Distinctions
Ancestries
All characters in Hex Brigade are human, as the magical races vanished or were killed long ago.
Rather than having Ancestries, characters in Hex Brigade gain additional features from their Combat Frames, and changing Combat Frames replaces these features with those of the new frame.
Combat Frames
Instead of traditional armor, PCs and Adversaries in Hex Brigade rely on Combat Frames, specialised war machines which are piloted by a human. Combat Frames combine the functions of Armor and Primary Weapons.
Combat Frames are made of Wood, Metal, and Stone, and are powered by magical energies. Each Frame is modeled after a mythical creature, and grants the user certain abilities.
- Cyclopes are humanoid mechs specialised in defense. Cyclopse are around 6 meters tall.
- Minotaurs are humanoid mechs specialised in melee offense. Minotaurs are around 4 meters tall.
- Gorgons are humanoid mechs specialised in ranged offense. Gorgons are around 3 meters tall.
- Satyrs are humanoid mechs specialised in mobility. Satyrs are around 3 meters tall.
- Sylphs are armored witch brooms fitted with jet engines, allowing for flight. Sylphs are around 3 meters long.
Frames act as magical extensions of the user, and as such, different users get different performance out of them. A physically stronger user is going to achieve greater feats of strength with their frame, an agile user is going to maneuver their frame better, etc.
Frame Weapons
Each Frame can wield one Primary Weapon. As with other campaigns, Magical weapons can only be used by characters with a Spellcast Trait. Spell Interfaces are special Primary Weapons that connect to a spellcaster's body and allow them to use the Sylph as an extension for their spellcasting. Sylphs can only use Spell Interfaces and no other weapon.
Soldiers are from Mars,
Witches are from Venus
Gender in a Hex Brigade game plays an important role. By default, characters are assumed to be witches, women skilled in witchcraft and employed as part of the Hex Brigade. While the game allows for all classses and gender identitiess, by rule of thumb spellcasters are assumed to be women, as that is the fiction of the setting.
Mechanics
Personal Combat
When fighting on foot (without their Frames), PCs wear Uniforms and use Personal Weapons.
Uniforms
Uniforms provide characters with Damage Thresholds and a +1 bonus to Evasion, but lack Armor Slots.
| Uniform | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 5 / 11 | +1 |
| Tier 2 | 7 / 16 | +1 |
| Tier 3 | 9 / 23 | +1 |
| Tier 4 | 11 / 32 | +1 |
Personal Weapons
Personal weapons function as Secondary Weapons for characters. Characters in Frames cannot use their Secondary Weapons unless they are witches riding in a Sylph Frame, as Sylphs are the only open-cockpit Frames.
Personal Weapons use the Features given below:
| Physical Weapons | Range | Trait | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword | Melee | Agility | d4+2 phy |
| Axe or Club | Melee | Strength | d4+3 phy |
| Dagger or Knife | Melee | Finesse | d4+2 phy |
| Saber | Melee | Presence | d4+2 phy |
| Shotgun | Close | Strength | d4+2 phy |
| Pistol | Far | Finesse | d4+1 phy |
| Rifle | Very Far | Agility | d4+1 phy |
| Magical Weapons | Range | Trait | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wand | Far | Spellcast | d4+1 mag |
Personal Weapons gain a +2 increase to damage at every Tier beyond 1st.
Infantry in Hex Brigade
Enemy Infantry (enemies without Frames of their own) are predominantly represented by Minions or Hordes. Particularly powerful Infantry, such as witches, machinegunners, and anti-frame specialists can also be presented as other adversaries, but never as Bruisers or Solos.
Cyclops Frames
| Frame | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6 | 8 / 17 | –3 |
| Tier 2 | 8 | 13 / 28 | –3 |
| Tier 3 | 10 | 15 / 35 | –3 |
| Tier 4 | 12 | 17 / 44 | –3 |
- Cyclopes grant the pilot Orc Features.
Minotaur Frames
| Frame | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 5 | 8 / 17 | –2 |
| Tier 2 | 7 | 13 / 28 | –2 |
| Tier 3 | 9 | 15 / 35 | –2 |
| Tier 4 | 11 | 17 / 44 | –2 |
- Minotaurs grant the pilot Firbolg Features.
Drakaina Frames
| Frame | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6 | 7 / 15 | –2 |
| Tier 2 | 7 | 11 / 24 | –2 |
| Tier 3 | 8 | 13 / 31 | –2 |
| Tier 4 | 9 | 15 / 40 | –2 |
- Drakaina grant the pilot Drakona Features.
Gorgon Frames
| Frame | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 5 | 7 / 15 | –1 |
| Tier 2 | 6 | 11 / 24 | –1 |
| Tier 3 | 7 | 13 / 31 | –1 |
| Tier 4 | 8 | 15 / 40 | –1 |
- Gorgons grant the pilot Infernis Features.
Satyr Frames
| Frame | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 4 | 6 / 13 | — |
| Tier 2 | 5 | 9 / 20 | — |
| Tier 3 | 6 | 11 / 27 | — |
| Tier 4 | 7 | 13 / 36 | — |
- Satyrs grant the pilot Faun Features.
Sylph Frames
| Hecate | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6 | 7 / 15 | –2 |
| Tier 2 | 7 | 11 / 24 | –2 |
| Tier 3 | 8 | 13 / 31 | –2 |
| Tier 4 | 9 | 15 / 40 | –2 |
| Titania | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
| Tier 1 | 5 | 7 / 15 | –1 |
| Tier 2 | 6 | 11 / 24 | –1 |
| Tier 3 | 7 | 13 / 31 | –1 |
| Tier 4 | 8 | 15 / 40 | –1 |
| Artemis | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
| Tier 1 | 4 | 6 / 13 | — |
| Tier 2 | 5 | 9 / 20 | — |
| Tier 3 | 6 | 11 / 27 | — |
| Tier 4 | 7 | 13 / 36 | — |
| Aura | Armor | Thresholds | Evasion |
| Tier 1 | 3 | 6 / 13 | +1 |
| Tier 2 | 4 | 9 / 20 | +1 |
| Tier 3 | 5 | 11 / 27 | +1 |
| Tier 4 | 6 | 13 / 36 | +1 |
Sylph frames are special frames which can only be used by characters with a Spellcast Trait.
Sylphs grant a pilot Faerie Features.
Primary Weapons
| Physical Weapons | Trait | Range | Damage | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiphos Sword | Agility | Melee | d12+2 phy | Reliable |
| Falcata Sword | Agility | Melee | d12+2 phy | Deadly |
| Kopis Sword | Finesse | Melee | d12+2 phy | Quick |
| Labrys Axe | Agility | Very Close | d10+3 phy | — |
| Dory Spear | Strength | Very Close | d10+1 phy | Long |
| Sarissa Spear | Finesse | Very Close | d10+3 phy | — |
| Flak Cannon | Strength | Close | d8+2 phy | Long |
| Anti-Tank Rifle | Agility | Far | d8+2 phy | Destructive |
| Machinegun | Finesse | Far | d8+2 phy | Scary |
| Recoilless Rifle | Agility | Very Far | d6+2 phy | Devastating |
| Magical Weapons | Trait | Range | Damage | Features |
| Whip Sword | Spellcast | Very Close | d10+2 mag | Quick |
| Blessed Spear | Spellcast | Very Close | d10+1 mag | Long |
| Returning Javelin | Spellcast | Close | d10+1 mag | Returning |
| Spell Interfaces | Trait | Range | Damage | Features |
| Athame | Spellcast | Close | d10+2 mag | — |
| Totem | Spellcast | Far | d8+3 mag | — |
| Pentacle | Spellcast | Very Far | d6+2 mag | Reliable |
Spell Interfaces can be integrated into any Frame in place of a normal weapon.
Primary Weapons gain a +3 increase to damage at every Tier beyond 1st.