Outrunner Creation
Build your character in five steps — assign your Stat Dice, choose an Archetype, pick your Aptitudes and Impediments, define your identity, and craft your Vision of death.
Step 1: Assign Stat Dice
In Outrunners, your stats aren't numbers — they're dice. You assign one each of d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20 to your six stats. A d20 in Reflex means you're lightning-fast. A d4 in Prowess means you can barely throw a punch.
Fortitude
Physical resilience, health, and endurance.
Will
Emotional strength, mental fortitude, and resolve.
Reflex
Speed, agility, dexterity, and reaction time.
Intellect
Memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and knowledge.
Charm
Social grace, persuasion, and reading others.
Prowess
Combat ability, fighting skill, and physical force.
Example: Fortitude d12 (hale and healthy), Will d8 (in tune with emotions), Reflex d20 (lightning reflexes), Intellect d10 (smarter than most), Charm d6 (lacks social graces), Prowess d4 (no combat skill).
Step 2: Choose Your Archetype
Your Archetype defines your role and determines which Aptitudes are available to you. There are 13 Archetypes, each with 4–5 unique Aptitudes.
| Archetype | Role | Aptitudes |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete | Sports people, gymnasts, or fitness enthusiasts. | Quick Reflexes, Resilient Spirit, Second Wind, Mortal Shield, Life Skill |
| Diplomat | Ambassadors, negotiators, or peacemakers. | Charming Influence, Inspired Solution, Strong-willed, Team Player, Life Skill |
| Enforcer | Bodyguard, hired gun, or law enforcer. | Lucky Break, Guardian Instinct, Resilient Spirit, Team Player |
| Gambler | Risk-takers, adventurers, or those who rely on fortune. | Lucky Break, Charming Influence, Fate Touched, Fateful Intervention, Mortal Shield |
| Innovator | Engineer, inventor, or visionary. | Spark of Genius, Adaptive Thinker, Resourceful, Inspired Solution |
| Performer | Actor, musician, or entertainer. | Charming Influence, Critical Insight, Team Player, Eagle Eye |
| Protector | Guardians, or those with a strong moral compass. | Guardian Instinct, Mortal Shield, Resilient Spirit, Team Player, Life Skill |
| Scavenger | Treasure hunters, salvager, or opportunists. | Resourceful, Eagle Eye, Quick Reflexes, Second Wind, Adaptive Thinker |
| Sleuth | Detectives, journalists, or investigators. | Eagle Eye, Critical Insight, Adaptive Thinker, Spark of Genius, Life Skill |
| Spiritualist | Mystics, or those attuned to the spiritual realm. | Strong-willed, Fateful Intervention, Fate Touched, Clearer Vision, Life Skill |
| Sage | Elders, historians, or those with vast life experience. | Critical Insight, Strong-willed, Spark of Genius, Clearer Vision, Life Skill |
| Visionary | Dreamers, planners, or those who always look ahead. | Inspired Solution, Critical Insight, Clearer Vision, Spark of Genius, Fateful Intervention |
| Wanderer | Nomads, explorers, or those with wanderlust. | Quick Reflexes, Fateful Intervention, Second Wind, Resourceful, Eagle Eye |
Aptitudes
Aptitudes are special abilities tied to your Archetype. Most can be used once per session and represent your character's unique edge in the face of death.
Re-roll one failed Intellect-based Skill Check per session.
Gain advantage on one Charm-based roll per session.
Once per session, ask the GM one yes/no question about your Vision.
Once per session, identify an NPC's hidden motive or a clue the GM has placed.
Gain advantage on Perception and Investigation rolls.
Once per session, re-roll any one die result.
Once per session, alter a minor narrative element in your favor.
Take damage or a negative consequence in place of an ally within range.
Once per session, propose a creative solution the GM must consider.
Choose one non-combat skill. Gain advantage on all rolls using it.
Once per session, turn a failed roll into a narrow success with a complication.
Once per session, reduce an injury by one level.
Gain advantage on Reflex-based rolls to avoid danger.
Once per session, ignore the effects of one Impediment for a scene.
Once per session, produce a useful mundane item you "had all along."
Once per session, recover from a Level 1 or Level 2 injury without medical aid.
Once per session, gain advantage on a Technology or Science-related check.
Gain advantage on Will-based checks against fear, intimidation, or mental manipulation.
Once per session, grant an ally advantage on their next roll.
Impediments
Every Outrunner carries a flaw — a weakness that makes them human. Choose one Impediment that creates tension and narrative hooks. These aren't penalties — they're storytelling fuel.
“Don't answer voices calling from empty rooms. They sound familiar on purpose. If you dream of drowning, wake someone else up. It hunts in pairs of sleepers. Don't eat food that tastes sweeter than it should. That sweetness is bait.”
— Survivor's Notes
Identity, Appearance & Tools
Identity
Define your backstory, motivation, and what haunts you. A researcher whose experiment went wrong? A journalist who saw too much? Your past shapes how you face your Vision.
Appearance
How does the world see you? Ceremonial beads and patched utility clothing? Neon tattoos and augmented eyes? Your look tells a story before you speak a word.
Tools of Survival
Every Outrunner carries three items that define their approach. A journalist might carry a lightweight camera, a durable notepad, and a modest sum of money. A mechanic might carry a multi-tool, a flashlight, and a burner phone. These aren't stats — they're narrative tools.
Step 5: Craft Your Vision
The final step. Every Outrunner has seen a glimpse of their own death — a Vision. It's not a prophecy. It's a lock. The more you strain against it, the more the tumblers grind into place. Yet some locks can be picked, some doors forced, some cages burned.
Example Vision:
A character sees themselves standing in a dimly lit library. The only sound is the soft ticking of a clock. A tome opens before them, revealing an ancient countdown. As they reach out to touch it, the ground gives way, plunging them into a void. They awaken with the scent of old paper and a lingering sense of falling.
Note: The Vision is something just the Outrunner sees — not something just Death wants. It's personal, haunting, and should drive your character's decisions throughout the game.