F T E R S

DR I

Spencer Campbell
Dedicated to the wanderers,
outsiders, and drifters of the world. Table of
Writing, Design, Layout: Spencer Campbell Contents
Art: Adobe Stock & Freepik
Fonts:
• Body text: Rockwell Drifters Page 1
• Headers: Copperplate Gothic Bold Setting Page 3
• Cover text: zai Drukarnia Wydawnicza 1870
Rules Page 8

Combat Page 13
Inspirations: Destiny, Tombstone,
GUN&SLINGER, Slayers, The Characters Page 19
Liminanas, Colt Express, The Harder
They Fall Guns Page 27

Rifts Page 39
Published by Gila RPGs
Threats Page 53

GM Page 67

Grayslanding Page 73

GilaRPGs.com - GilaRPGs.itch.io - @GilaRPGs Character Sheets Page 78

 Drifters
In Drifters, you take on the role of cursed gunslingers.What
you did in your life before no longer matters, because you
It is important to note that Drifters is inspired by the stories
of the American wild west, but is not an “alternative
history”. The American expansion into the “new world” is a
history written in blood and genocide, by colonialist hands.

The wild west has largely been romanticized, ignoring the

inhumanity of what really happened. Drifters is not here to
continue that trend, but it is important to acknowledge that
history whenever the “wild west” is the setting of a game.
picked up a capital G Gun.

From that point on, you became a Drifter, filled with What You Need
incredible power and compelled to drift from town to town,
solving their problems with lead. Drifters uses the traditional roles of Game Master (GM) and
Player Character (PC), who we’ll just call Drifters from here
Drifters is a tabletop roleplaying game. One player will take on out. To play, you’ll need these rules, and you should
on the role of the GM, while the others will inhabit the probably read them.
cursed gunslinger Drifters.
Each player will need a character sheet, something to write
A dangerous world waits for you out there, in the wastes. As with, and a set of dice specific to their Gun class.
long as you have that iron by your side, you should be just
fine, right?
Cycle of Play
Drifters follows a game play loop driven by Rifts of the void.
Setting You’ll learn more about it later in the rules, but here’s a
quick summary.
Drifters takes place in a wasteland, filled with horrors and
death, with the few towns that remain holding on to what Each Rift, the Drifters wander into a town with a big problem
they can. Frontier towns live mostly in isolation, with their they need help with. Working with the locals, the Drifters
own internal power and political structures. eventually remove that problem, only for their Guns to
compel them to wander off back into the wastes once more.
There are two constants. First, the wastes outside of town
will kill you if you go out there. Second, the Drifters break all And so the cycle repeats. Cursed.
the rules.

1 2
Setting The wastes are what they call it
Hell is a better name

The Void & The Wastes

It’s still not clear what exactly did it, but it all went to shit
really quickly. Schisms, breaches, Rifts, whatever you want
to call them, some “thing” started to tear into our world.

Most locals got to calling it the void, an inky abyss that

would rip the seam between our world and itself, and bleed
through the wound.

This void, it changed anything that it came into contact with.

Plants and animals were the first to start to change. After
that, our familiar routes and paths through the wilderness
shifted and became maze-like.

Caravans would go off to travel between towns, and find

themselves lost in the wastes. Some came back, years later,
and changed.

Towns went dark, isolating themselves from one another.

How could you trust someone who just walked out of hell to
get to you? No no, leave the devil at the door.

So now we call it the wastes. Familiar, and yet not. A gross

caricature of our home that is haunted by some presence
we couldn’t possibly understand. The sort of place that
you’d have to be a real fool to willingly explore.

A fool, or chosen.

4
 The Guns
Some folks, through one means or another, found The gift of the Gun was power. Power enough to travel the
something out in the wastes. Guns, with a capital G. Nobody wastes without fear. And with that, towns started to become
had ever seen their make before, each entirely unique. connected again. These new wielders, Drifters are what we
call them, act as wandering guardians of the waste.

They keep the paths between towns safe. And they walk into
town to root out anything...

dangerous

Those Guns of theirs? Nowadays we think that they were

created by the void, or at least transformed by it. That’s why
Not only that, but nobody knew exactly why they were out the Drifters seem to wander the wastes so safely, the void
there, but everyone who grabbed one said the same thing recognizes one of its own.
“it wanted me to find it.”
It’s unsettling, but as long as they keep helping us, we’ll
keep letting them wander into town.

Fight fire with fire, you know?

5 6
 Rifts
Drifters may be compelled by their Guns to wander the
wastes, but the humanity in them compels them to return to
town, to help with the breaches. The void, it mostly rends
and tears reality out in the wastes. But sometimes it bleeds
through a little too close to home.
Rules
When that happens, we call it a Rift. Sometimes folks can Most of Drifters is handled through roleplaying. Players
see it, the storm of void that creates destruction and chaos describe what their characters say and do, and the GM
in a town. It can drive a person to do horrible things, or responds. The Drifters have incredible abilities thanks to
warp and shift the once safe world into a nightmarish and their backgrounds, and may use them when the ability
dangerous place. allows it. Most of the time, the Drifters will simply describe
what they do, and it happens.
Drifters find these Rifts, their Guns as a dowsing rod, and
root them out of town. They don’t stick around for long However, whenever a Drifter wants to do something with
though. There are always other settlements that need help, possible consequences or risk of significance, they make a
and that Gun of theirs probably wants a word with them out roll. In Drifters, there is one rule that applies no matter how
in the wastes. many dice you are rolling, what size they are, or what the
intended action is: a roll of a 4+ is a Hit.

Today Skills
That’s where we are now. There are a handful of those
Drifters out there. And yeah, you’ve probably heard the If you aren’t attacking something, you’re probably making a
rumors “the Guns are poisoning them” “they aren’t even skill roll. After determining what skill is appropriate for the
alive, but animated by the Gun” “they come from another action, roll the skill’s assigned die. Drifters can assist one
world.” another with actions when appropriate, adding a die equal
to the helping player’s skill die size. Whenever you roll
I guess none of that is for me to say, but how about the next more than one dice for a skill roll, use the highest roll.
time a Drifter comes into town you buy them a drink, and
ask them yourself? A 4+ is a Hit, and the action succeeds. Anything else is a
Miss; the intended action fails, and the GM introduces a
complication or consequence.

7 8
 Skills are also used during combat, and are resolved the Abilities
same way as described above when used during a fight.
Every Drifter has a Background, which gives them access to
NPCs never make skill rolls. Instead, their actions and abilities that have been amplified by their connection to
reactions are determined by the Slayer’s rolls. their Gun. These abilities are typically used outside of
combat, and do not necessarily have a mechanical
means of being resolved.

Instead, they are opportunities for the Drifters to

exert powerful narrative control over the situation. If
there is ever a question of how an ability resolves,
Skill List discuss it as a table and come to a conclusion that
everyone agrees with.
• Brawl: let your fists do the talking, show your strength
The abilities of each Background are typically
• Compel: get your way with logic, intimidation, used outside of combat. You may find
bartering, anything not a lie instances where they are useful in combat.
Players and the GM should work together to
• Deceive: lying and charming, blending in and moving determine what fits the flow of combat.
unseen

• Hunt: track a target, avoid detection

• Nimble: acting quickly, agile movement, climbing and

dodging

• Scan: read a situation or person, look for something in

particular

• Tinker: engineer, create or destroy something, work a

mechanism

9
 Advantage & Disadvantage
If you have positioned yourself so that you have the edge on
a combatant, you may roll with Advantage. Whenever you
have Advantage, roll all dice twice, keeping the higher
result.

If you are in a really bad position, roll with Disadvantage.

When you have Disadvantage, roll all dice twice, keeping
the lower result. If you have both Advantage and
Disadvantage at the same time, the effects are canceled.

You cannot have multiple instances of Advantage, or

Disadvantage at once (e.g. you can’t have “double
Advantage”). Drifters and GMs should work together to
decide when a character has Advantage or Disadvantage,
though some runes and abilities specifically determine
when these apply.

Here are some examples of when you might have either:

Advantage
• Ambushing someone
• Target is distracted
• A skill helped set you up for success
Disadvantage
• Being ambushed
•
•
Immobilized, slowed, or distracted
Firing your Gun from an ineffective range
Reach for
the sky…
11
Combat Close:Within grappling range, a small room, or
a quick couple of steps.

Mid: A short hustle away, across the street or

one or two buildings down the road
Theater of the Mind Far: Anything beyond Mid.
Combat in Drifters uses the theater of the mind, meaning
many decisions are made based on what makes sense in
terms of the fiction, rather than mechanically tracking
things such as movement speed.

Relative Distance
Movement and distance aren’t measured out in detail in
Drifters. Instead, distance between two people is
determined abstractly. Some Guns are more or less
effective at certain ranges.

13
 Readying Up Combat Actions
Before combat begins, every Drifter prepares for the fight A Drifter takes two actions during their turn. Each Gun has
with their Ready action. This is done before the Turn Order two actions. The first is Sling Lead, the action for when a
is determined. Drifter wants to shoot their Gun. While every Gun Slings
Lead, each does so in a unique way. The second action is
something that helps highlight that Gun class’s role and
expertise, which is again unique to that Gun.

In addition, any Drifter may use the Take Cover or Skill

actions (see below) during their turn, regardless of what
Gun they wield.

Drifters may also Move once during their turn.This does not
count as an action. When a Drifter moves, they go from one
range band of a target or location to another. This can be
moving closer (e.g. Far to Mid) or further away (e.g. Close
to Mid).

Turn Order & Rounds Take Cover: Take -1 damage from all sources until the start
of your next turn.
When combat begins, combatants must determine their
place in the turn order. Each player rolls their Draw die. Skill: Make a skill roll using the rules for skills. Using a skill
Enemies have a set Draw speed. may afford you a bonus on a roll, at the GM’s discretion, or
may allow you to do something you weren’t able to before.
A round begins with the character with the highest Draw
result taking their turn, and ending when the lowest Draw
result character takes their turn. If a Drifter is tied with an Examples of Skill in Combat
enemy, the Drifter acts first. If two Drifters are tied, they may
decide who will go first. Tinker to rig a device to explode, Nimble to
quickly scale an obstacle for a better angle for
your shot, Hunt to track down a hiding enemy,
Compel get an enemy to surrender and throw
down their weapon.

15 16
 Damage Corruption
If a threat's Health is reduced to 0, they are dead or
defeated. If a Drifter ever reaches 0 Health, they’re dead Vengeful
and can be resurrected by their Gun on their next turn. If
they don’t have any resurrections left...they’re taking the In Combat: You deal +1 damage for any attack against a
eternal dirt nap. target that has harmed you
Out of Combat:You don’t take slights or losses with grace

Resurrection Cold
Your Gun doesn’t want you to die, not yet at least. Every time In Combat: Once per combat you can stare a threat down.
you would meet your maker, the Gun brings you back if it They are frozen in fear and take no turn this round. Using
still has the power to do so.When you are resurrected, your this is not an action.
body and mind are corrupted by the experience.
Out of Combat: Logic prevails when making decisions, not
Every time you are resurrected, you choose a corruption passion
and mark it on your character sheet. Corruptions have two
effects, depending on if you are in or out of combat. Fury
Each corruption provides an in-combat bonus to your In Combat: Once per turn, when you kill someone, you may
Drifter. Turns out death isn't’ so bad after all. take a Spray Lead action for free.

They also provide an out of combat character “quirk.” There Out of Combat: Once you see red, you can’t help yourself
are no mechanical changes to you based on these, but these
represent changes to your Drifter’s personality that happen Reckless
after you get your soul shot back into your body. Play to In Combat:You roll with Advantage for any roll affecting the
them, or fight them back, it’s your call. most dangerous threat.
Each Drifter can only take 3 corruptions. If you would ever Out of Combat: Passion prevails when making decisions,
need to mark another, your Gun doesn’t have the power to not logic.
bring you back, or maybe it’s just given up on you…

17 18
Characters
Creating a cursed gunslinger requires a few steps.We start
4. Describe Yourself: Take a moment to describe your
character to the other players. What do you look like,
what does your Gun look like? Each Gun whispers a
desire in their wielder’s ear, what does your Gun say to
you?

Advancement
with understanding who you were before you grabbed that
Gun, and then define who you’ve become. Your Drifter grows in power with each Drift. After
completing a Drift as you Wander back into the wastes, go
1. Select a Background: This describes what your through the following steps:
character did before you became a Drifter. Those
talents you had built up over the years were amplified 1. Increase maximum Health. Increase your Health +1.
when you grabbed your Gun, and now you have
incredible abilities. 2. Increase a skill. Choose one skill that is a d6 to be raised
to a d8. If all of your skills are at least a d8, increase one
Each Background provides you with your starting to a d10 instead. Instead of increasing a skill, you may
Health, Draw speed, and a list of abilities. Select one of also increase your Draw, up to a d10.
these abilities to start with.
3. Choose an ability. Select a new ability from your
2. Set Your Skills:You have built up the necessary skills to Background to gain access to. If you already have all of
survive the wastes all these years. Assign a dice to each your abilities unlocked, skip this step.
of your skills. Choose one skill to be a d10, another skill
to be a d8, and all others as d6. 4. Empower your Gun. You Gun’s power grows with each
successful Rift. Choose one of the remaining Advances
3. Choose a Gun:You become a Drifter when you choose for your Gun. If you have already selected all your
your Gun, or when it chooses you. Select a Gun to Advances, work with the GM to create a new one.
wield. If you select the Runic Revolver, complete the
step below, otherwise move to step 4.

1. Carve Runes: Select two runes to carve into your

Gun, giving it power. See Runes for details.

19 20
 Bandit Con
Before you grabbed your Gun, your greatest weapon was
your silver tongue. It’s probably for the best that your Gun
The feeling of a gun in your hand is familiar, but you have to
compels you to drift on out of town once your work is done,
admit, this new one feels right.You used to get by with your
because there is only so much bull locals are willing to buy.
gang, taking what you need, and having fun doing it. Now
you’re with a different posse. Oh well, there’s always another town.
You’re helping folks now too, which feels strange, but that
doesn’t mean you can’t get a little something extra out of the Health: 6 Draw: d8
deal.
Abilities
Health: 8 Draw: d6 • Snake Oil: With a touch, you can change any food or drink
from safe to consume to lethal poison, or vice versa.
Abilities • There’s My Mark: Once per scene, you can immediately
• Jailbreak: Nothing can ever confine you. Locks, bindings, identify one thing:
and anything similar simply unlatch whenever you want • Who here has the most to lose?
them to.
• Who here will believe anything you say?
• Hideout: Every town has a hideout for you and your allies,
or a cache of valuables hidden away for a time of need. • What can I say to get these folks on my side?
• Don’t Be A Hero: As long as you have your hand on your • Memetic: Once per session, hold a person’s attention in
Gun, folks will do as you say, unless doing so will cause conversation and they will become a firm believer in you.
them harm. Those they come in contact with will slowly become
believers as well.
• Masks On: When you pull up your mask, you decide
whether folks can’t see you, or if all eyes are only on you. • On the House: Once in a town, you can call on a number of
free favors equal to the size of your Deceive skill die. After
• Notorious: Your reputation arrives in town before you do. that, attempts to Deceive are made with Disadvantage.
When you first arrive in town arrive, decide what the
locals think of you. • Supply & Demand: When you first arrive in town, the GM
will tell you three things the locals need.You can provide
one of them, the rest you’ll have to figure out.
21 22
 Hunter Marshal
You don’t hunt for animals, you hunt for bounties. Before all
this you were an excellent bounty hunter bringing in the
After grabbing your Gun, you found a badge pinned to your
chest. You were law, now you’re not. But what you learned
worst the world had to offer. Now, somehow, you’re even during that time before is rattling around in your mind, like
better. Nobody gets away from you once you have their trail. the old keys hanging at your side.

But this Gun, it seems to want to find something more than A marshal of the wastes has a lot more than train robberies
bounties, something that worries you. to worry about; it’s starting to feel like there was a jailbreak
outta hell itself.

Health: 8 Draw: d6 Health: 8 Draw: d6

Abilities Abilities
• Lasso: Anyone you lay hands on cannot escape your grip • Deputize: Once per Rift you can choose an NPC that
until you release them. you’ve met to be gifted your protection. No harm can
come to them as long as you are in town.
• Bloodhound: Focus your attention on an individual you
can see, smell, or hear. For the rest of the session, you can • Detective: Once per scene you pick up on small details.
always track their position, clear as day. Ask a question from the list:
• Flashback: Once per session, you may declare that • What really is going on here?
person related to a previous hunt is here in town.Who are • Are we in danger right now?
they and what relationship did they have to the job?
• What do I stand to gain from this?
• Gig Economy: You are exceptionally good at getting
rewarded for your work. Whenever you finish a Patrol, • Grizzled: Years of this work has made you a survivor.
increase the Impact by 1. Nobody can ever get the jump on you.
• Bounty:When you first arrive in town, the GM will tell you • Void Jail: Once per session, you may send a person you
of two wanted people in town. One is related to the Rift, touch to a Void Jail. They disappear from reality, and
the other…just a criminal.You need to figure out which. appear when you decide.
• Build a Case: When you first arrive in town, you know the
leads of two patrols that need your attention.
23 24
Prospector Stranger
You were already out looking for valuables before this all
went to hell. So when the void bled through and the wastes
You’re no stranger to the wastes, you’ve been drifting
between towns as long as you can remember. One time,
became what they became, you just saw it as another though, you found that Gun.
opportunity to get rich.You didn’t realize what you’d find out
there wasn’t gold, but iron instead. You still don’t feel entirely at home when you’re around
other folks, but they notice you now at least.When you want
Keep it close, its whispers are enthralling, but you know it them to, that is…
will reveal the secrets of the wastes soon enough.

Health: 6 Draw: d8 Health: 6 Draw: d8

Abilities Abilities
• Silver Sense: Once per scene, you can detect any • Enhance: When you Tinker with an object, you may
valuables around you, as well as things that are hidden imbue it with one property it would not normally have.
away. • Was Never Here: You leave no trace that mundane
• Midas Touch:With a touch, you can change an object to be trackers could follow. Take 1 damage and people will
made of pure gold. You can also rend a valuable item to forget your face after an interaction.
dust. • Passing Through: You can walk through walls as though
• Survival Pack: During a Rift, you may reach into your pack you were a ghost.
a number of times equal to your Hunt die size. Inside are • Lurking: Once per scene, you can suddenly appear, even
any mundane items, including gear you’d use on your if you were nowhere nearby.
trips to the waste.
• Void in the Air: When you first arrive in town, you know a
• Tunnel Network: Once per session you can connect two way this place has been warped by the wastes, even if the
locations that you have visited or seen with an
townsfolk don’t know it yet.What is it?
underground network that only the Drifters may use.
• Gold in Those Hills:When you first arrive in town, you can
sense a hidden secret buried deep (literally or
metaphorically). Tell the GM what it is.
25 26
Runic
The first Gun that we ever learned about. Nobody knows
where they come from, who makes ‘em, or what they want.
Revolver
Ready: Place a d6 in each chamber of your Gun on your
character sheet. Each die represents a bullet loaded in the
Yeah, the Guns want things, and they whisper that desire Gun. A fully loaded Runic Revolver starts with 6d6.
into their Drifter’s ear.
Combat Actions
Runic Revolvers are highly customizable firearms. Over
time, a Drifter carves runes into their Gun to make it theirs, Sling Lead: When you fire your Gun, choose a target. Pick
to bond them to it. up as many of your d6 as you’d like, and roll. Each Hit deals
1 damage to the target, as well as any rune effects that
apply.

Runic Revolvers are effective at Mid range. If the Target is

not at Mid range, the Sling Lead action is made with
Disadvantage.

Reload: Place 2d6 back on your character sheet, in any

empty chambers of your Gun.

Advance
When you advance your Gun, select a rune
and carve it on an empty chamber. Once a
rune has been carved, it cannot be carved
again

28
 Runes Deadeye
Carved into the Gun itself, these runes provide power to Passive:You can hit targets behind cover, walls, or any other
you and the weapon you wield.When you select a rune, you barrier.
attach it to an empty chamber of your gun, writing the Active: All attacks against threats Hit by Deadeye are made
rune’s name on the chamber on your character sheet. with Advantage for the rest of combat.
Each rune has two effects. The first, called the Passive, is an Lucky
ongoing effect that provides you with bonuses that will give
Passive: The first time you roll a 1 with an action you may
you an edge in combat. You get the Passive effect of a rune
reroll it.
as long as there is a bullet loaded in the chamber. Once you
pick up a d6 to roll it, the Passive effect goes away until the Active: Hits using Lucky bounce from the target to the
chamber is loaded again. closest threat as well.

The second effect, called the Active, is a bonus effect for the Quick Draw
Sling Lead action you take when rolling a bullet from that Passive: You always act first in a round. You still roll your
chamber. Sometimes Active effects only take place if the Draw die at the start of combat.
associated bullet hits, and other times they provide an Active: threat Hit by Quick Draw is moved to the bottom of
instant effect regardless of the outcome of the roll. the turn order.
When you are ready to carve runes into your Gun, choose Reaper
from the following. Note the name of any runes you select on Passive:You cannot die your final death.
a specific empty chamber on your character sheet after
selection. Active: Damage on Hit equal to your number of corruptions.
Seeker
Passive:You Hit on a 3+ with the Sling Lead action.
Adaptable
Active: All threats Hit on a 5+ until the start of your next turn.
Passive:Your Gun is effective at all ranges.
Active: All threats can only do Close actions until the start of Speedster
your next turn. Passive:You may Move twice during your turn.
Barrier Active: threat Hit by Speedster cannot move for the rest of
combat.
Passive: No threat can get Close to you unless you allow it.
Active: Move any threats within sight one range band closer
or further from you.

29 30
 Rifle
As the Drifters became more comfortable wandering the
wastes and dealing with the horrors that bled through,
they grew confident. They got a little too close to those
horrors, literally, and Drifters started dying.
Crit Effects:
• +2 damage
• See Advances
• See Advances

Spot: Focus your voidsight on a threat at Mid or Far range

to Spot them. Choose an effect:
The void adapts though, and so the Rifle was found in the • The next Sling Lead from any Drifter against them is
wastes. Drifters who picked up this Gun could keep their made with Advantage.
distance from the worst the wastes had to offer.
• The enemy is a bullet magnet, and can be shot by any
They also found their minds and eyes changed upon Gun regardless of range or vision until the start of your
hefting the weapon, and they saw the world through a next turn.
whole new terrifying lens. • The enemy permanently loses -1 Draw. Update the Turn
Order after doing so.
Ready: Unlike other Guns, your Rifle is ready to fire at a
moment's notice. When you Load Up, you may Advance
immediately Spot an enemy on the field before the When you advance using a Rifle, you may choose one of
fighting begins. the following benefits. Each benefit may only be chosen
once. After selecting an advance, note it on your
Combat Actions character sheet.
Sling Lead:When you fire your Gun, choose a target at Far
• Start each fight with +2 Hone.
range and roll 1d10.The Rifle is only effective at Far range,
and using it at any other range makes the roll with • New Crit effect. Ricochet: Bullet bounces off of the
Disadvantage. On a Hit, deal the 3 damage to the target. Target and hits the nearest enemy, dealing the same
amount of damage.
If the roll total is a 10+, you scored a Crit. Choose one of
• New Crit effect. Suppressing Fire: Target gains the Take
the Crit effects available to you in addition to dealing your
Cover benefit, but cannot make any actions during
normal damage. If it was not a Crit, mark +1 to your Hone
their next turn.
bonus. Add your Hone bonus to each subsequent roll until
you roll a Crit, and then reset it. • Whenever any enemy dies, increase your Hone +1.

31 32
Shotgun
Not long after the revolver was found, a new Gun
started to show up. This was fire and brimstone,
Combat Actions
Sling Lead: When you fire your Gun, choose a
target at Close range and roll your Shells. The
Shotgun cannot target anyone beyond Close
range. Place the rolled Shells on whichever
outcome you want for each of your current mode’s
axes.
and it didn’t whisper to Drifters so much as yell.
If you are rolling more than 2 dice, you must place
The Shotgun is a powerful weapon, fit for the at least one die for each axis, and then may place
Drifter who likes to get up close and personal with the rest wherever you want.
their target before they pull the trigger.
Shift: Change which mode your Shotgun is in,
The Shotgun seems to shift itself to the needs of the between Damage or Control.
Drifter. A careful eye can see the barrel change
just as the trigger is pulled, as if the Gun knows the
outcome the Drifter seeks. Advance
When you advance using a Shotgun, you may
choose one of the following benefits. Each
benefit may only be chosen once. After
Ready: Choose which mode you want selecting an advance, note it on your
your Shotgun to be in at the start of character sheet.
combat. You may change the mode as
many times as you want using the Shift • +1 Shell
action.
• +1 Shell
Grab your Shells, a dice pool you will use • Choose one mode to be effective at Close
every time you Sling Lead. and Mid range

Shells: 2d6 • When you Sling Lead after using the Shift
action, it is with Advantage

34
 Modes Damage
Unlike other Guns, Shotguns do not roll to hit. They always
hit their Target, but can only hit threats at Close range.
Instead of rolling to hit, the Shotgun rolls to see what kind of
2 Damage 4-6
effects occur based on which mode the Gun is in.

Each mode has an X-Y axis with outcomes at the end of each
axis. After rolling your Shells, you will place the dice on any AOE Blast
of the outcomes you want, so long as the value of the die
matches the values allowed for that outcome.

As the Shotgun becomes more powerful, you will gain more

Shells.When this happens, you still must place at least 1 die
1-3 4-6
on each axis of your current mode, but any excess dice may
be placed wherever you want (the value of the die must still
match the values allowed for that outcome).
3 Damage 1-3
The Shotgun has two different modes: Damage and Control.
The modes use some key words that are unique to the
Shotgun.You can find their definitions below.

AOE: Area of effect. All threats at Close range of the target Control
also take the damage of the shot.
Blast:The target is moved from Close to Mid range from you.
If they hit an obstacle or fall off a ledge, they take an
Shred 4-6
additional damage.
Lock: Target cannot Move and takes 1 fewer Action on their
next turn. Lock Sap
Prime: If the Target dies before your next turn, you and the
Drifter who killed it recover 1 HP.
Sap: The next action the target takes is with Disadvantage. 1-3 4-6
Shred: Target takes +1 damage from all sources until the
start of your next turn.

Prime 1-3
35 36
A stranger rode
into town, cursed
iron at their side…
 R ifts Arrival
Each town is unique, and stands as an oasis within the
swirling wastes. The locals will respond differently to the
Drifters depending on a lot of factors. How corrupted they
are or the reputation they hold, these form the first
impression upon arrival, and first impressions are powerful.

But these towns aren’t idyllic vacation spots for the Drifters.
Inside each town, the void has left a Presence.
The game play loop of Drifters centers around the Rift,
breaks between our world and the hellish void beyond.
When that happens, Drifters and their Guns are compelled
The Presence
to pursue them. The Presence is an issue that plagues the town, and
provides a massive threat that the locals alone cannot
For the Drifters, there is a problem that needs solving when
handle. When the void breaks through into our world near,
they arrive. For the Guns...it’s a call from home.
or even inside, a town, it leaves behind a corrupting
A Rift is made of four parts: influence. Below are some examples of a Presence, some
subtle, some overt:
1. Arrival in town, and discovery of the Presence
• The dreams of a local group of outlaws scratch at their
2. Patrol work to help the town and weaken the Presence minds, compelling them to take over a nearby settlement.
3. Confront the Presence
• A Rift in town is leaking void into someone’s home. They
4. Wander into the wastes, off to find the next settlement feel a calling, and a new cult has started to spread like
wildfire.

• A horrible monster, the likes of which locals have never

seen, is hunting the people in this town.

• Rumors of a Gun being hidden somewhere in town is

making some locals paranoid, and others power hungry.

39 40
 Patrols
Whenever the Drifters have a sense of what is going on, Patrol work encompasses all of the smaller jobs that are
even if it isn’t the full picture, it’s time to make the clock. The needed around town. Finishing a Patrol should in some way
GM creates a clock that represents the hold the Presence help the Drifters in their eventual confrontation with the
has on the town.The more segments to the clock, the bigger Presence.
the issue is.
When creating Patrols for a town, the GM should come up
The Presence should be extremely difficult, or dangerous, with 2-3. Patrols do not have a specific format they must
for the Drifters to take on without some preparation. A follow. They can take many forms, so long as they are
smaller 4-segment clock lets the Drifters know they just related to the Presence in some way.
need a little preparation before they are ready, while a 10 or
12-segment clock says this town is in desperate need of Some Patrols might directly attack the Presence.
help, and the Drifters best tread lightly.
• Destroying their resources
• Eliminating powerful allies of the Presence

Voidlight has bled into the food of the • Dismantling systems they rely on
livestock.You’ve got some really mean
Other Patrols provide benefits to the Drifters, so they are
bulls to deal with.
stronger for their confrontation with the Presence.

• Rescuing or recruiting powerful allies to your side

Folks have been disappearing, only to
walk into town from the wastes. They • Stealing a useful resource or weapon the Presence is
have a new look about them. This town vulnerable to
is rotting at its core…burn it out. • Gaining access to invaluable intel on the Presence

There is no clear line that distinguishes these two types of

In order to take on the Presence, the Drifters will want to fill Patrols, and you may find yourself designing some that have
in as much of the clock as they can. To do that, they’re going a bit of both, or are their own thing entirely.
to have to start small, with Patrols.
Patrols may develop naturally over the course of play as
well. Certain Drifters may inspire ideas for Patrols based on
their abilities, for example. There is no limit to the number
of Patrols a town can have, and the Drifters and GM should
continue to create them over the course of play if the
Drifters are interested in this particular town.

41 42
 Creating Patrols Resolving & Threatening
Every Patrol you create has three pieces: a description, When a Patrol is completed, fill in clock segments for the
objective, and impact. The description should cover who is Presence equal to the Patrol’s Impact. The Presence will
involved, where it takes place, what the Drifters need to respond to this threat, and the impact the Drifters have
know about it. Second, take those details and create a clear made should become readily apparent around town.
objective for the Patrol.
The Presence will not sit idly by while the Drifters threaten
Each Patrol should have a specific number of segments of it with their work around town. As Drifters focus on one
the Presence clock that are filled if it is completed, called Patrol, they neglect the others.
the impact. Patrols that fill more segments are typically
more difficult and require more effort and time on the After the Drifters complete a Patrol, the GM chooses one
Drifters’ part. Patrol to reduce its impact by 1.This shows the ever-present
influence of the Presence, and that the Drifters will need to
Here is an example Patrol: choose who they help wisely. If a Patrol would ever be
reduced to 0 impact, it is no longer an opportunity for the
Drifters.
Free the Sheriff
Carrie Hatfield is the local sheriff. She has loyal deputies
that haven’t been imprisoned yet and are in hiding. They
would love to break her out, as Carrie would be able to help
lead the town, and is a hell of a shot to boot.
Objective: Free Carrie Hatfield from her prison.
Impact: 3 segments.

43
Confronting The Presence
The Drifters may decide to take on the Presence at any time. In this example, once 4 of the Presence’s 8 segments are
The difficulty of that task is directly related to how many filled, Mathis’ fortress will have a vulnerability the Drifters
segments of the clock are filled in. If there are none, or just can take advantage of. If they try to take on the Presence
a couple segments filled, the Presence still has most of its before then, the fortress is sealed up tight and will be
power, and the Drifters walk a dangerous and deadly path. difficult to breach.

As more segments get filled in, the final confrontation with This approach is helpful for GMs that prefer prepping their
the Presence should be an easier endeavor for the Drifters. sessions, but it isn't’ for everyone. The advantages you’ve
If all of the segments are filled, the Presence is in such a selected for certain segments being filled might not make
vulnerable state, that the Drifters should be able to handle sense based on what the Drifters have been doing. In the
it without breaking a sweat. above example, if the Drifters haven’t been doing any Patrol
work related to the fortress, the GM might struggle to
You can decide how a Presence will be easier or more explain why the fortress is suddenly vulnerable.
difficult ahead of time, based on the number of segments
that are filled. This may be a useful way for the GM and the Whether you pre-plan the segments, or make them up as
Drifters to track their progress, and gives clear advantages you go, is something you’ll discover as you play together.
to the players for doing Patrol work.

Alternative: Patrol Finale

Presence:The Warlord Mathis An alternative rule for dealing with the Presence is to have
it removed entirely when the segments of the clock are
A local outlaw by the name of Arthur Mathis has used his filled. This type of play focuses more so on the ground level
gang to take over Grayslanding. Normally bandits aren’t work the Drifters can do in helping and restoring the town,
this brazen, but this one has been corrupted by the wastes rather than a dangerous confrontation with a powerful force
and been given power. Commanding a large group of at the end.
bandits, he quickly took over Grayslanding, killing the
mayor and imprisoning the sheriff. Mathis has to be dealt
with, not only to save the people of town, but to protect other
caravans on their way here. The Presence has compelled a warlord to make his way into
town and take over. The Drifters have worked on a number of
4 Segments: The fortress isn’t as closed Patrols that included arming the populace, removing key
off as Mathis thought. officers in the warlord’s regime, and freeing the local sheriff
from prison. These events are enough to crumble the
6 Segments: Many of Mathis’ gang have warlord’s grip on the town. The GM might describe the
abandoned him. It’s just him and his warlord fleeing with their few remaining loyal soldiers, and
closest allies left. the town cautiously stepping back into their freedom.
 Wander
No matter how things are resolved with the Presence, the
Guns of the Drifters compel them to return to the wastes, to
carry on. The cursed iron is not happy to be used against
the machinations of the void.

At the end of a Rift, the Drifters wander back out into the
wastes. Despite its danger, this is a period of reflection for
the players. During this time, the Drifters do the following:

First, they advance.

Then, write down a new thought or whisper their Gun

shares with its wielder.

Finally, reflect on the latest Drift by answering at least one

of the following questions aloud:

• What about that last town has changed you. For the
better, or worse?
• How would you have done things differently, if you had a

The wastes call. •

second chance?
There was a moment of danger, you walked a line
whether or not others noticed.What was it?
Not to you, but • How has your attitude about one of your fellow Drifters
changed because of what went down in the last town?

the iron hanging • How has your relationship with your Gun changed as a
result of dealing with another Rift of the void?

on your hip. • What do you think the next town will hold for you?

After answering the questions, the Rift begins again. The

Drifters will wander into another town with a Presence, and
begin their work again.

48
 Alternate Ways To Rift Single Rift Campaign
Drifters is designed for cycles of play based on the Rift. Another approach is to play out an entire campaign of
Each Rift will vary in length, but typically they can be Drifters focused on a singular Presence from a Rift. This
completed in about 2 sessions. Here are two alternative approach is fitting for tables that like to tell a longer story
ways to play Drifters, adapting the Rift system for faster or together at the table, and prefer staying at a single location
slower play. when doing so. This allows the players to build connections
with the NPCs of the town, and allows for the confrontation
with the Presence to be a more drawn out and dangerous
Rift A Day process.

A Rift cycle can be completed in a single session, allowing If using this approach, I recommend a couple of changes to
you to play Drifters as a one-shot, or just faster paced game the Rift cycle. First, create a small clock for discovering the
if you want.Very few things need to be changed in order to Presence in the first place. This allows the players to
do this. explore the setting of the town a bit. Fill in segments as they
meet NPCs and uncover clues as to what is going on,
The important thing is to make sure the Presence does not instead of needing to complete Patrols.
have a lot of segments in its clock, and that completing 1 or
2 Patrols is enough for the Drifters to feel ready for the final Once the Presence is revealed, I recommend using a multi-
confrontation. This mimics more of an investigative clock approach to taking it down. Instead of a singular clock
approach to playing Drifters, where the players need to with lots of segments, representing the Presence with a
uncover some vital piece of information or find a necessary series of clocks that the Drifters can focus on helps
tool to take on the problem, as opposed to overthrowing a demonstrate the scale of the issue.
massive system of oppression that has blanketed a town.
For example, you might have clocks that represent the
If you are playing Drifters as a one shot, I recommend every Presence’s resources, secrecy, and influence. Patrols can be
character starting with 4 runes in their Gun, and three designed to attack one or more of these clocks. Imagine
abilities unlocked for their background. taking on a Presence that has lost its influence, but still
remains secret with lots of resources. That would be very
different than taking on a Presence with no more resources,
but remains desperately secretive and influential!

One last change with this approach is dealing with

Advancement. Drifters advancing their characters every
1-2 sessions will allow you to play out a campaign that will
last between 4-8 sessions.

49 50
 Rift Creation Tools
The Void Calls
The following tables can be used to generate some A quiet town sees its citizens begin to slowly change with
elements of a Rift that you might need. They won’t give you time. At first, folks start acting differently, but nothing too
the full details, but a framework that you can build on when worrying. Before long, one person after another unravels. A
you aren’t sure what to do. small Rift has opened up inside a home in town, and a cult is
forming around it.What does the cult want?
You’ll also find 5 short Rift prompts that you can use to
inspire your next session of Drifters! Last Train to Hell
A train pulled up into town, without a single passenger
aboard it. The only person on board is the conductor, who
Presence Type keeps checking their watch, saying it’s almost time to
1 A storm is coming, unlike any folks have seen before. depart. Folks don’t realize that void-warped creatures are
2 A rogue Drifter has been causing all kinds of trouble. drawn to the train, and will board it soon, after destroying
A cult is slowly spreading its influence, and the town doesn’t the town of course.
3 realize it yet.
4 A hostile takeover from local outlaws.
New Law, Same As The Old Law
5 Locals need protection during travels through the wastes.
A new sheriff in town has folks worried. They have a funny
6 A creature from the wastes is hunting this town...
way of interpreting the law, and every sentence is carried
Town Type out with the gun that never leaves their hand. Nobody is
sure what happened to the new sheriff, and nobody is
1 Just a homestead or a couple of families living together. willing to ask the new one.
2 One road town. Everyone knows everyone.
Ranching town or commune. Families live outside of town, off High Noon
3 the main road.
4 Frontier town. Multiple roads, all the amenities. A gunslinger in town has been “blessed” by the void, and
5 Boom town. On the cusp of becoming something really big. has the fastest gun in the wastes. Because of that, they
6 Sprawling frontier city, unlike anything for miles and miles. challenge a new person to a duel, at high noon. They are
getting faster, and deadlier, with each duel they win. There
Patrol Type must be some way of defeating them.
1 Discover information the Presence wants to keep hidden. “Cure” All
2 Recover something that will leave the Presence vulnerable. A peddler has arrived in town, and the townsfolk have
3 Gain the support of the locals. started to...change. The thing is, nobody seems upset about
4 Eliminate one of the Presence’s support systems or allies. it. Everyone is smitten by the salesman, and that harmonica
5 Save someone or something that is in great danger. playing assistant they have with them. Maybe it’s not your
6 Make the Presence fear you. place to question things, but your Gun is itching your side,
and you know the taint of void when you see it.

51 52
Threats
Drifters have Guns
for a reason…

53
 There are dangerous people in the towns Drifters travel to,
Passives
and even worse, horrifying things that have crept in from Some threats have ongoing effects, called Passives, marked
the wastes. Here’s one now. with a (P). These don’t need to be activated, but instead are
always present, or present when certain conditions are met.

Deadeye Example: Painted: As long as Deadeye can see a Drifter, any

other threat attacking that Drifter makes their actions with
Armed with a long range rifle, Deadeyes are hired
out when someone wants a thing protected, or a Advantage.
person killed.
Actions
Health: 4
Draw: 6 Threats may make a number of actions per turn equal to the
number in the parentheses listed next to Actions. They may
Painted (P): As long as Deadeye can see a Drifter, also make one move action, which does not count towards
any other threat attacking that Drifter makes their their number of allowed actions. Threats may take the same
actions with Advantage. action multiple times during their turn.
Actions (1) + Move
Each threat has unique actions. Some actions don’t require
• Headshot: 1d4. Far. 4 damage per Hit.
a roll. If they do, the dice used will be the first thing listed,
• Ricochet: 1d6. Near & Far. 1 damage per Hit to and the Rule of 4+ always applies: rolls of 4+ are a Hit.
target Drifter, and then 1 damage to a Drifter Required distance for actions is also included if needed.
Close to them.
• Drop ‘Em: 1d8. Near & Far. 2 damage per Hit. Example: Drop ‘Em: 1d8. Near & Far. 2 damage per Hit.
Reposition (R): If a Drifter moves within Near of
Deadeye, Deadeye may immediately make a move Reactions
action away from them.
A threat may also have one or more Reactions available to
them. These are actions that they can take outside of their
turn, though a threat may only use one reaction during a
round.
Health
The amount of damage a threat can take. When a threat Example: Reposition: If a Drifter moves within Near of
reaches 0 Health, they are dead. Deadeye, Deadeye may immediately make a move action
away from them.

Draw Skills
Unlike Drifters, threats do not roll to determine their place
Threats don’t have skills, and don’t normally roll them. But
in the turn order. Instead, they each have a set Draw value.
on the rare chance that it feels appropriate for a threat to
make a skill action, they use a d6.
55 56
 Creating Threats Deciding how many Actions to give a threat has a large
impact on how much of a threat they are. Simple threats
You’ll find a number of threats following this section. But typically can do a single action during their turn. More
you’ll probably want to start making your own threats too! dangerous threats should be able to do 2 or even 3 actions
Consider the following when making a threat. per turn.

Start by deciding their Health and Draw. Most simple For all threats, it is recommended to give them at least two
threats will have low Health (1-3) and Draw (2-3). More actions to choose from, so that they are not simply repeating
dangerous threats have more Health (5-7) and faster Draw the same thing every time it is their turn.
(5-6). The average Drifter is going to have a Drifter of about
4-5, so decide where you want this threat to go in the turn Passive effects can help keep the “action economy” of a
order. fight interesting, as they provide an ongoing benefit for
threats without having to use up their turn. Use them
Avoid giving threats absurdly high Health (e.g. more than sparingly, however, as it may be overwhelming to track
20), as that just draws out combat unnecessarily long. multiple ongoing passives across a larger fight.
Instead, make the fight more dangerous by including
multiple threats at once, to keep the Drifters distracted and Reactions are a useful tool for making a threat feel more
unable to attack the “boss” threat all at once. dangerous for two reasons. First, it allows them to act
outside of their turn, giving the threat more influence
A 12 Health threat with a lot of minions is much more during the fight. Second, it introduces an unexpected action
interesting to fight than a single threat with 50 Health. from the threat to the fight, and will push the Drifters to
change up their tactics.

57 58
 Badge Brawler Corvid Envoy Deadeye
Lawmen with a badge burned into They don’t scare easily, and they They claim to be members of a Armed with a long range rifle,
their chest. Everyone they lay prefer to let their fists do the “court”, but are pretty darn Deadeyes are hired out when
eyes on is a criminal, and they talking. secretive about it. I swear, one of someone wants a thing protected,
mean to lay down the law. them had feathers coming out of or a person killed.
Health: 3 the bottom of their coat.
Health: 7 Health: 4
Draw: 4 Health: 3
Draw: 6 Draw: 6
Iron Jaw (P): Brawler takes -1 Draw: 6
Lock Up (P): Any Drifter that is damage from anything at Close Painted (P): As long as Deadeye
within Close range of Badge range. Take Flight (P):When Corvid can see a Drifter, any other threat
cannot move away until Badge is makes a Move action, it can move attacking that Drifter makes their
dead. Actions (1) + Move anywhere within Far range. actions with Advantage.
Actions (2) + Move • 1-2 Combo: 2d6. Close. 1 Actions (1) + Move Actions (1) + Move
damage per hit.
• Deputize: 1d4. Close. On Hit, • Jabber: 1d6. Close & Near. On • Headshot: 1d4. Far. 4 damage
target Drifter sees Badge as • Out the Window: 1d8. Close. Hit, all Drifters within range per Hit.
an ally, and cannot take any On Hit, the target is moved to make their next action with
actions against it for the rest of Near, taking 1 damage. They Disadvantage. • Ricochet: 1d6. Near & Far. 1
combat. take 2 damage if they hit a damage per Hit to target
wall or other obstacle. • Caw: 1d8. Near. On Hit, all Drifter, and then 1 damage to
• Draw Iron: 2d6. Close & Near. Drifters within range cannot a Drifter Close to them.
1 damage per Hit. Move during their next turn.
Conductor • Drop ‘Em: 1d8. Near & Far. 2
• Gather Posse: 1d6. On Hit, all • Flock: 2d6. Close. 2 damage damage per Hit.
Threats within Near of Badge In charge of a spectral train per Hit.
have advantage on their next nobody can see, these void- Reposition (R): If a Drifter moves
action. touched individuals have a one within Near of Deadeye, Deadeye
way ticket to hell with your name may immediately make a move
• Declare Bounty: 1d4. Near & on it. action away from them.
Far. On Hit, target Drifter is
marked as wanted. All actions Health: 4
against them deal +1 damage Draw: 2
until Badge is dead.

Brambler
All Aboard (P):When Conductor
Moves, it may bring any Close
Threats along with it.
I see you…
Seems the void saw it fitting to Actions (1) + Move
turn even the simple tumbleweed
into a tiny ball of fury and death. • Tickets Please: 1d6. Close. 1
Great, just great. damage per Hit. +2 damage if
against a Drifter lower in the
Health: 2 turn order than Conductor.
Draw: 4 • Schedule Change: 1d8. All
Special: Brambler makes no ranges. On Hit, switch the turn
Actions. Instead, it makes 2 Moves order position of any two
during its turn. characters (Threats and
Drifters).
Hit & Run (P):Whenever Brambler
moves Close to a Drifter, it deals 1
damage.
Actions (0) + Move

59
 Emissary of the Void Gambler
Most folks would call them cultists, Somehow these folks got lucky Gunslinger
but these people believe that they when the void changed them, and
are chosen by the void, and are now they seem to twist fate to Most folks would call them cultists, but these people believe that they are
ushering in its presence to bless whatever best fits them. chosen by the void, and are ushering in its presence to bless this frontier.
this frontier. It’s all a load of shit, It’s all a load of shit, we hope.
we hope. Health: 4
Health: 3
Health: 3 Draw: 5
Draw: 7
Draw: 3 Read ‘Em (P): Drifters lower in the
turn order than Gambler make Quickdraw (P): Gunslinger has Advantage on any actions against Drifters
Family (P): As long as another any rolls against Gambler at with lower Speed scores.
Emissary is within Close range, all Disadvantage.
actions Emissary makes are with Actions (1) + Move
Advantage. Actions (1) + Move • Sling: 1d10. Any range. 2 damage.
Actions (1) + Move • Shuffle: 1d6. Close. On Hit, • Fan Hammer: 3d6. Close & Near. 1 damage per Hit. Can choose
target Drifter rerolls their Draw multiple targets.
• Return Home: 1d6. Close. On die with Disadvantage and
Hit, target Drifter disappears updates their place in the turn
from the world until the end of order.
Emissary’s next turn. On return,
the Drifter takes 1 damage for • Hold ‘Em: 1d6. Close. On Hit, Hunter Outlaw
each corruption they have. target Drifter cannot move These folks are fool enough to try As if the wastes aren’t dangerous
during their next turn. and live out in the wastes, enough, some folks feel like they
• Void Bleed: 2d6. Near. 1
damage per Hit. • Fold ‘Em: 2d6. Close. All Drifters trapping and hunting their food. If need to rob and steal what little
within range take 1 damage per they can hunt the beasts out there, we have. Despicable.
Hit.during their next turn. they can hunt you.
Gallows Health: 1
Health: 2
Hefting a rope glowing with void Draw: 3
light, these thugs lumber towards Gila Monster Draw: 5
their prey; a slow, inevitable These lizards were mean before, Actions (1) + Move
death. but now they are huge, and Actions (1) + Move
• Revolver Shot: 1d6, Mid, 1
downright cruel.When you see • Draw, Aim, Fire: 1d6, Mid & Far, damage.
Health: 4 one, know that there is another 1 damage. On a Hit, the Drifter
Draw: 1 not too far away. is poisoned, taking 1 damage at
the start of their next turn. Outlaw Veteran
Short Drop (P): If Gallows ever Health: 3
Outlaws don’t last long, what with
Moves Close to a Drifter, that Draw: 4 Spring Trap (R):When a Drifter the wastes and Drifters killing
Drifter is instantly killed. Gallows moves within Near range of them. The smart ones know when
is then destroyed. Gum Gum (P):When Gila Hunter, they step on one of to run. Live today, and die another
Monster takes Actions against a Hunter’s traps. Choose effect: day.
Creeping (P): Gallows cannot Drifter lower in the turn order, it
make a Move action during its makes its actions with • 1 damage Health: 2
turn. It may only move as a result Advantage.
of its reaction. • Drifter’s next Sling Lead is Draw: 4
Actions (1) + Move made with Disadvantage
Actions (1) Actions (1) + Move
• Tail Whip: 1d8. Close & Near. 2
• Hold Fast: 1d6. All ranges. On damage per Hit. • Revolver Shot: 1d8, Close & Mid,
Hit, target Drifter cannot Move 1 damage.
during their next turn. • Toxic Bite: 1d6. Close. Drifter
takes 1 damage at the start of • Shotgun Blast: 1d6, Close, 2
Inevitable (R):When Gallows each of their turns until Gila damage.
takes damage and survives, it may Monster is dead.
make a Move action.

61 62
 Rogue Drifter
It’s a damn shame, but some Drifters change after so many resurrections.
Those that do go rogue, and wander into town with cruelty in their hearts,
and an itchy trigger finger.
Health: 10
Draw: 6
One Last Chance (P):When Rogue Drifter dies, they are resurrected by
their Gun, back to half Health. This can only happen once per fight.
Actions (2) + Move
• Blinding Shot: 1d8. Near. 1 damage. On Hit, target Drifter takes their
next Sling Lead action with Disadvantage.
• Bleeding Shot: 1d6. Close & Near. 1 damage. On Hit, target Drifter
loses 1 Health at the end of each of their turns until they have a
successful Tinker roll, or die.
• Spray & Pray: 1d4. Near. On Hit, 1 damage to all Drifters within range.
Opportunist (R):When a Drifter within Near range uses the Reload
action, Rogue Drifter can immediately Spray & Pray.

Scythe
Bearing a lantern glowing with void light, a wicked blade that could rend
the very air itself. Scythes are creatures of the void here to hunt and
harvest us. Nobody knows why.
Health: 7
Draw: 4
Soul Reaver (P): Increase Health, Draw and damage dealt +1 for each
soul held. There is no limit to the number of souls Scythe can hold.
Actions (1) + Move
• Slice & Dice: 1d6. Close. All Drifters within range take 1 damage.
• Soul Sear: Xd6 (X is number of held souls). Close & Near. Choose one
effect for each Hit:
• 1 damage to target Drifter
• Target Drifter makes next turn with Disadvantage A raspy whisper.
• All Threats within range heal 1 Health
Reap (R):When a Threat dies within Close or Near of Scythe, Scythe may
hold their soul.
A cold wind.
Your soul,
63 no longer yours.
 Snake Spinner Vlad Vulture
Every once in a while it’s not Seems the void saw our spiders A motherfucking dracula. These birds used to wait for
snakeoil they are pitching, but the and thought it was fitting to grow something to die before trying to
real deal. And sometimes, it’s a them 100 times bigger, and give Health: 8 get their meal. Now they actively
literal snake peddling its wares. them powers. Just the latest Draw: 7 attack anyone they fly across.
experiment the void has
Health: 3 conducted, and it’s a doozy. Siphon (P):Whenever Vlad first Health: 2
Draw: 2 moves Close to a Drifter, it drains Draw: 4
Health: 8 1 Health from them.
Cure All (P): At the start of Snake’s Draw: 6 Carrion Call (P):Vulture rolls with
turn, choose one passive effect. Actions (2) + Move Advantage for all actions against
They cannot have the same effect Climber (P): Spinner can make • Slay: 2d8. Close. 1 damage per Drifters that have a corruption.
two turns in a row: two Move actions during its turn. Hit. Actions (1) + Move
• -1 damage taken Actions (2) + Move • Compel: 1d4. Any range. On Hit, • Peck: 1d6. Close. 2 damage per
• +1 damage dealt • Web: 1d8. Close & Near. On Hit, target Threat takes a second Hit.
target Drifter is bound up, and turn this round.
• Can move twice cannot Move. Any Drifter may • Lift Off: 1d4. Close. Lift target
Bat! (R): The first time Vlad takes Drifter into the air and make a
Actions (1) + Move spend an action to remove the damage in a round, it is reduced
effect. free Move action. Drifter is
to 0 and Vlad makes a Move. dropped after the Move action,
• Vim: 1d8. Close & Near. On Hit,
the target fellow threat makes • Phase Bite: 2d6. Close. After and takes 2 damage.
an extra action on their next making a Move action, deals 2
damage per Hit. Voidborn Fast Food (R): If a Threat dies at
turn. Close range to Vulture, it may eat
• Void Glare: 1d6. Close. On Hit, When a person dies near a Rift, its corpse immediately, regaining
• Vigor: 1d6. Close. 2 damage. the void may repurpose the body
target Drifter takes 1 damage 2 Health.
• Snake Bite: 1d6. Close & Near. for each corruption they have. as an explosive emissary on its
On Hit, target Drifter and behalf. Don’t let them get near
anyone Close to them takes 1 you.
Wolf
damage. Health: 2 An animal doesn’t need to be
Draw: 2 warped by the void in order to be
Steel Siren dangerous.Wolves continue to be
A haunted harmonica that latches onto a body, like a parasite. Eventually Actions (1) + Move a terrifying threat when someone
it drains them dry, and moves on to their next victim. gets lost out in the wastes.
• Detonate: 1d8. Close. 4 damage
Health: 6 to all characters within Close Health: 1
range (Threats & Drifters).
Draw: 3 Draw: 5
• Lunge: Make another Move
Small Target (P): All Sling Lead actions against Steel Siren are made with action. Actions (2) + Move
Disadvantage. • Chomp: 1d8, Close, 1 damage.
Resilient (R): If Reborn takes
Actions (1) + Move damage and survives, they may • Take Down: 1d4, Close. On a Hit,
make an immediate Move action. Drifter is dragged to the ground
• Resurrect: 1d6. All ranges. On Hit, Steel Siren brings a Threat that died
this round back to life, at half Health (rounded down). and must use a Brawl skill to
escape, or have someone else
• Pull Strings: 1d8. All ranges. On Hit, Steel Siren forces the target Drifter deal with the wolf.
to make a Move action in whatever direction it wants.
• Unsettle: 1d6. Close & Near. On Hit, all characters (Threats & Drifters)
make their actions with Disadvantage until the end of the round.

65 66
GM Game Master.
You give the
Guns a target.
They like you.
67
So, you got wrangled up to be the GM of Drifters? Well Balance
you’re in for a treat. You get to be the weird whispering Like Slayers, Drifters is not designed with balance in mind.
wastes the Drifters travel through. The troubled townsfolk The Drifters themselves are incredibly powerful beings,
who need the help of these cursed gunslingers, but aren’t who can come back from the dead (at least a couple times).
sure how to ask. The cruel humans and twisted monsters Threats of the world are used to bullying the defenseless,
that plague this frontier. but they don’t stand much of a chance when a group of
cursed gunslingers walk into town.
Sound good? Excellent. Here’s some advice.
So I have no advice for creating balanced encounters.
Because nobody in the Frontier fights fair. The Drifters will
The Frontier probably lay waste to most things you put in front of them,
Like I said in the beginning, Drifters takes place in a hellish and that’s good! That’s their Guns living out their purpose.
version of the wild west. But it isn’t America’s frontier. This
isn’t an alternative timeline. You may find that looking at And you better believe the threats fight dirty, so feel free to
wild west stories, movies, tropes, and more are helpful in make the Drifters question their immortality from time to
flavoring your games. But keep in mind the harm that is time. Do they have the resurrections to spare? Is this town
perpetuated by a lot of that media, and be mindful not to worth the fight?
bring it to your table.

There is no canonical version of the Frontier. I’ve given

some ideas of what it looks like in my head throughout this
book. But I’m not your dad; you don’t have to use any of that.

Each town is an oasis, and it's only natural your Drifters will
wander into a town nobody else will find. Make it your own.
 Flow Of Combat
By using static Draw speeds for threats, establishing and The other approach is to make the Rift together, and have it
running the turn order should be a quick process. Similar emerge through play. It helps to have a sense of what the
threats all act during the same turn, and so as the GM you town the Drifters are arriving at is like, and what the
know when you’ll be making your moves. Presence is. But from there, it is up to the players to discover
opportunities (e.g. Patrols, NPCs of note) through
Combat in Drifters moves quickly, on an individual turn interacting with and exploring the town.
level. Each threat is usually just moving and making a single
action. Drifters are a bit more involved, but still only have a Every background has an ability that triggers when a
limited selection of actions they can choose from. Drifter arrives in town. This can be a great way to establish
elements of the Rift together. You might also just ask your
Because different Gun classes behave differently, it is players what kinds of leads or opportunities they want to
important for the players to be extra comfortable with how find in town, and just let them be Patrols.
their class works. You have enough to keep track of during
a fight, let them be responsible for their own rules. If the players have expressed interest in it, then you should
incorporate it somehow!
Keeping track of relative distances can be challenging
when you have a complex setting for a fight, or when there
are a lot of people involved. While it isn’t required, a quick
sketch with lines and boxes to show a basic shape of the
Session 0
combat space can help a lot. This can help Drifters plan out Having a Session 0 is an important opportunity to establish
their upcoming turn, because they won’t need to check who tone and expectations when you play Drifters. Here are
is within range, or that they have eyes on. some things to consider discussing before you just jump
into play:

• What safety tools will you use? USE THEM!

Making The Rift
There are two schools of thought when making the Rift for • What pace do you want to overcome Rifts? Do you want
your upcoming session. One approach is to prepare the to finish one every session, or do you want to spend an
entire thing, or most of it at least. That includes deciding entire campaign on a single Rifts?
what the Presence is, most of the Patrols that would be
available, as well as a list of NPCs, locations, and threats that • What do the wastes look like?
might come up.
• To what degree do you want to incorporate the
This approach is great if you are the type of GM who loves supernatural or fantastical in your game? Are the
to do that sort of prep ahead of time, and if your players Drifters the only supernatural beings, or are their
enjoy the freedom of just sitting down to play right away. monsters and other such things that have crawled in
from the wastes?

71 72
 Welcome
Grayslanding is a decently populated town, centrally
located in the wastes, if you could track such things. It is a
popular stopping point for caravans making treks across
that dangerous hellscape. The Drifters find themselves
escorting one such caravan into Grayslanding, a common
job that Drifters take as they wander from one town to the
next.

As the caravan approaches town, armed guards on

horseback ride out to stop it. They claim that Grayslanding
is under new “ownership”, and that all caravans and
passengers require inspection. Grayslanding is in trouble.

This port in the storm is experiencing a hurricane.

Presence:The Warlord Mathis

A local outlaw by the name of Arthur Mathis has used his
gang to take over Grayslanding. Normally bandits aren’t
this brazen, but this one has been corrupted by the wastes
and been given power. Commanding a large group of
bandits, he quickly took over Grayslanding, killing the
mayor and imprisoning the sheriff. Mathis has to be dealt
with, not only to save the people of town, but to protect other
caravans on their way here.

4 Segments: The fortress isn’t as closed

off as Mathis thought.

Grayslanding 6 Segments: Many of Mathis’ gang have

abandoned him. It’s just him and his
closest allies left.
74
 Patrols Notable NPCs
Eugene Avery: Caravan leader who has made the journey
Free the Sheriff through Grayslanding a number of times. Loyal customer of
Carrie Hatfield is the local sheriff. She has loyal deputies the Sunny Skies Saloon.
that haven’t been imprisoned yet and are in hiding. They Carrie Hatfield: Sheriff of Grayslanding. Has deputies that
would love to break her out, as Carrie would be able to help are in hiding (Wallace and Benjamin) that would try to free
lead the town, and is a hell of a shot to boot. her if they knew Drifters were in town.
Objective: Free Carrie Hatfield from her prison. Sam Cunningham: Proprietor of Sunny Skies Saloon.
Impact: 3 segments. Doesn’t want no trouble.
Arthur Mathis: A self-proclaimed bandit warlord.
Something corrupted him out in the wastes, giving him
Rearm Grayslanding terrible power.
If the Drifters can get their hands on the weapons that have Levy & Roberson: Lieutenants of Mathis.
been confiscated, and redistribute them, they can get the
populace to help with overthrowing Mathis.
Objective: Grab the guns, give ‘em out. Notable Locations
Impact: 1 segment. Mathis’ Keep: transformed the mayor’s home into a
miniature fortress. Barbed walls surround the place, and
lookout posts make sure that Mathis is difficult to surprise.
Eliminate Mathis’ Lieutenants
The Jail: the town’s jail is still being used for its original
Mathis has two right hand men that he trusts, and has given purpose, but now the sheriff is a prisoner instead of running
them control of two districts of town. Eliminating them will the place.
leave Mathis vulnerable, as well as demonstrate he doesn’t
control the town as strongly as he believes. Caravan Corner: a neighborhood of the town that is host to
all the caravans passing through.
Objective: Kill Levy and Roberson.
Dusk Street: a neighborhood that Levy has turned into their
Impact: 2 segments (1 each). personal hunting grounds. At night Levy goes hunting for an
unfortunate town member who has been selected to be the
prey.
The people of Grayslanding are in desperate need. The
Downtown: the financial heart of Grayslanding, location of
Drifters are sure to find leads on more Patrols as they meet
most of the places of business that aren’t in Caravan Corner,
with the town, and see the extent of Mathis’ harm.
and run by Roberson. They have turned the Sunny Skies
Saloon into their pleasure palace.

75 76
 Levy
An exceptional hunter that has
Roberson
There isn’t a vice in life that
Runic Revolver
pointed their talents at the Roberson doesn’t love. They have
population of Grayslanding.
Mathis relies on them to keep the
amassed a following of their own,
providing Mathis with an army.
1 Runes
population afraid.
Health: 4 6 2 1 4
Health: 5
Draw: 4
Draw: 5
Purchased Protection (P): As long 5 3 2 5
Sixth Sense (P): Sling Lead actions as Roberson is Close to an Outlaw,
from Drifters higher in the Turn they take 1 fewer damage from all 4
Order than Levy are at actions.
3 6
Disadvantage.
Actions (1) + Move
Actions (2) + Move Combat Actions Runes
• Gilded Revolver: 1d8, Mid, 2 Sling Lead Adaptable Quick Draw
• Draw, Aim, Fire: 1d6, Mid & Far, damage.
1 damage. On a Hit, the Drifter Reload Barrier Reaper
is poisoned, taking 1 damage at Reinforcements (R):When
Roberson takes damage, roll 1d4 Take Cover Deadeye Seeker
the start of their next turn.
to call on more reinforcements to Skill Lucky Speedster
• Headshot: 1d4. Far. 4 damage fight the Drifters.
per Hit. Whispers from your Gun…
• 1: One Outlaw arrives
Spring Trap (R):When a Drifter
moves within Near range of Levy, • 2-3: Two Outlaws arrive
they step on one of Levy’s traps. • 4: One Outlaw and one Outlaw
Choose effect: Veteran arrive
• 2 damage
• Drifter’s next Sling Lead is
made with Disadvantage
Rifle
Spot Effects
Hone • The next Sling Lead from any
Arthur Mathis Drifter against them is made with
An exceptionally cruel outlaw. He was already a son of a bitch before, Crit Effects Advantage.
and now the void has granted him power. If unchecked, he’ll expand
beyond Grayslanding. +2 Damage
• The enemy is a bullet magnet,
Health: 10 and can be shot by any Gun
Ricochet
Draw: 6 regardless of range or vision until
Shielded by the Void (P): All Sling Lead actions against Mathis only do
the start of your next turn.
Suppressing Fire
their base damage, and have none of their special effects. • The enemy permanently loses -1
Actions (3) + Move Combat Actions Draw. Update the Turn Order
• Shotgun Blast: 1d10, Close & Mid, 2 damage per Hit. Sling Lead Spot after doing so.
• Punch & Toss: 1d8, Close, 1 damage. Drifter is thrown 1 range band Take Cover Skill
away from Arthur, taking 1 damage if they hit something.
• Void Rage: Arthur is temporarily protected by the wastes, taking 1 Whispers from your Gun…
fewer damage from all sources until his next turn. At the start of the
next turn, he takes 1 damage.

77
 Drifters
Shotgun Name Background
Damage Health Draw Gun
2 Damage 4-6 Abilities
Brawn
Compel
AOE Blast
Deceive

1-3 4-6 Hunt

Nimble
3 Damage 1-3 Scan
Cold Vengeful
Tinker Corruption Reckless Fury
Control
Shred 4-6
Drifters
Name Background
Lock Sap
Health Draw Gun
Brawn Abilities
1-3 4-6
Compel
Prime 1-3 Deceive
Hunt
Sling Lead Shift
Combat Actions Take Cover Skill Nimble
Whispers from your Gun…
Scan
Cold Vengeful
Tinker Corruption Reckless Fury
You are a Drifter.
Cursed the day you found your Gun.
It hangs by your side, whispering
secrets in your ear.
Wander the wastes, free the towns.
Will you do enough before your Gun
consumes you?