The Reporter

I collated my notes, tried to channel Transmetropolitan and Max Headroom, and thought of some moves. The result is below, the first draft of the reporter. Anything you think I’ve missed? Anything that doesn’t look fun? Do you want to play this guy?

[First revision: Expanded Nose for a Story to add an overarching story investigation structure and Gather Evidence move.]

[Second revision: Tweaked intro and Live and On the Air.]

Reporter
There’s dirty business going down all over this city. I’m not talking about sex scandals and drunken escapades. That’s what they want you to focus on. Leave the tabloid stuff for the hacks. It’s the real secrets you want: rights are being trampled; families are being separated; lives are being destroyed. You hear about the building collapse on seventh the other day? Seventy-two people died. Word is, that wasn’t an accident. Right now peoples lives—peoples’ fucking lives—are being traded for market share, profit margin and fucking competitive advantage. Sure, you hang out with a bunch of criminals and break all sorts of laws to get the story, and some people might get hurt, but the people need to know what’s happening behind those wood-panelled boardroom doors. The ends justify the means, right?

Look. Choose one from each line:
Eyes: penetrating, intense, empathetic, calm, determined.
Face: attractive, friendly, serious, grim, composed.
Body: toned, slim, augmented, tense, animated.
Wear: corporate, street, punk, flashy.
Stats. Assign each stat one of these numbers: +2, +1, +1, +0, +0, -1. Your Edge should be +2 or +1.
Cyberware: Choose one: Cybereyes (3 tags), cyberears (2 tags), cybercoms (2 tags), data storage and interface (2 tags).

Moves
You get these moves:
Live and On the Air: When you go live from the scene and broadcast a stream to avoid harm and expose your target, you get the shot you want and are “escorted” to a position of safety. Choose one:

• Your story irritates your target. (The MC will advance a relevant threat clock).
• Someone on your team gets hurt off camera.
• Your story angers your employer.
• Your rushed narrative is misinterpreted by the public with unintended consequences.

Nose for a story: At the start of a mission, roll+Edge. 10+ hold 3, 7-9 hold 1. During the mission, spend hold 1 for 1 for the following effects:

• Ask one question from the research list.
• Take +1 Forward when Monstering.
• Find a piece of evidence that links this mission to a current story. Start a Story Clock and a linked Noise Clock or roll to gather evidence.

Gather Evidence: When you gather evidence to break a story, roll+Mind. On a 10+ you get the evidence you need, advance the relevant Story Clock. On a 7-9, you get the evidence, but tip your hand to someone implicated in your story. Tell the MC which clock to advance: a relevant corporate clock, the linked noise clock or the relevant mission clock (Legwork or Mission, depending on which phase of the current mission you’re in). On a miss, the MC will advance the Noise Clock and make a move.

If the Story Clock reaches 0000 before the Noise Clock, the Reporter has broken the story before the implicated parties could cover up the evidence, or stop her investigation. The exact implications of this for the game will vary based on the story, but it should have a major impact on the implicated parties and will effect at least one Corporate Clock.

If the Noise Clock reaches 0000 before the Story Clock, the implicated parties have tied up all the loose ends and the story is dead. Now that damage control is complete, they can deal with the Reporter permanently. Advance any relevant Corporate or Threat Clocks.

Choose one more:
24/7 Live Feeds: When you scan the feeds to research a topic, ask one extra question, even on a miss.
Chromed: Choose another piece of cyberware.

Filthy Assistants: When you give mission advice based on your research, your team takes +1 forward to follow that advice and you mark experience.

Monstering: When you corner someone and hound them with questions to get to the bottom of a story, roll+Edge. On a 10+ they tell you the truth, regardless of the consequences. On a 7-9, they give you enough to get you off their back, then when they’re safe, they choose one:

• they respond with fear.
• they respond with anger.
• they respond with clinical calm.

Press Pass: When you reveal your public persona to fast talk your way in, choose one extra option even if you miss.

Reliable Sources: When you call your regular sources to research a topic, roll+Style instead of +Mind.

War Correspondent: When acting under pressure or manoeuvring while in physical danger, roll+Edge instead of +Cool and +Mind respectively.

Gear
Armoured clothing (armour 0, +discrete, subtract 1 when rolling the harm move), encrypted communications equipment, recording equipment, glasses (2 tags)

Choose one of: holdout pistol (2-harm hand/close discrete quick reload loud), flechette pistol (3-harm close quick flechette), taser (s-harm hand reload).