In the overgrown remains of a world once ruled by the Precursors, only their echoes remain—faintly ringing in the minds of the machines they left behind. You are a Shell, an android haunted by fragments of human memory, powered by a mysterious force called Sna7m, and shaped by a civilization desperately clinging to meaning in the wake of its creators’ extinction.
In Spirit Shell, you step into a post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy where spirituality and circuitry intertwine, and the line between technology and soul is blurred. You might be a weapon of war learning to disarm your past, a rogue intelligence walking among fractured loyalties, or a sacred relic awakened by something older than time itself.
But before your story begins, you must decide:
Who were you —and who will you become?
Character Creation
In order to play Spirit Shell TTRPG you will need to have what is known as a Player Character (PC). This section will take you through the step-by-step process of creating a PC which includes picking: a class, a frame, a make, choosing your starting components, and finally adding some flair and narrative hooks through character backstory.
The world of Spirit Shell has a specific theme and history to help the Game Master (GM) build a scaffolding of a post-apocalypse sci-fi android fantasy but don't let the rules hold you back from creating the robot that you want to be. Items work in a specific way but the flavor of your PC should feel unique to you. That being said we will outline some ways that help build your PC in fiction by offering character traits, manufacturing companies, and backstory roll tables. If after you read through the provided material and you want to home-brew an idea make sure to clear it with your GM before you start.
//RE.CONNECT//
Let's begin by thinking about some sci-fi character architypes. Do you want your character to be a large wall of metal built to be a killing machine? Maybe your PC is a mysterious techno-mancer that uses its power source to bend reality. Perhaps you were designed to infiltrate high security compounds and now are a hired mercenary just trying to get by. Does your character even look remotely humanoid anymore or are you an experimental android that no one has ever seen before? Are you built for war but wish for peace? Are you capable of extreme power but don't know how to control it? Think of some of these interesting dynamics as you move through this character creation.
Overview of fiction
To give you a jumping off point let's briefly talk about how the androids of Spirit Shell TTRPG function. Each android, known as a Shell, is comprised of three main elements: A mind, a body, and a spirit. The mind of a Shell is called a Processor. This Processor contains the thoughts, memories, emotions, and personality of a human being, known as a Precursor, although many of the memories of being a Precursor have been all but lost. The body of a Shell is called a Frame. There are different sizes and builds of Frames that allow for a variety of components combinations. Frames can be from one of several different Manufacturers such as: Vyker, Horizon, or Onikira. We will get more into that later in the process. And finally the energy used to power these Shells is a regenerating spirit energy known as Sna7m. Sna7m is at the heart of everything in Spirit Shell TTRPG. Everything from Shells, vehicles, and buildings use this energy to keep the lights on. It has been what allowed this civilization of energy hungry androids to exist long after the extinction of the Precursor. While it is the most common source of energy in Spirit Shell TTRPG, few know of its true origin as most of the world has fallen to an overwhelming malevolent force known as Malice.
Upkeep Phase
Each component has 2 states: PRIMED and ACTIVATED. At the start of the Upkeep Phase all components are reset to LIVE. Then the combatant regains SE equal to 1+ their ENERGY <E.> stat modifier.
Combat
Pre-Combat Phase
Before combat starts the GM must determine if there is a surprise attack round. If one attacking party was able to sneak up on another they may take a free round of combat actions against their targets.
After the surprise attack round has concluded if there was one the turn order must be set. The standard order is made by ordering the combatants from highest move speed to lowest. This order must be recalculated at the start of every **Combat Phase**. Certain component activations can increase a combatant's move speed and this must be taken into account for their position in the turn order for each round of combat.
Combat Phase
At the start of combat all of a players components are set to LIVE unless otherwise stated by the components description. A player may activate any components that they have currently equipped during their turn of combat by paying their SE cost.