Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook Review

"War, war never changes" is the legendary line from the Fallout series that has remained constant across all games. It holds true for Fallout: The Roleplaying Game by Modiphius, which we now have in Czech thanks to Mytago publishing. Having said that, I can officially claim I've played every Fallout game. 🙂

This TTRPG is a faithful adaptation of the Fallout 4 video game, translated into a tabletop roleplaying experience for multiple players. The book contains everything you need to create your own game set in the Boston area—where Fallout 4 takes place—or anywhere else you desire (even in the Czech Republic, like I did). You'll find descriptions of generic locations as well as iconic spots like Diamond City. The game translates all core mechanics, such as Perks, V.A.T.S., weapon and armor modification, crafting, cooking, and survival elements like thirst, hunger, and disease. Roughly a quarter of the book is dedicated to the Game Master section, featuring a robust bestiary and a short introductory adventure.

Production and Rules

The book's production quality is excellent. It is packed with images of items, various activities (the iconic Pip-Boy is a must), and plenty of stunning illustrations that perfectly capture the post-apocalyptic theme.

For me, the book has two other huge advantages. The page headers feature thematic chapter titles, so you always know where you are, and it comes with a built-in ribbon bookmark. While two or three bookmarks would have been better given the amount of information, having even one is a very pleasant surprise.

Several people told me independently, "But the rules must be complicated," yet after ten minutes of play, everything was clear, and they were enjoying the possibilities and freedom the game offers. I have to say, the core rules and combat sections are very well-written, clear, and straightforward.

System Note: The game uses the 2d20 system: essentially, you try to roll lower than the sum of your attributes and skills on two (or more) twenty-sided dice. The lower the roll, the better.

Furthermore, the game creates many interesting situations by combining successes and complications that occur with every roll of a 20 (or even lower numbers in more difficult situations). The biggest change compared to mainstream games is that movement and range aren't measured in fixed distances; the game uses zones, which makes play faster and easier. You don't even need maps—rough sketches or good descriptions are enough if you struggle with map-making. The game fully supports "theatre of the mind."

This game takes a specific approach to injuries. Each weapon has a set number of "combat dice" (six-sided dice with values 1, 2, 0, 0, and effects) that determine the damage dealt. Minor complications arise from effects; different weapons have different effects, and you need to track bonuses, durations, etc. If your weapon has upgrades, multiple effects can combine, which you need to keep in mind. Just like in the video game, damage is dealt to specific body parts with different consequences, and thanks to V.A.T.S., you can target specific areas at the cost of increased difficulty—unless you have a Pip-Boy.

Character Creation and "Gear Porn"

Character creation is described very simply and clearly. There are a few basic rules for calculating attributes, but it's all very intuitive. You choose your origin, which grants you additional traits and equipment packs, distribute your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. points, pick perks, and allocate skill points. There's no need to stress about the best gear at the start, as you'll receive the rest based on your skill perks.

The most extensive part of the book is the equipment chapter, spanning nearly 100 pages. Someone I know called it "gear porn." It's true that fans of upgrading gear and combining abilities can really go wild here and create tons of interesting combinations, provided their GM allows it. These 100 pages are filled with illustrations and summary tables, as well as individual descriptions, which makes reading it much more pleasant and organized.

Survival and the Game World

The Survival chapter adds rules for hunger, thirst, and disease, while also explaining the mechanics for crafting, modifying items, cooking food, brewing chems, and everything else players need.

About the only things you can't craft are vehicles and spare ammo, but the game addresses this in future expansions. Finally, there are rules for "looting" locations and how players should roll for searching. Unfortunately, the detailed rules for setting this up according to the authors are only in the GM supplement. However, this system can slow things down, so GMs usually have everything prepared and rolled in advance.

The next three chapters—Corporations, Vault-Tec, and the Commonwealth—detail key points of interest perfect for story creation:

• Corporations: You'll learn what they did, how they behaved, and in some cases, their post-war legacy. It always mentions their fate after the war and provides quest hooks or ideas on how to involve them in your game.
• Vault-Tec: Describes the principles of the Vaults, what happened, and what they should look like. You'll find suggestions for both sealed and abandoned Vaults, along with random events and plot hooks.
• The Commonwealth: Describes individual locations you might encounter in Fallout 4 and gives ideas for enemies players might face in those areas.

Running the Game and Wasteland Inhabitants

The GM section attempts to explain how to work with the rules over the next 15 pages, especially regarding skill checks, Action Points, and complications. Action Points belong to both players and the GM, and the GM shouldn't be afraid to use them to keep the game challenging. This section also includes extensive recommendations on how to provide a safe environment for players, as the Fallout world is a harsh place, and not all themes may be comfortable for everyone.

Several pages are dedicated to advice on creating stories (mainly quests) and how to award experience points along with "financial rewards."

The game itself is heavily focused on scavenging and crafting. Buying medicine, weapons, and ammo isn't cheap, so you really need to monitor what gear and purchasing options players have; if they get their hands on powerful items too early, the game loses its challenge. A great example is the shotgun, which is extremely effective due to its effects; GMs are advised to hold off on giving it out until level 5. While everything is explained clearly, practical examples and a few supplementary rules are missing, which are found in the expansion materials.

The rest of the book is dedicated to wasteland inhabitants and a short introductory adventure. You'll find basic monsters (ghouls, mirelurks, or brahmin) as well as humanoid creatures (synths, raiders, traders, or zetans) that players might encounter. Again, space is left for expansion books that will bring more monsters, challenges, and factions.

Verdict

The book looks great, is filled with fitting illustrations, and truly breathes the world of Fallout. The rules might be a bit unusual for players accustomed to classic RPGs, but after a few minutes of play, everyone will pick them up quickly.

The Czech translation is very well done. A compromise was clearly chosen for some words to make them sound natural in Czech, though one translation kept me up at night for days after reading it. That word is "ochrana" (protection) in the sense of passive Defense, which determines the number of hits needed. Personally, I associate "protection" more with armor and clothing, but that's just a minor detail.

I can highly recommend this game and book to all Fallout fans. You'll get to enjoy this awesome world with your friends and discover that you have even more freedom than in the PC game.