RULES

We'll use the Ghostbusters International rules, which are a precursor to the modern D6 rules by West End Games. I am adding some minor quality of life changes.

Action Resolution

When a Ghostbusters attempts an action, he rolls a number of D6 dice equal to his Trait (or applicable Talent) and totals the dice up. If he meets or exceeds the difficulty, he succeeds. 

Ghost Die

One D6 in every dice pool needs to be easily recognized. It can either be a different size or color. This die is the Ghost Die and it has special properties.

• If this die rolls a 1 - 5, add it to the total.

• If the Ghost die rolls a 6, then something bad happens - a plot complication of some kind.  The value of the Ghost is 0, so you do not add the 6 to the total.

There are four different outcomes when rolling dice:

1. You equal or beat the difficulty, and don't roll a ghost.  Everything goes fine.

2. You roll less than the difficulty, and don't roll a ghost. You just simply fail.

3. You equal or beat the difficulty, but roll a Ghost. You succeed, but there is a minor complication.

4. You roll less than the difficulty, but roll a Ghost. Something really bad happens.

 The Ghost works for ghosts instead of against them. The value of the Ghost on the die is still zero, but accidents, coincidences, and mishaps rebound to the spook's benefit.

Opposed Actions

If an action involves two characters, each opponent rolls their appropriate Trait (or Talent). A higher result for either the attacker or the defender indicates that they won that exchange. In the event of a tie, the defender sets the difficulty needed by the attacker.

Brownie Points

Brownie Points carry a lot of weight in Ghostbusters International. You can use Brownie Points to do the following:

• For every Brownie Point spent before a roll, add 1 additional die. There is no limit to how many you can spend.

• Spend a number of Brownie Points to lessen the effects of failure. You will still fail, but it won't be catastrophic. 

• Spend a number of Brownie Points to lessen injury. This is the same as lessening the effects of a failure.

When using Brownie Points for anything, explain what possible circumstances could lead to this increase in success.

Gaining Brownie Points

You can gain Brownie Points in one of the following ways.

1. You fail to get the ghost, or otherwise botch the job: About half the Brownie Points spent during the adventure will get refunded. 

2. You get the ghost or otherwise complete the job: Regain all of your Brownie Points plus 2 extra. 

3. You do an excellent job, save the day, and amuse the Ghostmaster: Regain all of your Brownie Points plus 6 extra.

4. Permanently Sacrifice a Trait: This will immediately net you  20 Brownie Points. If you ever find yourself out of Brownie Points and need to save your hide, sacrifice a die in a Trait of your choice.

Initiative

Initiative is decided by the amount of dice in a Character's Move pool. For Ghosts without a Moves attribute, use Power instead.

To determine Initiative, count up the number of dice in Moves (Initiative is an an applicable Talent). If there are four characters with a Moves score of 5, 3, 3, and 2, then the Ghostbuster with the 5 will go first, the two Ghostbusters with the 3's act simultaneously, and the Ghostbuster with the 2 goes last.

Movement 

Normally movement is handled informally. If using a map, you can move as many spaces as you have Moves dice (or an appropriate talent like Running). 

Combat

There are two kinds of combat in Ghostbusters: Hand-to-Hand and Ranged.

Hand-to-Hand

Muscles is the appropriate Trait for hand-to-hand fighting; brawl and grapple are a few of the applicable talents. If one antagonist has some sort of hand-to-hand weapon, such as a club, then you will modify the dice pool by an amount appropriate to the weapon. 

Hand-to-Hand combat is almost always an opposed action.

Ranged 

Moves is the appropriate Trait for ranged combat; Fire Weapon is an applicable talent. 

Ranged weapons can be fired over a variety of distances, with varying degrees of accuracy. 

Point Blank: 10 meters or less with most weapons. The difficulty at Point-blank range is usually 1-3. The defender can attempt to use his or her own weapon, or grapple the attacker to deflect the shot. 

Normal: Varies by weapon- about 30 meters for "short-range" weapons like thrown knives, pistols, and proton packs, and about 90 meters for things like rifles. at normal range, the difficulty is 9-13.

Long: Anything over normal range is considered Long. The difficulty for long-range shots is 14 and up. At really extremely ranges, the Ghostmaster may rule that the difficulty is as high as 30.

Ranged Defense

This rule is extrapolated for Ghostbusters International from the original Ghostbusters rules in 1st edition. A Ghostbuster can choose to try to dodge one ranged attack a turn. Use the Moves Trait or the Dodge Talent.

Getting Hurt / Getting Better

Ghostbusters do not ordinarily die - nor do any of the other characters in the game (and the ghosts are already dead!). Stars do get hurt, though, and equipment gets toasted, and ghosts get gobbled up by ghost traps.

Character Advancement

Character Advancement is simple. Normally all you can do is increase Traits. I am expanding this to also allow for the purchase of Talents.

• Spend 30 Brownie Points to increase one Trait by 1 point. 

• Spend 20 Brownie Points to buy a new Talent.