i

In Memory of Steven Summers, who supported me in all my endeavors both good and bad, and
whose memory serves as a constant reminder to be my best. He will be missed by those privileged
enough to have known him.

A Message to the Reader:

Thank you for considering running Zaibatsu, hell, thanks for looking at it. Without your support
and feedback this would have gone nowhere. Shine on your wonderful human being.

- Wolfpack Morbitzer

The Feel of Zaibatsu:

Zaibatsu is meant to make the brutal seem casual, like a 9 to 5 job. If players look back at a game
and remember only a blur of violence then you are achieving the goal. As for an objective they are
attempting to get to an office of a high ranking official (up to you how high they rank really), and copy
files off their computer (you get bonus points in my book for making the files they have to copy inane, like
pictures of a family vacation, or memos about sensitivity training), then get out.

How’s my driving?
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Goblindarts? Shoot me an email at Taddlewanks@gmail.com! You
can bet your bottom dollar that I will listen!

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Zaibatsu: The Rules.
The four non-negotiable laws of the game.
1. Players have few hit points.
2. Players have infinite lives, but limited ammo.
3. Players re-spawn at the entrance to the floor.
4. Whenever any player dies, all the enemies that they have personally killed respawn.

Zaibatsu: Base Mechanics

1. When ranged weapons are in question, a d4 is rolled for ammo expenditure in the case of semi-
automatic weaponry, a d6 + 3 is used for automatic weapons (the outcome number is subtracted
from the individual’s ammo pool)
1. The individual’s ammo pool resets to what it was when the floor was reached upon
death.
b. A space is equal to one meter.

Operations Manager: A GM by Any Other Name.

As the GM you take on the role of the operations manager, a voice that comes for a command
center and into the player’s ear via future radio science. It is your job to tell the players what is around
them, answer questions about their surroundings, and dictate what is happening.

Zaibatsu: Stating and SMEK

Players have 8 health by default
The stats in Zaibatsu are Swiftness Might Exploitation & Knowledge
If you have trouble remembering these, just remember S.M.E.K.
You can roll a d10 for stats, or start with every stat at 5, and distribute 10 points among them.
Your movement area in one turn, with no modifiers, is 10 meters.
• Swiftness = X/2 (rounded up) added to movement and dodge rolls.
• Might = X/2 (rounded up) added to melee and throwing rolls
• Exploitation = X/2 (rounded up) added to speech and teamwork rolls
• Knowledge = X/2 (rounded up) added to hacking and logic rolls
o Example: If you have a Swiftness score of 7, then you get a +4 (3.5 rounded up) added to
your base movement distance of 10 for a total of 14 meters.

Movement and Actions

Every turn has two actions, you can use these two actions in a myriad of ways.
• One Action cost
o Aim (get bonus to hit equal to swiftness mod (on top of the already existing swiftness
mod bonus))
o Shoot/Attack (needs no explanation)
o Move (get from point A to Point B)
o Suppressing fire*(Fire when an enemy comes into sight, *(Will negate turn if used as the
first action, but can be used as a second action))
• Two Action cost
o Sprint (get from point A to point B faster(Sprint distance = (Movement distance +
Mods)×1.5 rounded up)
o Fire walk (Shoot while moving (mods do not factor into Fire walk rolls))

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Cybernetic Enhancements
The cybernetic enhancements of the future are varied and can do a myriad of things. Each player is
allowed up to three. The players are allowed to create their enhancements, but only if the GM allows
them and stats them.

Due to rampant theft of cybernetic parts, the corps have decided to implement DRM for cybernetics
software. On top of that, they all have proprietary ports, they do not connect to Wi-Fi, and unauthorized
grafting results in horrible explosive dismemberment. Don’t steal, kids, it isn’t yours. In short, attempting
to steal cybernetic parts and put them on you will result in horrible trauma.

Leveling
You are paid depending on how fast you complete a floor. The base pay is $2000 per player, and after ten
turns on one floor the pay starts to decrease by $100 every turn. This counter resets when all players die
within a two turn span of one another.
• Note that group Seppuku cannot reset the counter, and can result in being docked pay in
extreme cases.
This cash is used for buying upgrades and items at machines placed on every fifth floor, every floor 10%
of total cash is deduced in bank fees.

Keep Rollin, Rollin, Rollin: Roll high.

An explanation of the rolls you may have to do that are not self-explanatory (IE that parts that are not
about moving or killing):
• Throwing: Roll a d10 and add the appropriate mods, the outcome number is how far you can
throw a given object.
• Dodging: When an enemy rolls to hits and succeeds, you can roll to dodge. If you roll a number
higher than their roll to hit, you dodge successfully.
• Speech: The ability to talk your way out of things, lie, cheat, etc.
• Teamwork: If an action requires more than one person, then every player involved must roll for
teamwork and pass for success.
• Hacking: Your ability to hack into computers.
o 1 is critical failure, you get locked out of the system
o 2-5 is failure, and you can try again
o 6-9 success, gain access to the system
o 10 critical success, get full access to files
• Logic: The ability to confound AI based enemies or obstacles, this roll can also be done for
determining enemy patrol patterns.
Cybernetics
Cybernetics are a major part of the society of the future. They can be incredibly complex, but the players
should not have access to these powerful cybernetics off the bat, here a few rules of thumb to keep in
mind for starter cybernetics.
• If a cybernetic adds points to SMEK totals, it should be limited to one point per cybernetic, and
they cannot have secondary powers (IE: having legs that give you a +1 to swiftness, or having legs
that have built in swords, one or the other)
• Health works in the same way as SMEK stating, while cybernetics that increase the health total by
significant amounts do exist, the players should not have such easy access to them.

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• Integrated weapons are A-Okay, and can pass through security undetected, but should be
comparable to low level weapons if players are picking it as a starter (example: shotgun knuckles
should only do about 1d6 starting off)
• If the cybernetic does not contribute to any stat, but allows the player to use a skill (such as
launching smoke grenades) then you have decide whether it is overpowered on your own, this is
starting gear, don’t let it get too crazy.

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Weapons: and things to keep in mind
• In a roll to hit a d10 is used
o 1 Critical Miss
o 2-5: miss
o 6-9 hit
o 10 Critical Hit
• Submachine guns and handguns share an ammo type (6.5x25mm)
• Assault rifles and precision rifles share an ammo type (4.7x33mm)
• Shotguns have their own ammo type (18.5×76 mmR)
• Melee weapons have no ammo type with rare exceptions
• Experimental weapons do not share an ammo type with anything
• Explosions from severed cybernetics and Fragmentation grenades have the same radii
o 2 space radius: 8 damage
o 4 space radius: 4 damage
o 7 space radius temporary hearing loss (-10 knowledge 2 turns)
• Flash bangs result in temporary hearing loss in a 4 space radius
• Ranging weapons: (After every other mod and roll is accounted for, apply these mods)
o At half of the range multiply the roll by 2
o At the range state the weapon gets no extra hit mods
o At twice the range divide the roll by 2
• The players can either choose to Procure weapons on sight or enter the building with them.
Entering the building with weapons can lead to problems however, there are various security
systems that exist in the corps. They are adept at detecting weaponry, if any are found through
the various security checks and the players fail an exploitation check for lying about their
purpose, the security is increased causing an additional 4 points to be added to every floor’s
enemy allowance total.

Weapons
There is little variation in the weapons you will find, as most corps have standardized their
weaponry.

Melee

Name Mag Cap Damage Price

D-503 Bayonet pen N/A 1d4 100

Prod N/A 2d4 600

M2 Shotel
N/A 3d4 700

M2 Zweihander N/A 2d6 800

2
M Naginata N/A 1d8 1400
TF Katana N/A 1d6 400

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 BTC Hammer N/A 2d10 4000
MF Urumi
N/A 2d8 2000

Reactive Kanabō 15 1d10 800

Handguns

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

Nambu cbj 10 14 semi 1d4 100

HK85 15 20 semi 1d6 200

S&W model 50 18 10 semi 1d8 600

Sub machine guns

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

CBJ-MS 10 60 auto 1d12 800

Nambu type-25 12 45 auto 2d6 700

Jat-350 7 30 auto 3d4 900

Assault Rifles

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

Arisaka-L20 18 45 semi/auto 3d6 1250

FN-A50 20 30 semi/auto 2d8 1000

M25c 15 25 semi/auto 4d4 1500

Precision Rifles

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

Walther Wa-
30 10 semi 1d20 2000
2900

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 LA-500 25 20 semi/auto 4d6 1750

SVDc5 25 15 semi 3d8 1500

Shotguns

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

H&K CAWS 3 25 semi/auto 6d4 1000

KSA-18 4 15 semi 5d6 750

Saiga-850 5 20 semi 7d4 800

Experimental Weapons

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

S-99 1 100 auto 4d4 N/A

A sword that stabs people with bullets, it uses specialized ammunition to maximize close range devastation.
In testing due to a lack of a target audience.

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)
T-gau 12 50 auto 6d4 N/A
The Terminator Mini-gun, the optimum in hand held rapid fire technologies. In testing due to recalls
involving a faulty feeding mechanism, nearly fixed.

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)
Ks-23k 15 6 semi 5d6 N/A
A semi-automatic carbine chambered for 23mm slugs, capable of punching a hole in an engine block. In
focus testing to find the perfect mall ninja sect to market too, leaning towards the Costa clan.

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)

MNAAR 30 1 N/A 2d20 N/A

Stands for Micro-Nuclear Anti-Armor Rifle, uses a small nuclear shaped charge to propel 1/10th of a gram of
tungsten to 0.4% of the speed of light, punching through anything it finds in its way with the force of

x
 around 15 kilograms of TNT. In testing so they can find a way to reload it without giving people serious
radiation poisoning, just throw it away once you are done with it.

Range (in
Name Mag Cap Fire modes Damage Price
Meters)
P.B. Tonfa 2 0 N/A 2d10 N/A
A combination pile-bunker and tonfa, it is the melee weapon of choice for pigskins. The pneumatic spike is
nothing to laugh at, and can deliver a devastating one-two punch. In testing for ways to make it significantly
lighter.

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Mooks and Goons: The enemies you will face
Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
Suit Fodder
Appears on
Pistols and
4 light security 1/2 5 Meters 4 3 3 2
melee
floors

While awaiting training to become Company Mercenaries, recruits undertake internships as Suit Fodder.
They are green and pathetic, they do not pose much of a threat by themselves, but can be dangerous in
overwhelming numbers. The corps does not usually trust Suit Fodder with cybernetics.

Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
Mercenaries Appears on
Assault
both light and
rifles,
8 heavy 1 8 Meters 6 4 4 4
shotguns,
security
smgs
floors
Those who show great initiative as Suit Fodder Become Mercenaries, professional soldiers loyal to their
paycheck, and in turn their employers. Many mercenaries do have civilian grade cybernetic enhancements.

Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
Counter Infiltration
Agents Anything Light and
they can get heavy
10 2 10 meters 7 6 5 5
their hands security
on. floors

The highest hands on security position somebody not born into the corp can obtain. They work in groups of
four, and practice guerrilla warfare in the vast fields of cubical farms. They hide in wait on floors, seemingly
average Jill or Joe schmoes working overtime, waiting for a infiltrator to come along and strike when they
least expect it. They will stab you with pens, strangle you with ties, and splash you with hot coffee,
anything.

Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
Melee,
Appears on
Assassins 12 pistols and 2 12 Meters 7 8 5 7
heavy
precision

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 Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
rifles (roll a security
1d10, if it floors
lands on 10,
they have
an MNAAR
as well)
While Mercenaries and Suit fodder can are hired, assassins are born. Their set of skills is hard to find in your
average Jill or Joe, so they are cloned and receive special training from the time they are born. They also
receive military grade cybernetics, as a rite of passage.

Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
Pig Skins
20 (plus Ks-23ks, T- Appears on
a passive Gaus, heavy
3 4 Meters 9 10 4 4
1hp/turn MNAARs, security
regen) P.B. Tonfas. floors

Participants in the corps’ super soldier programs. Given their name due to a combination of their athletic
footballer physique, and a live swine in a back-mounted tank that is hooked up to the soldier (called a
Biological Assisted Circulatory Organ Normalizer, or BACON for short). If any damage is done to the human,
the life juices are sucked from the pig and distributed to their respective areas in the soldier. The stock of
volunteers for pig skins is usually plucked from the pool of corporate assassins. If you destroy the BACON
tank, you can negate the passive healing that the swine provides.

Weapons
Base Allowance Movement
Name commonly Rarity S M E K
Health Cost Bases
carried
Shafters
Heavy
40 T-Gau security 4 10 Meters 7 3 5 5
floors

A specialized two-man armored vehicle designed for an office setting. A small tank capable of using elevator
shafts as transportation without the help of an elevator. They rarely patrol, but are utilized as shock
reinforcements often. They utilize smaller armaments than your run of the mill tank, but the Terminator
Mini gun is nothing to fool with, for that reason they work alone.

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Upgrades
Upgrades and other machine purchases can include, but are not limited to:
• Upgrades to cybernetics
• Additional cybernetics
• Replacement Cybernetics
• Body armor of various configurations
• Firearms or melee weapons
• Grenades
• Armor Repair Nano-paste (repairs half of armor damage soak)
• Value sized bags of snacks (+4 health)
•
Whatya buyin Stranger?
Item Price

Additional cybernetics 500 – 5000

Upgrades to cybernetics 200 – 3000

Replacement Cybernetics 500 – 5000

Firearms or melee weapons (see the weapons chart)

Grenades $500/pc (fragmentation) $250/pc (flashbang)

Armor repair nano-paste $500/pc

Value sized bags of snacks $100/pc

Body Armor: Staying Alive is Fun.

There are various armors that can save your life from things going at you fast. Body armor will protect you
from damage, but once it has had its fill of damage, it needs to be repaired with Nano-paste. (Body armor
does not reset on respawn)

Name Damage Soak Stat mods Price

Kevlar 4 N/A 200

Tried and true, cheap and trustworthy, old faithful Kevlar.

Name Damage Soak Stat mods Price

Ceramic Plate 6 -1 Swiftness 300

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 Will take a bit more of a licking than Kevlar, but slows movement

Name Damage Soak Stat mods Price

Non Newtonian Slosh 8 -1 Exploitation 400

We are required by the corps' lawyers to tell you that the non-Newtonian slosh mix is not cornstarch and
water, and that the high expense of this armor is justified because of the mystery mix. This armor hardens
in response to physical trauma, and is lighter than armors of comparable strength. (8 points of damage
soak)

Name Damage Soak Stat mods Price

+1 Swiftness
Carbide Armor 10 800
-1 Might

Lighter than Plate, and stronger too. Newfangled and nice, but expensive.

Name Damage Soak Stat mods Price

Silk Rose Garb 0 (10 explosive charges) N/A 500

Cheap and decidedly unsafe, this won't protect you at all, but it will spite your attacker. A vest laced with
shaped charges, whenever damage is done, a shaped charge goes off and deals half of the damage right
back.

Name Damage Soak Stat mods Price

D.U. Plate 14 -3 Swiftness 1200

Expensive, heavy, and completely safe, Depleted Uranium plate is stronger than the rest, better than the
best.

Fall of the Machines:

Turns out when you can’t get sued for damages, it is just cheaper to put the vending machine back up
right than pay compensation. The corps figured this out long ago, and they act on this. The vending
machines you will encounter in the buildings are designed to deter those who may try to cheat it.

• Shaking a machine is not encouraged as it can lead to the machine falling on you very easily
• Coins on strings have led to many a lost appendage and in serious cases electrocution on top of
that
• Smashing the glass has been known to cause the machines to explode
• Pressing the dispense change button too many times has been known to cause third degree
burns

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• Do not attempt to woo or seduce the machines, they are typically bashful and do not respond
well to being courted
• Fornication with the machines is not advised, all we need to say is that the rescue may save you,
but not all of you.
• Do not swear at the machines
• Kicking the machines is usually responded to in kind

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The Corps: Get That Disk.
There are many corps that you can be sent to infiltrate, here are five basic retrieval missions. In every
mission you will be tasked with retrieving data from a ranking official. It is up to the GM how high up that
official’s office is.
• 10 floors to objective
• 15 floors to objective
• 25 floors to objective
• 50 floors to objective
• 75 floors to objective
• 100 floors to objective
• Insufficient data collection/Iron man mode (roll d100 to determine the number of floors to
objective)

Stories to Tell: A guide to the levels you will encounter.

Your run of the mill megacorp will be varied and diverse due to its multinational nature.
Environment roll (roll
Name Enemy Allowance Total Size
1d6)

Reception 6 points N/A 30x30

Usually the first floor of the building, light security, easy to clear

Environment roll (roll

Name Enemy Allowance Total Size
1d6)

1. Employee fridge

2. 2d4 suit fodder

patrol

3. 2d4 mercenary
patrol

4. Employees
Offices 10 points working 30x30
overtime

5. Lights are off

6. Cubical Labyrinth
(size increases to
50x50 and re-
roll)

This is where the wage slaves toil, there is plenty of cover and security ranges from light to heavy
depending on the floor. These are the levels you will find most often.

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 Environment roll (roll
Name Enemy Allowance Total Size
1d6)

1. Steam pipes

2. 1d4 mercenary
patrol

3. Patrolling Shafter
(add a shafter)
Maintenance 8 points 20x40
4. Employees
working overtime

5. 1d4 Pig Skin patrol

6. assassin ambush
(add 1d4 assassins)

Tight and constricted with narrow corridors, these levels are usually dark and have heavy security due to
their sensitive nature.

Environment roll (roll

Name Enemy Allowance Total Size
1d6)

1. Suit fodder
ambush (add 1d10
suit fodder)

2. vending machine

Executive 6 points 3. loose change 30x30

4. Private fridge

5. assassin ambush
(add 1d4 assassins)

6. Booby traps

The execs value their privacy, expect wide open spaces and light security.

Environment roll (roll

Name Enemy Allowance Total Size
1d6)

1. Foreign
dignitaries
Shrine 15 points 50x50
present (add 1d6
enemies)

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 2. assassin ambush
(add 1d4
assassins)

3. Shafter patrol
(add a shafter)

4. Pig skin detail

(add 1d4
pigskins)

5. Hostage (if the

hostage survives
the encounter
the party earns
double the
money)

6. Meditating
enemies
(enemies are not
patrolling)

Foreign dignitaries come to visit the corps often, the corps make sure they feel at home and tranquil on
these levels. Due to the high profile guests expect heavy security coupled with wide open gardens.

Environment roll (roll

Name Enemy Allowance Total Size
1d6)

DEFZ N/A N/A 20x20

These are placed every five floors, they serve as cafeterias and social areas for employees. Expect to find
vending machines and no security here.

• Note that the environmental roll and the enemy allowance total are different pools. If the roll
demands that you add enemies, it will give you those extra points for those units alone.

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Don’t Start the Fifth Corporate War™: A Lesson on Stealing.
Things that you can loot from dead bodies without ending the human race in the worst lawsuit of all time
(this does not apply to things purchased at vending machines):
• Weapons (As long as you deposit them in the designated infiltrator weapon drop off chute before
exfiltration)
• Bullets
• Keycards (See weapons)
• Radios (As long as they are deposited in the infiltrator radio chute before exfiltration)
• Snacks (As long as you do not take the empty bag with you on exfiltration)
Things that, if stolen/looted and taken beyond the bounds of the building, have and will start a Corporate
War™.
• Money
• Organs (Organs belong to their respective corps and are not to be stolen)
• Family pictures (Families belong to the corps)
• Novelty mugs (That is how the Second Corporate War™ started, incredibly taboo to even mention
taking a novelty mug)
• Any gift shop item (You get the idea)
• Pornography
• Toilet paper
• Those small bottles of shampoo
• Pens (They are on a chain for a reason)
• Product keys for office software
• Food in the office refrigerator
• Computers (Through a legal loop hole keyboards are fine to steal however, their proprietary jacks
make them near useless outside of the building)
• Any coffee/synthetic coffee

The Corporate Wars™.

A comprehensive list of the corporate mega conflicts that have shaped the world political landscape. The
Corporate Wars™ are a trademark of Xianzi pictures group, and they retain all rights for the distribution of
all media on the subject.

Causes.
• First Corporate War™: Property rights on Mars.
• Second Corporate War™: CEO of Dibura Heavy Industries had novelty mug with a picture of his
dog stolen by industrial infiltrators.
• Third Corporate War™: Game of golf turned violent after a Bradbury solutions executive
mentioned a possible hostile takeover of Woolsworth Enterprises as a joke, within ear shot of the
Woolsworth Enterprises CEO.
• Fourth Corporate War™: War Erupted after Jackson and Johnson LLC, won the right to the phrase
“Our food is edible™” over EuroCo in court. Also the first Corporate War™ to see the use of
thermonuclear weapons.

Death tolls (Total).

• First Corporate War™: ~100 Million – 250 Million.

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 • Second Corporate War™: ~570 Million – 600 Million.
• Third Corporate War™: ~ 675 Million – 700 Million.
• Fourth Corporate War™: ~990 Million – 1 Billion.

Get to Know Your Overlords: The Corps of the world.

There are many different corps that are stationed around the world, this is a list of the major world
players. Note that these corps produce everything they need to be self-reliant, but the main
specializations are what they pride themselves on.
Main
Name HQ Location CEO Domain
Specialization(s)

Woolsworth Johannesburg, William

Rare earth minerals All of sub Saharan Africa
Enterprises South Africa Woolsworth III

Genetic Louis All of continental Europe West

EuroCo Paris, France
modification Charmaine of the Elbe river

Orwell Jackson
Jackson and New York, North America east of the
Cloning/foods and Taylor
Johnson LLC United States Colorado river
Johnson

North America, west of the

Bradbury San Francisco , Thomas
Space exploration Colorado river and north of the
Solutions United States Bradbury
Panama Canal

Robotics and
Daibura Heavy
Kyoto, Japan industrial Mayu Miyashiro Japan, Oceania
Industries
machinery

The Krusov
Moscow, Russia Oil Ilyushin Krusov Eastern Europe.
Group

Hashem Prince Muhib Middle East, Southern Europe,

Dubai, UAE Luxury goods/Oil
Corporation Ansari Saharan Africa

Xianzi
Shanghai, China Entertainment Sheng-Li Lang Mainland Asia
Conglomerate

America South of the Panama

Stressel Medical San Palo, Brazil Pharmaceuticals Ricardo Stressel
Canal

Weapons
Brahmastra Rangana
New Deli, India technologies and India, Pakistan, Mars.
Solutions Mathur
terraforming

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