The Basics

World

You’ve entered a modern day criminal underworld, where fast cars, quick wits, and family, ensure survival. Dime-a-dozen drivers race for pink slips on the streets, but the Elites defy the natural order and are able to perform deadly motor vehicular stunts. You are among the elite.

As an elite driver, your home is the world of illegal street racing clubs. These underground clubs are where drivers go for dancing, fraternizing, drinking, finding new family, jobs to run, and cars for street races. clubs filled with drivers, muscle, and groupies. Street Racing Clubs are centralized around customized and modified vehicles participating in daring, dangerous, and illegal street races.

Being defined by your ride, all actions of consequence will be done with your vehicle. But although you are gods behind the wheel you’re but mere mortals on the streets. And each crew member will bring their own specialty and personality.

Performing epic Heists are how you earn your way in this criminal world. Heists are the exciting con jobs, robberies, hustles, shell games, skin games, and capers you do to make a living. As a key member of a Family you need lots of money to upgrade your vehicles, and to raise in Fame.

Setup

Gather three or more players including yourself. Name one player to be Race Marshal (RM). If you’re reading this, that’s you! This game will be played over many heists. A heist is played out over a series of session, and is the thrilling challenges that engage the characters. You will rely on other characters to make up your crew, so make sure you choose friends that know the meaning of family. To begin, skim through this book to get a handle of your job as Race Marshal, then start with Character Creation.

Playbooks

The Playbooks, Vehicle Sheets, and Basic Moves reference sheets contain all the rules the players need to make and play their crew members. It is recommended to avoid duplication of playbook if possible. Print them out before play.

The Conversation

When you play a role playing game, you and the other players engage in a conversation. The conversation creates a shared fictional space where fictional characters act upon fictional circumstances. You take turns, but it’s not like taking turns in a board game or card game. You build on each others ideas, interrupt each other, even occasionally monopolize, that’s all part of role playing.

The game rules are tools that help you maintain the shared fiction space about what is happening in the game. They kick in when a decision is made that triggers events to happen in the fiction and the rules adjudicate what happens next, avoiding “I did it”, “No you didn’t” consensus problem from playing make believe.

The conversation will contain little bit of game mechanics, for instance roll impossible and choose a result. It is import to remember that game mechanics should be bookended with fiction, meaning start and end with fiction. The mechanics should be kept to a minimum and used to informs the fiction.

Fiction first and last.

Moves

Moves are the driving beat of the rules. Any player can perform any of the Basic Moves, and each playbook has special moves for that character. The RM may also create Custom Moves. When a player says what their character does, and it triggers a move, that’s the only time they roll dice. The Race Marshal never rolls dice, It is only the players that roll dice to decide outcomes of moves.

To do it, do it is the basics of making Moves. The character has to do something in the fiction that is defined as a Move, then we can roll the dice. A Move is not triggered by just saying the name of a Move, it is triggered by doing an action in the fiction that is defined as one of the Moves. The only way to trigger a move is to do it in the fiction. It is often clear when player says their character is doing something:
Player: “I pull my fist back, and knock his block off!!…So, I roll Street Fight? (a move in the playbook)”
RM: “Hell Yeah!”

Player: “I want to try to convince this guy to tell me where the street race is. So I flash a little cabbage his way.”
RM: “Nice, so you want to do a Feels roll?”

Whenever a player says that their character simply does a certain move, without having her character actually take action in the game; the RM will prompt the player to describe the action their character takes in the fiction, instead of simply naming the move. For instance:
Player: “I go Street Fight on him.”
The RM answers: “Tell me how you would fight them.”

Player: “I Till the Wheels Come Off him to hook onto his vehicle.”
RM: “Describe that. How exactly does your car hook on to his?”

Player: “I’m going to try to Feels him.”
RM: “Cool, how does your character try to manipulate him?”

Next, when a player has their character take an action that triggers a move, but doesn’t realize it, or doesn’t intend it to be a move, the RM will give them a chance to revise their action. For example:
Player: “I press the pedal to the metal and pass him like he’s standing still!”
RM: Cool, so you’re going Haul Ass to overtake him?” A legit response from the Player would be: “Oh! No, no, if he’s really not going to let me pass, then I’ll do something else.”
Not legit: “Well no, I’m just cruising by, I don’t want to have roll for it.”
The rule for moves is if you do it, you do it, so make with the dice, buster!

Remember, Always frame a scene. Moves do not happen outside the fiction. A character’s actions always happen in the fiction and they need context to fill in the world. The scene is that context: Who is there? Where are they? And what is the obstacle?

Each move is associated with a stat, that is as added to the roll. Players will roll two dice, add them, and then add the stat. There are three tiers of results. If the sum is 6 or less that’s a fail or a miss, 7-9 is a weak success or partial success, and a roll that adds up to 10+ is a hit or success. A roll is always 2D6.

The Moves will tell you what should happen on a hit or a miss. Some move don’t list any specific happening on a miss, that’s when the Race Marshal shall make a Move of their own. The move the Race Master makes should logically follow from the fiction, in other words make something happen to move the story forward. A players failure leads to consequences.

“Take +1/-1 forward” means add 1 or subtract 1 to the next roll. “Take +1/-1 ongoing while…” means to add 1 or subtract 1 from all their rolls, while the stated condition remains true.

The Stats

Family

The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.

Brotherhood and Sisterhood is your bond. Your crew is your family and each of you share a resource called Family. This pool is represented by tokens. Each token gives the player a +1 forward. Tokens are added to Family by your crew’s actions or when a moves rewards it. Set bowl in the middle of table to hold the tokens, or have the Leader keep track of the available Family, the max size of the family pool is 3 times the number of player characters.

Any member of the crew can spend a token from the Family pool to get a +1 forward on their next roll. If you squander your Family resource you may come into conflict with your crew, but by all means, grab 4 tokens if you need to turn that failure into a success. Any member of the family that objects to you using the token(s) can take a Sadness to prevent you from using the token(s). But be aware, there may be some Heavy Talk in your future.

Sadness and Harm

Each player has a Sadness or “emotional baggage” track of 6 segments. When it is filled you are forced into retirement. You can reduce Sadness with Heavy Talk. Each playbook will have its own Sadness reduction moves. Sadness is gained to mitigate harm, to gain bonuses, or to accomplish the impossible.

The underworld is inherently violent, but as the stars of your own movie you do not need to fear death, only early retirement. Each character has a Harm track of 6 segments. For each point of Harm the player takes, fill-in a segment of the track. When a character’s Harm track is full, they must exit the scene and the RM can make a hard move, then mark a sadness and clear their harm track.

Retirement

Retirement means that character is removed from play for the remainder of the heist and associated sessions. This doesn’t have to be game over though, grab a new playbook and create a new character! You can choose to go into retirement at any time. A voluntarily retired character can go out with an automatic strong success to perform heroics. In other words, the Player can basically write their own final scene with any Move or stunt added to the story as a success without rolling dice.

A character can come out of retirement for the next heist. When a character comes out of retirement they will receive a Trauma. Trauma is a defining change to your character that happened while you were retired. It can range from memory loss to cyborg replacement. Each player should make up their own Trauma, because the Trauma needs to have strong narrative and motivational effects on their character. Let the trauma change your character. Imagine discovering you had a son, or becoming addicted to a substance, and the effect it would have on your character and their personality.

Each time a character goes into retirement a Sadness segment will be permanently marked. Once all Sadness boxes are permanently marked, that character is gone for good down a divergent highway.

Cars and Resources

Every character will have at least one vehicle. “10 second cars” are expensive, so treat your vehicles like family! Characters can have at most two cars, unless a move says otherwise. Vehicles are expected to be the primary way your character will take consequential action in play. Characters interact with the world via their cars. In the Quick and the Quarrelsome, vehicles change the world.

This is a game about cool cars, and those behind the wheel, to facilitate that the real world price of the car is not considered. The players can have any vehicle that is feasible in the situation, but they will have to spend resources on any mods for their vehicle. Player may swap out their vehicle between heist.

Resources are a unit of wealth or favors worth roughly about 5000 dollars, that will be rewarded after a successful heist. Resources can be spent to acquire gear, vehicles, vehicle upgrades, mods, tags, or when a move says “Roll + Resources.” When a player “Rolls + Resources” those Resources are always expended and will be used up

V-harm and Heat

As part of the underground scene, the characters are often wanted by the law. Heat measures how close a character is to getting caught and paying for their indiscretions. Each vehicle will have a Heat track of 6 segments. When 4 segments of Heat are marked, tasks with that vehicle will become more difficult because the law is hot on your tail, therefore, take -1 ongoing. When Heat is full you are forced into retirement in the big slammer, and your crew will have to avoid getting caught. When a vehicle isn’t used for a whole session its Heat is reduced (-1 Heat).

Each vehicle will also have a V-harm track of 6 segments. When a vehicle takes damage, mark off one or more segment. When 3 segments are marked, it’s time for some costly repairs. When 4 segments are marked, your vehicle has become a liability, take -1 ongoing. When there are no segments left, your vehicle is nothing more than scrap.

Be careful V-harm sometimes causes Harm to the driver and other occupants.

History

Every character has a shared past with few of the other characters. This past relationship is called History. A crew’s strength and ability to work together is effected by their history.

Choose from the list of suggested histories. When your character is introduced, work with the other players, creating histories with the leader and the player’s character on your left. You and the other players will determine how their character’s shared past will effects their actions.

Add a Plot Twist

When a move allows you to add a plot twist, the player may add a fact to the fiction. For example, the player may, when directed, add a plot twist that they dated a player’s character or a non-player character (NPC) in the past. This adds detail to the fiction without affecting the game play. The RM can veto a Plot Twist if it relates to a named NPC, and/or is counter to their prep.

Heists

Heists are thrilling plots or crimes carried out by the elites of the criminal underworld for revenge, resources, and prestige. Heists are a central part of game play. Heists engage the characters and provide the thrilling challenges their characters crave. A Heist can be as simple as breaking a brother out of prison, or as complex as a detailed con job to convince a drug lord to hand over a 100 million dollars. It is expected that a Heist will span several sessions of play.

Flashbacks (Optional)

The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray. Schemes and plans are bound to go astray but the characters are experts in criminal enterprises. The flashback moves take into account the characters perfect timing and ability to out smart their rivals. Players don’t over plan the heist, get straight to the action and use the flashback moves to handle the planning in post.

The Flashback moves are optional, if the RM and Crew want to spend time planning and orchestrating the heist, then these moves can be left out. But because the situations during a heist are volatile and unpredictable it is recommended to give them a try.

Take me to your Leader (Optional)

In every session there must be one Leader character in play. If the Leader is forced to retire then the current Heist can not be completed and is considered failed, and another player must switch his character to the Leader playbook, and start a new Heist. When switching, the character keeps all the existing moves and any new advancements are taken from the Leader playbook.

Countdown Tracks

Create a line of boxes, each box is a segment, this row of boxes is a countdown track. A countdown track can be used to represent any activity or task that takes more than one move to complete. A countdown track can be divided into stages to represent different challenges needed to complete the activity or task. They are a good way of keeping track of progress towards a goal by either NPCs or PCs. Races, Chases and Heist will often be represented with a countdown track.

Thinking that getting the necklace with the computer chip from the warlords daughter should be something that should span a couple scenes, the RM creates 4 segment countdown track.

There can be competing countdown clocks, for instance in a race each competitor may have their own countdown and the first to complete wins the race. A chase could be done with two countdown tracks, one countdown track for the chasers, and one for the runners, the first to complete their track gets their goal.

The RM plans a heist he creates two countdown clocks, one 4 segment, and 3 segment for the opposition. The first to complete the track wins the race or gets their desired out come of the chase captured or gotten away.

Countdowns can also be used to represented planned or timed events. They are reminder that threats and heists are not static and time is of the essence. Threats have plans and intentions, and targets never stand still and have their own agendas. When you have a vision of the future or impending complications create a countdown track and a trigger for marking segments, like the passing of time, or certain character actions.

The RM plans a heist he creates two countdown clocks, one 6 segments long for the player to complete the theft of a car from a train, and another 4 segments long that is marked ever turn, when it runs out the train crosses a bridge over a gorge meaning the heist failed.

In three days the target going to move to a new location. Create a 3 segment countdown track and mark one for each passing day.

Countdowns are descriptive: when something you’ve listed happens, advance the clock to that point. They are also prescriptive: when you advance the clock, it causes the things you’ve listed to happen. Furthermore, countdown clocks can be derailed: when circumstances change just scribble it out.

The RM creates a 6 segment countdown track with 3 stages, each stage represents a threats plan to take on the family. Stage 1 represent the theft of a characters identity, stage 2 represent the stealing of characters vehicle, stage 3 is the framing of the character for a crime brining down the heat. They are prescriptive when each stage is completed the NPC has completed that part of their plan. Because the countdown are descriptive if the car gets stole advance the countdown.

A guideline for marking off segments based on character’s moves:

There is no fixed length for a count down, create them as short or as long as needed. A hit is the most common roll of the dice, so you can estimate that each segment represents a roll of the dice or a moment of cinematic action where a character takes action.

Custom Moves

For some threats, or heists you’ll want to spice them up with their own custom moves. The RM create these. Custom moves are new moves for the player’s characters to make, not for RM: when a player’s character does specify, they roll+ specify. On a 10+, specify. On a 7–9, specify. On a miss, specify. Generally, on a 10+ they’re fine, on a miss they are fucked, and on a 7–9 something in between.

When you go before the warlord , roll+Sauce. On a 10+, the warlord recognizes your ability, On a 7–9, the warlord wants proof prepare to race his champion. On a miss, the warlord is angered by your presence, thing will go badly.

Character Improvement

Each player has Experience track consisting of 5 experience points (XP). When the fifth point is marked, the character gains an Improvement. An Improvement can be used to gain an additional Move or an advanced Improvement. Advanced Improvements may only be taken after the character has gained at least 3 Improvements. A player marks Experience when:

Basic moves

Haul Ass Roll + Poise when going fast, navigating a route, outdistancing, overtaking, or shouldering another vehicle, taking tight corners, synchronized drifting, avoiding obstacles, swerving through traffic, or boosting. On 10+ you succeed and take +1 to family, on 7 to 9 you hesitated and the RM will offer you a choice or Hard Bargain, on a miss prepare for the worst!

Till the Wheels Come Off Roll + Impossible when you’re at your wits end and must perform or die, when attempting physics-defying stunts, taking a hit, losing control, bad terrain, jumping, drifting under a semi, turning 180, or boarding a moving vehicle. On 10+ you succeed mark a Sadness, on 7 to 9 you did it but not as expected, the RM will tell you the cost, on a miss a bad situation just got worse…

Trailing and Stealth Roll + Savvy when you are tailing or following a vehicle, or when you need perform an action while remaining hidden. On 10+ success and remain undiscovered, on a 7 to 9 choose 1, on a miss even the best laid plans can become a conflagration.

Heavy Talk Roll + Sauce when you’re having a personal moment and expressing your sadness with your family. On 10+ choose 2 of the below options, on 7 to 9 choose 1, on a miss expect some drama.

In the Garage Roll + Savvy when you have downtime and spend a resource to restore or repair a vehicle. On 10+ clear all v-harm and it’s ready to race, on 7-9 Choose 2, on a miss the damage was more extensive then thought +1 v-harm and it won’t be ready for the next race.

Street Fight Roll + Brawn when using your meat outside of a vehicle, seizing things by force, exchanging harm, entering single combat, laying down fire, performing an overwatch, or shooting out a tire. On 10 + choose 3 of the below options, on 7 to 9 choose 2, on a miss choose 1 and RM will make a move.

Read the Street Roll + Savvy when gaining knowledge of a track or route, calculating a new route, baiting a trap, or using cunning. On 10+ hold 3 of the below options, on 7-9 hold 1.

Read a Buster Roll + Savvy when attempting to learn the strengths and weaknesses of another character. On 10+ hold 3 of the below options, on 7 to 9 hold 1.

Feels Roll + Sauce when you sympathize or deceive someone. On 10+ They can choose to go along with you, or else they can create a scene and mark a sadness, on 7 to 9 They can choose to be skeptical and you need to apply some leverage or give them something they desire, on a miss the deal goes amiss.

Run Jump Run Roll + Brawn when you need to escape on foot, or do parkour, or any other physically challenging activity. On 10+ you do it, on 7 to 9 you faltered, and the chase continues with a complication, on a miss something bad happens.

Flashbacks Moves (Optional)

You got Talent Roll + Savvy When you claim to have a talent or specialty, and describe why you character alone should attempt a task, then narrate a flashback scene. On a roll of 10+, take +1 ongoing when that talent is applicable and add a family point, a roll of 7-9 take a +1 forward, and on a miss thing were more complicated than planned take -1 forward.

Who am I Roll + Sauce When another player asks you a personal question, like “Where’d you grow up”, “That was crazy where’d you learn that”, or “How’d you know the leader”, then narrate that scene from your past. On a Roll of 10+ Choose 2, a roll of 7-9 choose 1, and on a miss your past causes trouble the RM will make a hard move when it’s appropriate.

Check out my Mods Roll + Resources When you say you have, or try to use a Mod that you haven’t actually purchased yet. On a roll of 10+, the Mod is successfully installed! A roll of 7-9 and the Mod was installed but the RM can introduce a catch or a complication. On a miss, the Resources were spent, the Mod was installed, but something goes terribly wrong.

Best Laid Plans Roll + Impossible When all hope looks lost, and another character says something like “How are you going to get out of this mess?”, or “I hope you did that earlier.” Then describe what you hope happens. On a 10+ The asset or assistance is available to save the day, what you described happens, a roll of 7-9 It’s there but not without a cost the RM will give you a hard bargain, thing are not all you hoped, and on miss timing is off the asset is compromised or the assistance is late, what’s the worse case scenario, the RM will make a hard move.

Peripheral moves

Assemble Team Roll + Sauce at the start of a heist, to recruit a character out of retirement. The recruited character must share a history with the recruiting character. On a hit (successful dice roll), the returning character assigns a new history to another character and creates a trauma for that character, On a roll of 6 or less, the recruitment fails and the character is not available.

Voluntary Retirement When a character chooses to go into retirement, they can go out while performing an heroic deed. Add +2 Family, make one Move as a guaranteed strong hit (the heroic deed), mark an XP, and retire the character.

Arrested When your Heat is maxed out, and you are forced into retirement, the RM can make a move to attempt to capture the remainder of the team.

Off the Grid Roll + Resources when going underground after a heist, or to reduce Heat. On a roll of 6 or less, increase Heat by 1 and RM can make a move, on 7-9 reduce Heat by 1, on 10+ reduce Heat by 2.

Lifestyle and Vehicle Maintenance Roll + Sauce at the start of each session to determine how many resources it costs you to maintain your lifestyle and vehicles. On a roll of 6 or less, your debts catch up with you and the RM can make a move, a roll of 7-9 it cost you 2 Resources, on 10+ there were no unexpected costs.

Working Gigs Roll + Sauce You’ve been working personal gigs between heists to make a few extra Resources. Negotiate with the RM on who you’re working for and the nature of the job. On hit you earn 3 Resources. On a miss, you earn only 2 Resources and you may have made an enemy.

Session End When the session ends, The players will form a compliment circle. Each player will take a turn and give a compliment to another player. One XP will be earned for each complement a player receives. (Ideally each player will get complemented once, creating a true circle of complements)

Harm and V-Harm Moves (Optional)

Harm When you take Harm (damage) roll minus Harm. On 10+ the RM can choose 1:

On a roll of 7 to 9 the RM will choose 1 of the following:

On a miss the RM chooses 1:

V-Harm When your vehicle takes V-Harm, roll minus V-Harm. A roll of 10+ the RM can choose 1 options:

On a roll of 7 to 9 the RM will choose 1 of the following:

On a miss the RM. can choose 1: