# Paranoia tags: #game/rpg/paranoia ![[Paranoia 2e - Core (cover).jpg]] ![[Paranoia XP SP1.jpg]] ![[Paranoia - Five Clones from Alpha Complex (cover).jpg]] Congratulations, Citizen! You have been selected for the most glamorous job in Alpha Complex: the Troubleshooter. Your job is to find trouble and shoot it. If you happen to shoot your teammates in the process, well, The Computer appreciates your initiative in removing potential traitors. _Paranoia_ is a tabletop RPG set in a "perfect" underground city ruled by an insane, omniscient supercomputer. It is a satire of bureaucracy, corporate culture, and the Cold War (now updated to satire the surveillance state and gig economy), where players must navigate impossible missions while hiding their own illegal mutant powers and secret society memberships. ## Core Die Resolution Mechanics In _Paranoia_, the mechanics serve one primary purpose: to give the Gamemaster (GM) a plausible excuse to ruin your life. ### The Success Pool (Current Edition) The current _Perfect Edition_ and the preceding _Red Clearance Edition_ utilize a d6 dice pool system. - **The NODE:** You build a dice pool called a NODE (Number Of DicE) by adding a **Stat** (e.g., Violence, Brains) to a **Skill** (e.g., Guns, Science). - **Successes:** You roll the pool and count every **5 or 6** as a success. - **The Computer Die:** One die in your pool must be distinct (usually the "Computer Die"). If the Computer icon (the '6') appears on this die, The Computer notices your actions. This is rarely good. Even if you succeed in your task, The Computer might "help" you in a way that involves high-voltage electricity or a promotion to a more dangerous sector. ### Success and Treason The game encourages "creative" interpretation. If you lack the dice to succeed, you can spend **Moxie** (your sanity/willpower currency) to add dice, though running out of Moxie causes your clone to "Lose It." Furthermore, other players can play cards or spend their own resources to subtract dice from your pool, usually accompanied by a helpful comment about how they are only trying to ensure you follow safety protocols. ## Evolution of the System The mechanics of _Paranoia_ have mutated more often than the players' characters. - **1st Edition & 2nd Edition:** Used a d20-based system where you tried to roll under your skill level. _2nd Edition_ is widely considered the "gold standard" for its fast, lethal play. - **The "Un-Edition" (5th Edition):** We do not talk about the 5th Edition. The Computer has deleted it from the archives. It attempted to be more "gamey" and less satirical, leading to a system that was widely ignored by fans. - **Paranoia XP (and 25th Anniversary):** Returned to the d20 "roll under" roots but introduced **Styles of Play**: _Zap_ (slapstick), _Classic_ (standard backstabbing), and _Straight_ (grim, noir satire). It also introduced the "Perversity Point" economy, allowing players to spend points to screw each other over. - **Red Clearance Edition (2017):** This shifted the game to the current d6 dice pool and introduced **Action Cards** for initiative and combat. It was a radical departure that prioritized speed and physical props. - **The Perfect Edition (2023):** The latest iteration. It keeps the d6 pool but officially ditches the mandatory card-based combat of the 2017 version (making it optional) and streamlines the "Treason Star" system, which functions much like a "Wanted" level in a video game. ### Five Clones from Alpha Complex (2025) The latest mutation is _Five Clones from Alpha Complex_, an "uncooperative miniatures game." It translates the backstabbing of the RPG into a tactical skirmish format where you can play solo (reporting your own characters for treason!), co-op, or versus. - **Die Resolution:** Based on the _Five Parsecs from Home_ engine by Ivan Sorensen, this system typically utilizes **d10s for Skill Checks** and **d6s for Combat/Damage**. You attempt to roll equal to or under your character's Skill or Combat value. - **The "Uncooperative" Twist:** Unlike standard skirmish games where your "unit" works together, this game reinforces the "team" dynamic of the RPG—meaning you are incentivized to inform on your own minis or shoot them in the back to appease Friend Computer. It features 50 mutant powers and 10 status effects, including "Bleeding" and "Stressed," which you will likely experience simultaneously. ### The Orbital Crossover: Orbital Reds (2025) Because dying in a lightless corridor wasn't efficient enough, Mongoose Publishing released _Orbital Reds_, a crossover between _Paranoia_ and the _Traveller_ science-fiction RPG. - **The Mechanics:** In a rare display of inter-dimensional cooperation, this adventure uses the **Traveller Core Rulebook rules** (primarily a 2d6 system) rather than the standard _Paranoia_ engine. Players build characters using _Traveller_ logic but are granted the traditional five replacement clones to compensate for the high probability of being sucked out of an airlock. - **The Premise:** Troubleshooters are launched into orbit to deal with an ancient, crumbling weapons platform, cannibal robots, and aliens with more tentacles than a technical manual has appendices. It turns out that in space, no one can hear you scream, but The Computer can definitely still see you committing treason. ## References - [Mongoose Publishing Official Store - Mongoose Publishing](https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/collections/paranoia "null") - [Orbital Reds: Paranoia/Traveller Crossover - Mongoose Publishing](https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/orbital-reds "null") - [Paranoia: Five Clones from Alpha Complex - Modiphius Entertainment](https://modiphius.net/collections/paranoia-five-clones-from-alpha-complex "null") - [Paranoia: The Core Book (Perfect Edition) Review - Cannibal Halfling Gaming](https://cannibalhalflinggaming.com/2023/11/29/paranoia-the-core-book-review/ "null") - [Paranoia RPG Product Line - DriveThruRPG](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse%3Fkeyword%3Dparanoia "null") - [Review of Paranoia: Red Clearance Edition - RPG.net](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/17/17092.phtml "null") - [The History of Paranoia Editions - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_\(role-playing_game\) "null")