Welcome to the Mass Effect Unofficial Tabletop Experience (ME UTE). As the name implies this is a fan-made attempt at creating a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) that encapsulates the style of the Mass Effect universe. This includes conversions of classes, species, talents, and equipment from the games, but also includes a combat style that veers away from unnecessary bloat, instead focusing on quick, hard-hitting moves, with more reliance on using your talents to turn the tide of battle.
This system has been put together with simplicity in mind. Whilst some elements are inspired from other available TTRPGs, no foreknowledge of other systems is necessary and it is my hope to create a ruleset that appeals to casual fun and flexibility rather than hardcore realism. When in doubt, the 'rule of cool' will guide the way.
I also highly recommend checking out the impressive folks at N7.World who have converted most of the Mass Effect universe into the DnD 5e ruleset if that's more your style.
A Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TTRPG) is a type of game in which a group of friends get together (whether in-person or online) to craft a story within a fictional world.
To do this, each player creates a character within this world to form a 'party', while one player takes on the role of Game Master (GM).
The GM's role is to describe the world and narrate the actions of its inhabitants in order to guide the players through the adventure. The players then use this information to determine which course of action they would like their characters to take. The GM then narrates the outcome of these actions, based on a character's personality or skills, thus creating a new scenario for the players to respond to.
Here is an example of what this exchange might look like in a game. In this scenario, two player characters, David and Hal, have just entered an abandoned building:
GM: "As you enter through the door, you see what appears to be an old, abandoned office. There are various desks and chairs strewn around and a thin layer of dust on each surface. To the north there is a red door."
Hal: "I would like to try opening the red door."
GM: "You tap on the keypad but it just beeps twice, indicating it is locked."
Hal: "I will activate my hacking tools and try to unlock the door."
GM: "Okay, please roll a D20 and add your Mind bonus."
Hal: "Hmm, I rolled a 4 on the dice and my bonus is 3, for a total of 7."
GM: "Unfortunately this does not meet the lock's difficulty and you are unable to hack it open."
David: "I try to kick down the door."
GM: "Alright, please roll a D20 and add your Body bonus."
David: "I got a total of 15, is that enough?"
GM: "Indeed it is, with a hefty kick you are able to dislodge the door, with a little more effort you are able to pry it open enough that both of you could squeeze through. In the next area you see..."
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When it comes to running an adventure, some GMs may choose to use a pre-written adventure, or they may choose to write their own adventure beforehand, creating characters and locations for the players to interact with. Some GMs may also prefer to have no pre-written material and like to simply improvise a story as they go. How the game is run is dependent on personal style and there is no 'right' way to play.
For more information, please see the Rules page.
ME UTE is a free fan-made site and has no affilation or endorsement with Bioware, Electronic Arts, or the Terra Firma Party.
Header image provided by Pixabay and covered under the Pixabay License.
Other images (such as weapon, talent, and class icons) are provided by the Mass Effect Wiki and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
I do not accept payments or monetary donations.
Got suggestions? Complaints? Confused about certain rulings or scenarios? Or just want to tell me about a cool moment from your adventures?
I'd love to hear them all, so drop me an email here and I'll do my best to get back to you!