule. At minimum, creatures provide half cover, meaning if the trajectory of a player's attack passes through another creature (friendly or enemy), the target has half cover. However, you may use any or all of the following varient rules to add variety and clarification to your combat.

Variant: Additional Rules

Size

Size matters. If the target is one size larger than the creature providing cover, the target has no cover. If the target is one size smaller than the creature providing cover, ther target has three-quarters cover.

High Ground

Flying enemies or creatures on high ground are able to shoot over cover.

Friendly Fire

Don't hit your friends! If the creature providing cover is friendly and the attacking creature misses, the attack has a 50% chance to hit the friendly target. Roll a die and if the result is odd the attack hits, even the attack misses both creatures. Or you can use the friendly creature's AC to decide if the attack hits or misses.

When you take the Reload Action, you expend a Thermal Clip from your inventory and insert it into the weapon you're currently holding, returning the weapon's heat to its maximum value.

At the start of your turn, if you are holding only a single weapon, you may use a Bonus Action to attempt a Rapid Reload. Make a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a success, you reload the weapon you're currently holding and may continue your turn as normal. On a failure, you must take the Reload action this turn. On a critical failure, the thermal clip drops from your hand, your weapon is not reloaded, and your lose your Action.

Why is this a variant rule?

Although there are class features and weapon mods that allow you to reload as a bonus action, we created this variant rule to give all classes a potential chance to reload as a bonus action. But this increases the potential rolls per combat, which can be cumbersome and distracting. So we leave it up to the GM and players to decide if this rule is right for their group.

Primers and Detonators add a combo-based mechanic to combat. However, they can also add an unwanted level of complexity to combat as well, as tracking which creatures are primed at any given moment can become cumbersome. As a variant, you may forego this rule and ignore any mention of the Primed condition or detonation effects.

Primed Condition

There aren't enough spells and powers to justify making bonuses like "double damage to beast". In addition, many of the 5th Edition creature types don't make sense in the sci-fi setting (celestials, undead, fey, elemental, etc.). Instead there are only three creature types: Organic, Synthetic, and Synthorganic.

Synthorganic creatures are considered both synthetic and organic.

Since this is the future and there isn't really "magic", some damage types need to be re-conceptualized. If the damage type is not listed, its concept is unchanged.

Force

One of the primary biotic damage types. Mass effect fields that pummel, pierce, or apply pressure deal force damage.

Lightning

Shock damage. Any damage done by an electrical discharge or source. Deals double damage to shields.

Necrotic

The second biotic damage type. Necrotic damage uses dark energy and mass effect fields on a subatomic level.

Psychic

A shock to the nervous system, rather than fear or mental damage. But the latter is possible.

Radiant

Radiation or damage on a nuclear level, rather than divine light.

Thunder

Shockwaves and explosions. Thunder damage is primarily caused by grenades.

We stretch the denotation of "Spell" in Mass Effect 5e to include tech and combat abilities that are powered by technological devices (such as an Omni-Tool).

However, spells are divided into 3 distinct categories:

Biotic Powers

These function exactly like spells in 5th edition. You have spell slots and regain all of your spell slots after a long rest.

Tech Powers

Tech powers are fueled by Tech Points, a resource available to Engineers, Infiltrators, and Sentinels that reflects your Omni-tool's power capacity. When you spend a tech point, it is unavailable until you finish a short rest, at the end of which you recharge 1d4 tech points. Some armor mods and class feature increase this recharge rate. At the end of a long rest, you recharge all your tech points. Tech powers are unique in that most have a variable tech point cost. You can choose to spend a lot or only a few tech points when casting a power, much like you can cast spells using higher level spell slots. However, there is a limit on how many tech points you can spent to fuel a tech power. This limit is indicated in the Max TP column of your class progression table.

Combat Powers

Combat powers have no casting cost, as they are generally instantiated by some sort of gadget or device. Instead of a casting cost, combat powers recharge on a short or long rest. If a combat power calls for a Spell Save, the DC will be indicated in the combat power's description.

Finally, you do not need to prepare spells. Instead, your class learns or advances spells as they level up. Once a spell is learned, it is always at your character's disposal.

You class progression tables allow you to learn new Biotic, Tech, and Combat abilities. Instead of learning a new ability, you have the option of choosing an advancement option for a skill you've already learned.

Once you've selected an advancement option, you cannot advance the ability again. In addition, you cannot learn and advance an ability in the same level. I.e., 1st level Adepts can learn up to three 1st level, biotic spells. They cannot, instead, learn two spells and advance one.

Primers and Detonators add a combo-based mechanic to combat. However, they can also add an unwanted level of complexity to combat as well, as tracking which creatures are primed at any given moment can become cumbersome. As a variant, you may forego this rule and ignore any mention of the Primed condition or detonation effects.

Primed Condition

Weight

The weight in kilograms. Used to calculate your carry capacity if you are carrying more weapons than the number of weapon slots allowed by your armor or if you are using the Variant: Encumbrance rule.

Range

A weapon that can be used to make a ranged Attack has a range in parentheses. The range lists two numbers. The first is the weapon’s normal range in meters, and the second indicates the weapon’s long range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you have disadvantage on the Attack roll. You can’t Attack a target beyond the weapon’s long range. Heavy weapons only have a single range. They cannot be used to make attacks on targets beyond their range.

Heat

Basically, the number of number of times you can fire before you need to reload. If the weapon has a heat of 1 and you fire it, you must reload the weapon with a fresh thermal clip before firing it again. Reloading takes an action.

For Heavy Weapons, Heat is substituted for Charges. You can use the heavy weapon a number of times equal to its charges.

When you take the Reload Action, you expend a Thermal Clip from your inventory and insert it into the weapon you're currently holding, returning the weapon's heat to its maximum value.

At the start of your turn, if you are holding only a single weapon, you may use a Bonus Action to attempt a Rapid Reload. Make a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a success, you reload the weapon you're currently holding and may continue your turn as normal. On a failure, you must take the Reload action this turn. On a critical failure, the thermal clip drops from your hand, your weapon is not reloaded, and your lose your Action.

Why is this a variant rule?

Although there are class features and weapon mods that allow you to reload as a bonus action, we created this variant rule to give all classes a potential chance to reload as a bonus action. But this increases the potential rolls per combat, which can be cumbersome and distracting. So we leave it up to the GM and players to decide if this rule is right for their group.

You can carry 2 weapons into combat unless a feature or armor mod allows you to carry more. If using the Variant: Encumbrance rule, you can carry as many weapons as your carry capacity will allow.

Holstering and Drawing

You can holster the weapon you're wielding and draw a weapon you're carrying as a bonus action. This is true for all weapon types.

Just like in 5th Edition, you must be proficient with a weapon type to add your proficiency modifier to the attack roll. However, there are fewer weapon types (Assault Rifle, Heavy Pistol, SMG, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, and Melee). Note that all melee weapons fall under one type, instead of being broken out by weapon type.

Melee weapons have the same attributes as D&D 5e weapons, i.e. finesse, light, thrown, etc. But melee weapons do have a strength requirement. If your STR attribute is less than the requirement, all attacks made with the weapon are made with disadvantage. This requirement is denoted in parentheses in the "STR Req" column of the handbook.

Damage resulting from melee weapon attacks by-pass shields.

Charges

As stated above, Heavy Weapons use Charges instead of Thermal Clips. If you run out of Charges your weapon is nothing more than a hunk of metal.

Targeting

Most Heavy Weapons also use the Targeting condition. Targeting means painting the battlefield, or keeping a lock on one or more creatures for a single round of combat. Targeting is considered a free action, as long as you've already drawn the heavy weapon, i.e., you can choose to pick-up or equip a weapon as your action, then begin targeting as a free action before your turn ends. If you're already holding the weapon, you might use an ability as your action and then begin targeting.

Targeting condition

Like Armor Customization, Weapon Customization is a new feature and provides a lot of the options that would be handled by Magical Items in traditional 5e.

The following weapon types cannot be customized.

• Heavy Weapons are integrated systems in-and-of themselves, so they cannot be changed in any way.
• Unique weapons are similar to heavy weapons, in that they have unique properties that cannot be changed. However, you GM can make an exception based on the specific mod and weapon.
• Melee weapons break the mold because all weapon mods are based on guns. However, melee weapon attacks can be bolstered by utilizing armor mods instead.

Customizing a Weapon

Each customizable weapon has 4 mod slots: Magazine, Body, Core, and Barrel. The weapon is only allowed one mod per slot. For example, the M-8 Avenger cannot have the Ultralight Materials and the Precision Scope, because both of those mods utilize the Body slot. But, weapons mods can be replaced. In this example, the player could choose to replace Ultralight Materials for the Precision Scope.

Additionally, some mods can only be added to a specific weapon type. For example, the Stunner mod is only available for placement on Heavy Pistols and SMGs.

Mod Persistence

Our intention with the weapon mod system is to add ways for players to create improved versions of their weapons. I.e., it's a way of getting +1 versions of a weapon you already own. In 5th Edition, players would need to loot or purchase an entirely new weapon. Therefore, we do not believe mods should be persistent. A player who has already purchased a Thermal Scope cannot move that Thermal Scope from one weapon to another.

However, this limitation can be enforced or amended as your GM sees fit. In a game where credits are light, a GM could allow players to swap mods between weapons. This would be similar to Mass Effect 3's version of the weapon mod system. Another possibility is requiring a minimal cost (either time or credits) to swap mods between weapons.

Looted weapons

Mods could also be pre-applied to weapons that players loot from enemies. Similar to the above, our intention is that the pre-applied mods would not be available for transfer to another weapon.

There are 2 major armor changes:

• Armor types can be mixed
• Armor can be custom made or modified with powerful augmentations.

Just like 5th edition, anyone can put on armor. However, only those proficient in the armor type know how to wear it effectively. Your class gives you proficiency with certain types of armor (light, medium, or heavy). If you are wearing 2 or more pieces of armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or Attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity. If you are wearing 4 pieces of armor you lack proficiency with, you cannot cast Biotics or Tech and Combat powers.

In Mass Effect 5e, there are 4 armor placements: Head, Chest, Arms, and Legs. Your base AC is 10 and each piece of armor provides a +AC bonus depending on its type and placement as listed in the Armor/AC table below. Additionally, there are bonuses and limitations for the combination of armor types you are wearing, explained in the Bonues and Limitations table.

For simplicity's sake, you cannot mix armor within placements. I.e., you cannot have a heavy piece of on your right arm and a light piece of armor on your left.

Armor / AC

Bonues and Limitations

If you are wearing...

Variant: Encumberance

If using the Variant: Encumbrance rule, use the following to calculate your armor weight.

Armor Customization is a new feature and provides a lot of the options that would be handled by Magical Items in traditional 5e. It costs a pretty penny, so creating armor might not be available to new characters, but as they progress, you should be able to afford custom jobs.

Creating Armor from Scratch

When you create a piece of armor from scratch, you need to select:

1. The armor placement (Head, Chest, Arms, Legs).
2. The armor type (Light, Medium, Heavy)
3. Additional mod slots, if any.

• Additional Mod Slots: 20,000 credits

Example

Medium Head Armor w/ 2 mod slots

Looted armor

You can sometimes apply custom mods and additional mod slots to armor you've looted from the battlefield. The same prices apply. If the awarded armor is a manufactured Armor Set, it cannot be customized.

“Credits” are the only type of currency in Mass Effect. Our rule of thumb is that 1 gold piece is about 100 credits. But this is more of a guideline and we adjust that ratio often throughtout our prices.

We've provided an assortment of costs for commonplace things. These are recommendations and not rules.

Buying

GM's should feel empowered to raise and lower these costs to suit the needs of your campaign. If you player's are part of a military unit, improvements might be free and come at set levels. If you're in a desolate setting with limited resources, you might increase the cost of items.

Selling

Recommendation: Weapons and Armor can sold at one third of their cost.

Additionally, we do not recommend you allow players to sell back their weapons and armor at face value. We've attempted to balance the acquisition of credits to avoid players becoming too powerful through mods and new weapons too quickly. Allowing players to sell weapons and armor at face value will tip the scales in the player's favor.

Discounts

Long time Mass Effect players will certainly want to reference Shepard's ability to secure discounts from local shops. One option is to have players make Intimidation or Persuasion checks (with or without Paragon/Renegade scores). However, for added variety and randomness, you can use the following set of rules.

First, assign a DC to your shopkeeper. The DC could be equal for Intimidation and Persuasion, or it could be different for each.

Next, have you player make an Intimidation or Persuasion check. If using Paragon/Renegade rule, they can add their Renegade modifier to Intimidation checks or Paragon modifier for Persuasion checks. The result of this check adds a modifier to the final d100 roll (see next step).

• Critical Failure: -50
• Failure: -20
• Success: +20
• Critical Success: +50

Finally, the GM or player rolls a d100 adding the modifier from the previous step. Consult the following table for the resolution.

To qualify for a new class, you must meet the ability score prerequisites for both your current class and your new one, as shown in the Multiclassing Prerequisites table. For example, a vanguard who decides to multiclass into the infiltrator class must have both Dexterity and Intelligence scores of 13 or higher. Without the full training that a beginning character receives, you must be a quick study in your new class, having a natural aptitude that is reflected by higher-than-average ability scores.

Multiclassing Prerequisites

When you gain your first level in a class other than your initial class, you gain only some of new class's starting proficiencies, as shown in the Multiclassing Proficiencies table.

Multiclassing Proficiencies

Your capacity for biotics depends partly on your combined levels in all your biotic classes and partly on your individual levels in those classes.

Spell Slots & Cantrips. You determine your available spell slots and cantrips by adding together all your levels in the adept class and half your levels (rounded down) in the sentinel and vanguard classes. Use this total to determine your spell slots and cantrips by consulting the Multiclass Biotic Table.

Multiclass Biotic Table

Your barrier capacity depends partly on your combined levels in all your spellcasting classes and partly on your individual levels in those classes.

Barrier. You determine your barrier capacity by adding together all your levels in the vanguard class and half your levels (rounded down) in the adept and sentinel classes. Use this total to determine your barrier capacity by consulting the Multiclass Barrier table.

Multiclass Barrier Table

Your capacity for techcasting depends partly on your combined levels in all your techcasting classes and partly on your individual levels in those classes.

Tech Points & Max TP. You determine your tech points and max tp to spend on tech powers by adding together all your levels in the engineer class and half your levels (rounded down) in the infiltrator and sentinel classes. Use this total to determine your tech points and max tp to spend on tech powers by consulting the Multiclass Tech Table.

Multiclass Tech Table