a Games Omnivorous Book

The Job
Andre Novoa
 A game of glorious heists &
everything that can go wrong in them
CREDITS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This game takes inspiration from a number of great games...
Concept & Fiasco for the cinematographic story-game design
writing
Andre Novoa Dread for the ‘tumbling block tower’ (which inspired the Dice
Stack)
Graphic design Ten Candles for the minimalist character creation
Guilherme Gontijo Apocalypse World for the 2d6 narrative system
Art Leverage for the heist theme
‘stolen’ from the Honey Heist for the minimalist, heist-themed RPG
public domain
...and great movies
Editing &
The Asphalt Jungle (1950) by John Huston
Proofreading
Walton Wood Topkapi (1964) by Jules Dassin
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) by John McTiernan
Playtesting
Andre, David, Jota, Marga, Ocean’s Eleven (2001) by Steven Soderbergh
Raquel, Umberto, Guto,
Diogo, Ema The Italian Job (2003) by F. Gary Gray
Inside Man (2006) by Spike Lee
Special thanks
Andre Tavares and Ema Inception (2010) by Chris Nolan
Acosta for the incredible Now You See Me (2013) by Louis Leterrier
feedback
Logan Lucky (2017) by Steven Soderbergh
Baby Driver (2017) by Edgar Wright
Lupin (2021 series) by George Kay, François Uzan
Kaleidoscope (2023 series) by Eric Garcia

First Printing, 500 Copies

Printed in Portugal by Papelmunde
ISBN: 978-989-53344-8-3
Dep. Legal: 521676/23

© Copyright 2023
Games Omnivorous

4
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Player Rules Referee Rules
What Is This?......................................4 5. Refereeing The Job.......................26
Requirements......................................4 The Brief................................................26
How to Read This Book.......................4
The Preparation....................................26
The Basics...........................................5
The Action.............................................27
1. The Crew.......................................6
Player Rolls............................................28
Creating Characters.............................7
Where Are the Stats?............................7 Setback..................................................28

The Animal Handler..............................8 Referee FAQ...........................................29

The Boss................................................9 6. The Escape...................................30
The Bruiser............................................10 Success.................................................31
The Con Artist.......................................11 Failure....................................................31
The Genius............................................12
7. Creating Briefs..............................32
The Greaseman.....................................13
The Object.............................................32
The Pickpocket.....................................14
The Place...............................................32
The Wheelman......................................15
2. The Budget....................................16 The Budget............................................32

Extravagant Gear..................................16 The Complications................................33

Common Crap.......................................16 Example Briefs......................................34
Vehicles.................................................16 8. Compatibility................................44
How Inventory Works...........................16 Converting Characters.........................44
Using Gear.............................................16
Budget...................................................45
List of Extravagant Gear.......................17
Other Games.........................................45
3. The Preparation............................18
9. Plan Sheet.....................................46
The Brief................................................18
The Plan.................................................19
Optional: Setup Scenes........................20
Example Plan.........................................21
4. The Action....................................22
When to Roll..........................................22
Example of Play.....................................22
Dice Stack.............................................23
3
What Is This?
THE JOB is a tabletop roleplaying One of you must take the role of the
game. You and some friends (ideally Referee. The Referee follows a clear
between three and five) will form a set of procedures: they run the heist
caper crew trying to pull off a legend- for the players and present trouble that
ary heist. The rules in this book offer may arise. The Referee exists to make
guidelines and tools to help create an the story memorable, not to make the
interesting fiction. In most roleplaying players’ lives miserable.
games, winning or losing is irrelevant.
The other Players take on the roles of a
This game, however, has a clear ob-
caper crew. Each of you has a specific
jective: to pull off a heist. You either
role, and teamwork is of the essence.
do it or you don’t. But not doing it can
Make sure you prepare the heist well
be just as memorable, so don’t wor-
and do not shy away from audacious
ry if you’re caught. It’s the story that
and dangerous feats. The bolder, the
counts.
more memorable.

Requirements

A Plan sheet. Pencils and erasers.

A bunch of six-sided
A crewmember dice (d6) — at least
sheet (or piece ten of them. They
of paper) for must have edges
each Player. circa 15mm and
rounded corners.

70 ’ s funk music. Spare paper for taking

notes and sketching maps.

How to Read This Book

Players should read the rules for character creation, budget, preparation and ac-
tion. This is all you need to know.
Referees should carefully read the entire book, particularly ‘Refereeing the Heist’.
This game uses a low-prep system, but you will need to improvise significantly.
Be aware of such.

4
The Basics
In the Preparation Phase, players
This game leans into the narrative play-
receive a Brief detailing the location
style.
they are robbing, the object they are
The heist is as much described by the stealing, their budget and six known
Referee as it is by the Players, and the complications they must overcome.
game is played through a sequence Then, they plan the heist, imagining
of scenes where nothing is prede- and writing down the scenes that will
termined, not even the buildings and make up the Action Phase.
surroundings where the heist will take
This is what sets this game apart from
place. Everything revolves around emer-
most. Instead of adventure modules
gent fiction where ‘you play to find out’.
found in traditional RPGs, the Players
However, unlike in most narrative prepare their own session, simulat-
games, The Job is not about complex ing the experience of formulating a
character arcs, interpersonal drama be- heist. They must plan for a total of 12
tween the player characters or engag- scenes, account for all complications
ing in a complex storytelling endeavour. and inform the Referee which scenes
It’s mostly about designing a ridicu- they want to play — not the other way
lously memorable heist and attempting around.
to beat the game by
THIS SHOULD TAKE ONE HOUR AND
completing it.
A HALF.
You can play a heist
in a single, 3-hour
session divided into
two stages: Prepara-
tion and Action. In the Action Phase, the Referee
guides the Players as they give life to
the crew in the scenes. Players make
rolls, and as these fail, tension rises
and unforeseen trouble emerges. This
phase is played with a Dice Stack. If
the stack collapses three times, the
heist ends! Otherwise, the crew may
reap the spoils.
THIS SHOULD TAKE ANOTHER HOUR
AND A HALF.

5
1. The Crew

6
Intro Creating
You’re after the good stuff. Gems, di- Characters
amonds, gold bullion, a Picasso paint-
ing, Fabergé eggs, the Queen’s crown. • Choose one of the eight available
Nothing short will do. You live fast, roles. Do not repeat the same role.
think fast and move fast. The one thing • Print the respective sheet
that scares you is getting caught. Not (or don’t*).
because of prison per se (you could
pull off an escape anyway) but be- • Choose a name and appearance.
cause of the endless shame. • Study your role’s Stunts and make
sure you use them during the heist.
• Start playing!

lly need
*You don’t rea
be r sh eets to
Crewmem
th is ga me. Just
play
role, write
select your d
ur Stunts an
down yo of gear.
pi ec es
your four
.
That’s it

Where Are the Stats?

Characters in The Job do not use traditional stats like wisdom, dexterity or
strength. Instead, each character is simply defined by their inventory and Stunts.
Read them carefully and put them to good use during the heist.

This design choice has two reasons. First, this game

is meant for one-shots. Second, a big part of it is the
Preparation Phase, which replaces traditional character
creation with planning the heist itself. Having them both
would slow the game down irreparably.

7
The Animal Handler
You’re the Tiger King. The Dog Whisperer.
The ultimate Bear Wrangler. You speak in
animal. And you know how to train them
for grandiose heists. People see you as an
eccentric, but who isn’t, really?

sh
Wa
‘I believe in integrity. Dogs have it.’

r
you s!
d
han
Name:

Appearance:

Stunts

‘Here, Kitty’: advantage in actions that Nothing Can Go Wrong: secure a big
involve dealing with animals like com- animal during the Preparation Phase.
manding or enticing them. You can also Whatever you can think of, the Referee
tame the animal. must provide. Tigers, whales, sharks or
bears are all game.
Pocket Animal: you may use one in- ‘Oh Shit!’: once during the Action
ventory slot during the Action Phase to Phase, if someone is in trouble, you
pull out a small animal of your choice. may send an animal to that scene. De-
Describe what you wish it to do. scribe how you put the animal there
and what you wish it to do.

Inventory

Item 4
Item 3
Item 2
Item 1

8
 en d
THE BOSS L e g
You pull the strings. Call the shots. You dress well,
talk well and seduce well. You’re all the Danny
Oceans of the world. Scotch on the rocks, an ace
up the sleeve, people like you even if they don’t.

‘Thirteen million and you drive this piece of shit to pick

me up?’

Name:

Appearance:

Stunts

Gifts of Charm: advantage in actions Plan Master: if the crew can’t reach
that involve talking to people like act- consensus on plans for certain scenes
ing, arguing, convincing, debating, in the Preparation Phase, you have the
manipulating, seducing or even hiring final say. You have full authority on how
henchmen. at least one of the scenes is to unfold.
Pulling Strings: you may secure one ‘Who’s the Boss?’: when you fail an
extravagant vehicle during the Prepara- action roll, you add only one die to the
tion Phase. Whatever you can think of, Stack, disregarding any other rules.
the Referee must provide. Think military Because you’re the Boss.
tanks, helicopters or jet-engine planes.

Inventory

Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4

9
 r!
The Bruiser

h e
uch
You’re a thug, a hooligan, a mean machine.

o
Working as a bouncer is not exactly your

t t
dream job. Nor beating punks for the local

Don
mafia. So here you are, taking orders, mak-
ing millions and crushing bones.

‘Let me stop you right there. Literally.’

Name:

Appearance:

Stunts

Brute Force: advantage in actions Martial Arts: advantage in actions that

that involve physical strength such as involve self-defense or immobilizing an
knocking an adversary out, breaking adversary without the aid of weapons
down doors or carrying heavy loads. and guns.
‘Oh No, You Won’t’: once during the Happy Birthday, Punk: once during
Action Phase, you may sacrifice your- the Action Phase, you may blow on the
self to take out a group of adversaries Dice Stack; remove all dice that fall
without rolling the dice. Narrate how from the Stack. Narrate how you have
you do so and what sacrifice you make. intervened to de-escalate the situation.

Inventory

Item 4
Item 3
Item 2
Item 1

10
The Con Artist
Confidence games, schemes, rip-offs,
scams and stratagems. Fake pass-
ports, fake bills and fake IDs. Multiple
identities, endless connections. This
is where you thrive. In these waters,
you’re the shark.

‘Catch me if you can.’

e
nic
Name:

t
sui
Appearance:

Stunts

Trickster: advantage in actions that Resourcefulness: during the Action

involve tricking people like perform- Phase, the first inventory slot you use
ing illusions, making things disappear, is always free. Write the item down in
pickpocketing, conning, deceiving and the slot but do not deduct any cash
the likes. from the budget.
Major Forger: during the Action Phase, ‘What’s Happening Here?’: once
you may use one inventory slot to pull during the Action Phase, if one of the
out fake documentation and use it to crew is in trouble, you may appear out
resolve a complicated situation. De- of the blue in that scene and take over
scribe the papers in detail and what the situation. Describe how you got
they authenticate. there.

Inventory

Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4

11
 nerd
The Genius

a
not
You were the brightest in your class. At age
10, you hacked into your schoolteacher’s
computer. At age 14, you hacked into the
government database. People seem petty
and trivial to you — limited, one might say.

‘Pull the plug on that laptop and we’re all dead.’

Name:

Appearance:

Stunts

Hacker: advantage in actions that Security Specialist: advantage in

involve tinkering with computers like actions that involve hacking or tap-
hacking into encrypted servers and ping into security monitoring systems
secured personal laptops, or hardwir- (cameras) and shutting them off or
ing computer hardware. manipulating them.
Electrical Tinkering: advantage in ac- Unexpected: once during the Action
tions that involve manipulating elec- Phase, after the sixth scene, you
tronic hardware such as switchboards can use an inventory slot to secure a
and all sorts of electrical wiring and piece of senselessly advanced tech-
circuits. nology for free. Describe the tech and
what it does.

Inventory

Item 4
Item 3
Item 2
Item 1

12
The Greaseman
You were once an Olympic medallist.
Or a circus acrobat. Or a failed stunt-
man. No one really knows. To be hon-
est, no one really cares. You squeeze
into the tightest of spaces, and that’s
what matters.

‘Can anyone get me outta here?’

y!
gu
is
th
Name:

at
k
Appearance:

loo
Stunts

Nimble: advantage in actions that in- Hide in Shadows: advantage in actions

volve physical agility and quick reflex- that involve moving silently, hiding in
es, such as climbing, jumping, somer- unusual places, sneaking up on someone
saulting or squeezing into tight spaces. or even attacking them from behind.
Boneless: once during the Action ‘Not Today’: when you fail an action
Phase, you may appear in a scene from roll that involves physical dexterity
within a piece of furniture or something and prowess, roll a die. On a 6, you do
similar. The furniture must be appro- not need to add any dice to the Stack.
priate for the room where the scene is Otherwise, stack as usual.
occurring. Describe how you got there.

Inventory

Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4

13
 ’ e m !
g o t
The Pickpocket
Your grandma once lost you in the
mall, and you came back with three
wristwatches. Five years later, your
BFF’s mom’s diamond necklace van-
ished. Everyone blamed you. And they
were right. Here you are.

‘Now you see it, now you…’

Name:

Appearance:

Stunts

Pickpocketing: advantage in actions Safecracking: advantage in actions

that involve stealing a small object that involve delicate tasks like picking
from any target, particularly when the locks or complex mechanisms, setting
target is in close proximity or bodily up detonators, tinkering with delicate
contact. equipment and the likes.
Steal the Stack: once during the Action Magic Tricks: choose a magic trick:
Phase, if the Stack reaches 6 or more cards, dice or even sawing someone
dice, you may ‘steal’ one die from it. If in half. Whenever you perform it, you
the Stack falls, it counts as a collapse. have advantage to impress and stall an
Narrate your intervention. entire audience.

Inventory

Item 4
Item 3
Item 2
Item 1

14
The Wheelman
You’re the King of the Road. The Traf-
fic-Lights Terror. No reds or yellows,
you see but the greens. Only one thing

m
turns you on, and that’s the smell of

oo
gasoline. Rumour has it, you pour it in

r
your coffee.

mV
Vroo M
‘Need a ride?’

Name:

Vroo
Appearance:

Stunts

Driving: advantage in actions that in- Piloting: advantage in actions that in-
volve maneuvering or driving a vehicle. volve maneuvering or piloting aircraft.
This includes cars, motorbikes, trucks This includes airplanes, helicopters and
and even jet boats. even zeppelins.
Fender Bender: you may secure any Explosives Expert: no one knows why,
luxury cars during the Preparation really, but you are also an explosives
Phase. Whatever you can think of, adept. You have advantage in actions
the Referee must provide. Ferraris, that involve setting up and detonating
Porsches, Lambos, MINI Coopers, you bombs.
name it.

Inventory

Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4

15
2. The Budget
The Referee tells you your budget for the heist. In each heist, the value differs
depending on the object being stolen and the person hiring the crew. The budget
indicates how much you can spend on extravagant gear to get the job done.

Extravagant Gear How Inventory Works

Expensive and hard to find. You Crewmember sheets have four spaces
can freely choose from the list on the for equipment. Start the game with-
next page until the budget runs out. If out equipment; do not write anything
you need a thing that is not listed, ask down during character creation or the
the Referee for a price. Preparation Phase. Instead, during
the heist, whenever you need a piece
Common Crap of gear to perform a desired action,
Common, cheap and unremarkable simply fill in one of the inventory slots
equipment that you always have ac- with said gear. Then deduct its price
cess to: backpacks, blunt weapons, from the total budget. If you run out of
bolt cutters, climbing equipment, slots or money, you cannot secure the
clothes, disguises, dog whistles, duffel item! You must think of another way to
bags, fake uniforms, flashlights, food, solve the situation.
locks, maps, mirrors, paper, pens, skis,
Using Gear
smartphones, thieves’ toolkits, tools
(hammer, cutters, drills, plyers, what- Gear allows the crew to perform
ever), watches. actions that would otherwise be im-
possible. For instance, you can shoot
Vehicles someone only if you have a firearm.
Common vehicles (cars, motorbikes, You can see in the dark only if you
etc.) are always available at no cost. have night-vision goggles. You can
Extravagant vehicles (such as helicop- communicate with each other only if
ters, jet-engine boats, jet planes, sub- you have in-ear comms. The Referee
marines or even military tanks) are not may give you advantage for having the
available for purchase. The only way to right gear, but they may also call for
secure one is via one of the Boss’s stunts. disadvantage when you use it in un-
orthodox or particularly foolish ways.
16
Extravagant Gear

What does it do? Price

Police radio scanner Picks up frequencies used by the police. $3,000

Antigravity boots Allows wearer to climb vertical surfaces. $10,000

Fingerprint scanner Digitally stores fingerprints. $50,000

Bulletproof vest Use to avoid or flee combat. $2,000

Crossbow with rope Allows user to cross gaps between two locations. $5,000

Cryptographic sequencer Allows user to remotely hack into security terminals. $50,000

Electric lighter Like a normal lighter but creates a superpowerful flame. $1,000

EMP bomb Short-circuits electronics in an entire city. $1,000,000

Explosive Blows up stuff. $3,000

Explosive, paint Creates an explosion of paint. $2,000

Explosive, plastique Blows up stuff. Hard to remove from surfaces. $10,000

Includes pistols, machine guns, whatever.

Firearms $20,000
Use them to eliminate adversaries.

In-ear comm Allows wearer to communicate with others. $7,000

Invisibility cloak Makes the wearer invisible if they remain still. $100,000

Jetpack Allows user to ‘fly’ for a short time. $25,000

Laser cutter Cuts all materials, basically. $5,000

Laser pointer Use to point at someone or blind security cameras. $6,000

Glider/parachute Allows wearer to glide in the air for a set duration. $7,500

GPS implant chip Allows user to monitor a target’s every move. $1,000

Grapling gun Shoots a hook, allows user to climb tall buildings. $5,000

Hologram tech Creates an illusion of a small object of choice. $150,000

High-tech drone that can carry objects or allow user

Military drone $50,000
to perform simple tasks from a distance.

Night-vision goggles User can see in sheer darkness. $5,000

Precision spyglass Allows user to see from a long distance. $2,500

Poison Eliminates a target or causes them to sleep. $2,000

Rugged laptop Functions in extreme conditions. $10,000

Smoke grenades Ten of them. Covers a room with smoke. $1,000

Sniper rifle Eliminates someone from a ridiculous distance. $10,000

Surveillance system console Stores video images. $5,000

t!
Taser Delivers a potent electrical shock. $2,000

b udge
n d the
m i 17
 3. The Preparation
The Referee will slide you the Brief then sit back and wait while you prepare the
heist. The Preparation Phase should take about one hour and a half, and it’s as
much a part of the game as the Action Phase. Don’t rush it.

The Brief Complications Overview

Object: this is what you are after. Complications are obstacles but also hint
at how you can devise the heist. This dual
Place: this is where the object is. nature is of the essence; take a minute to
Budget: this is how much you consider it.
can spend. For instance, ‘a large crowd of bystanders’
Complications: six obstacles probably means the heist must be per-
you’ll need to overcome. formed during the day, whereas ‘four guards
inside the museum’ could mean it is a night
heist with only those guards to deal with.

Object: the Mona Lisa.

Complications also hint at exit and entry
points, things like a ‘domed ceiling’ or ‘rein-
Place: the Louvre, Paris.
forced doors’. The domed ceiling could be
an entry point and reinforced doors an exit,
Budget: $200,000 or the other way around.
The complications exist as a ‘creative lim-

Complications:
itation’ that help you design the Plan and
think about a plausible structure or story

(1) security cameras on all

arc. You must include all of them in the

floors, overseen by two offi-

Plan. How exactly you do so and deal with

cers in a control room, (2)

them is completely up to you. Part of the

triple-glass ceiling dome in

game is deciding how big a complication is.

hall of the Mona Lisa, (3)

For instance, the ‘floor-pressure, high-tech

floor-pressure alarms in
alarms’ can just be in the area in front of

the painting’s hall, (4) four

the painting, or they may cover the entire

guards patrol the museum’s

hall; you, the players, decide. You have as

halls, (5) alarm wire at-

much say as anyone else in creating the

tached to painting, (6) re-

fiction and the world you are playing in.

inforced doors protecting the HOWEVER, DON’T BE AFRAID OF PUTTING

painting’s hall. YOURSELF IN UNNECESSARY TROUBLE. This
game is not about devising an unsophisti-
cated heist, but precisely the opposite. It’s
about imagining the boldest, most ridicu-
lous and glorious of plans. The more intri-
cate, creative and complex the heist is, the
funnier it will be to play it. Don’t shy away
from the outlandish. The sillier, the better.

18
The Plan
Now conceive the plan, penning it
down in the Plan sheet. The plan must
have exactly 12 scenes. No more, no
less.
The main rule is that you must include
all the complications given in the Each crewmember must appear
Brief. The order in which they appear in at least 2 scenes.
is irrelevant. As a rule of thumb, you Multiple characters can appear in
should aim to devise two scenes per the same scene, while some scenes
complication, but this is flexible. can be performed by a solo crew-
Take time to discuss them, pick the member.
right crewmember for the right job, Each scene must describe one ex-
and be as bold as possible in imagin- plicit course of action or intention.
ing these scenes. Write them down in A single sentence is enough, clearly
the Plan sheet and, when you’re done, identifying the crewmember(s) and
pass it on to the Referee. their actions.
The Stages All complications must be dealt
with somehow.
To facilitate formulating the Plan,
follow this structure. This is flexible, Don’t forget that you can worldbuild
however. Use it only if it makes plan- as much as you want. You don’t
ning easier. Discard if it becomes a need to ask the Referee ‘Is the
hinderance. vault directly linked to the police’s
alarm system?’ or ‘How many secu-
Infiltration: scenes 1–2 should be
rity guards are in the surveillance
about breaking into the location.
room?’ You decide! Don’t be afraid
Choose one complication to deal with
to put yourself in pointless trouble.
here.
Think cinematographically, as if this
Deployment: scenes 3–6 should be
were a movie script. Use gear ec-
about deploying all the pieces in the
centrically and extensively. No one’s
right places. Choose two complica-
stopping you from ‘somersaulting
tions to deal with here.
into the bank from a helicopter via a
Execution: scenes 7–10 should be hole in the ceiling’.
about executing the heist, stealing the
A crewmember can appear in a
object itself. Choose two complica-
place only if there’s a logical reason
tions to deal with here.
for them to do so, usually from ac-
Escape: scenes 11–12 should tions performed in previous scenes.
be about escaping the
The scenes must be written down
location. Choose
in a plausible timeline with no flash-
one complication
backs. One scene’s actions must fit
to deal with here.
logically into the next and so forth.

it!
The last scene is the apotheosis

rush
and the grand escape.
T
Don
19
 AL:
OPTION

SETUP
SCENES!
At the start of the Action Phase, each Why These Scenes?
crewmember is allowed to narrate one
The player describes what their crew-
preheist scene. This scene can include
member is doing, explains what they
other willing crewmembers.
want to accomplish and brings the
scene to life. The Referee is free to
The Tropes
portray any Neutral Player Character
Setup scenes will usually include any (NPC) but should play along and not
of the following: call for rolls. These setup scenes exist
to create a logical explanation for how
Practice: rehearsing on dummy certain crewmembers will infiltrate
vaults, replicas of the building areas of the building, to plant certain
and the likes. objects inside the location and/or to
confer advantages in critical moments
of the heist. Remind the Referee!
Reconnaissance: studying the
staff’s routines, the guards’ Setup Scenes Heat
movements, etc.
Depending on how hard or realistic
each setup scene is, the Referee will
Hack the building: infiltrating decide if these bring Heat to the crew
the building to hardwire se- or not. The Referee evaluates each
curity cameras, steal security scene, one by one. The initial Dice
cards, prepare explosives, etc. Stack will start with a number of dice
equal to the number of setup scenes
Disguise: being hired as a staff with Heat.
member to get access to the
For instance: getting hired as part
building.
of the museum staff could bring one
Heat, as could trying to manipulate an
Not enough dough?: stealing a important NPC, whereas preparing a
specific piece of equipment to document at home would probably be
perform the heist. free of Heat. In this case, the Dice Stack

e greedy!
would start play with two dice. The Ref-
Don’t b
u are good)
eree will judge this and let you know.
(unleSs yo
20
 The Plan
Budget: $200,000
What: the Mona Lisa
Where: the Louvre, Paris
Codename: the French Job
Who: Georgina Bloomey (Boss), Bradley Ritt (Con Artist), Amazing Jenny
(Greasewoman), Livingstone Bell (Genius), Monsieur Gerard (Bruiser)

Setup Scenes
1. Monsieur Gerard sends a guard to the hospital and takes his job at the museum.
2. Livingstone devises a ‘special’ surveillance system. It is, of course, engineered to make
cameras go black by removing a small electrical circuit.
3. Ritt sets up a meeting with the museum director to sell her a ‘new’ surveillance system.
While there, he performs a magic trick with a cleaning staff member.
4. Amazing Jenny practices with a replica of the painting.
5. Georgina pulls a few strings to secure a helicopter.

The Job
1. It’s midnight; the museum is closed. 7. Ritt is waiting for Amazing Jenny and
uses a blowtorch to cut through (6) the
Infiltration

Execution

Georgina impersonates a security company

operator and phones saying a ‘repair crew’ is reinforced doors to the Mona Lisa hall. (The
on their way to fix a reported failure. cameras should already be black by then!)

2. Amazing Jenny and Livingstone show up 8. Amazing Jenny somersaults her way
at the reception desk wearing ‘tech repair’ through the painting’s hall, using ropes shot
uniforms, with a document (forged by Ritt) from crossbows to avoid (3) the floor-pres-
verifying repairs are to be conducted on the sure alarms.
surveillance system. Monsieur Gerard is at
reception as part of the staff. He says he will 9. Amazing Jenny cuts the (5) alarm wire
personally take the ‘tech repair’ team to the attached to the painting and removes it from
(1) control room. the wall. She removes the frame, rolls up
the Mona Lisa into a tube and reinstalls the
3. Livingstone accesses the console in the frame on the wall with the replica, which Ritt
control room and, instead of repairing it, gave her.
Deployment

removes the rigged circuit. The cameras will

go black in two minutes. 10. Ritt puts on a pair of antigravity boots,
walks to the glass dome and uses a laser cut-
4. Monsieur Gerard puts the two officers in ter to open a hole in it. He exits to the rooftop.
the control room to sleep. He returns to recep-
tion, saying everything is fine and stalling the 11. Georgina arrives in a helicopter right
above the (2) domed ceiling and drops
Escape

other guards with snacks and card games.

ropes. Ritt maneuvers the ropes so that they
5. Amazing Jenny moves to the hall of the are close to Amazing Jenny (who cannot
Mona Lisa, stealthily avoiding any (4) patrol touch the floor!). She climbs to the helicop-
guards. Georgina fires up the chopper out- ter, and Georgina flies it away.
side and maneuvers it.
12. Livingstone reinstalls the circuit into the
6. Ritt is revealed to be inside the premises console, and the cameras are on again. He
already, dressed up as cleaning staff. He goes to reception and says ‘the job is done’.
removes a Mona Lisa replica from within the Monsieur Gerard leaves the building when
vacuum cleaner. his shift is over.

21
4. The Action
The Referee picks up the Plan and runs the scenes, one by one. This part should
take another hour and a half, with each scene lasting no more than five to ten
minutes of play. A wobbly Dice Stack instils tension.

When to Roll
Example of Play
The Referee tells you when you
should make a roll. Typically, The French Job
this happens when your crew- Amazing Jenny and Livingstone show up at the

Scene 2
member does something risky reception wearing ‘tech repair’ uniforms, with a
document (forged by Ritt) verifying repairs are
(like climbing a smooth surface to be conducted on the surveillance system.
or fighting someone). Follow the
JENNY: Good evening. We’re the tech repair unit.
Referee’s lead. There’s been a reported failure in the surveillance
system. [Holds up a document certifying repairs.]
Actions
GUARD: Yes, we received a phone call a few min-
Simple actions automatically utes ago. Please show your credentials. [Inspects
succeed. More complicated ac- IDs and the document.]
tions are tested by rolling 2d6, REFEREE: Okay, Jenny, make an action roll to see
adding the results. how convincing you are.
GERARD: Oh, this team was here last week for a
On 2–6: the action fails. Impro- routine check. They’re solid. I’ll escort them my-
vise an alternative action and self to the control room.
add dice to the Stack (see next
JENNY: May I roll with advantage? Seeing how
page). Gerard intervened on our behalf.
On 7–9: the action succeeds, REFEREE: Sure, sounds good!
but you must take a setback JENNY: [Rolls 3d6: 2, 3 and 6. She discards the
(see page 28) OR add dice to lowest number for a final roll of 9.]
the Stack. Your choice — except REFEREE: You are successful! But you must either
in the Escape stage, when you add one die to the Stack or call for a setback.
must add dice. JENNY: I’ll add one die to the Stack. [The Stack
doesn’t collapse.]
On 10+: the action succeeds.
You may remove one die from REFEREE: The guards buy the story, and Gerard
will now take you to the control room. (…)
the Stack.
Monsieur Gerard puts the two officers in the
Scene 4

control room to sleep. He returns to reception,

Advantage & Disadvantage saying everything is fine and stalling the other
guards with snacks and card games.
Crewmembers get advantage by
GERARD: Now that Livingstone did his thing with
calling a Stunt or using appropri-
the surveillance system, I’m gonna immobilize the
ate gear. The Referee imposes two guards in the control room!
disadvantages whenever fitting.
REFEREE: Fair enough. How, exactly?
Advantage: roll 3d6 and GERARD: I kung fu the shit out of them and tie
ignore the worst result. them to the chairs with their mouths covered.
Disadvantage: roll 3d6 REFEREE: Roll it!
and ignore the best result. GERARD: [Picks up 3d6 (advantage in fighting)
and rolls them: 1, 4 and 5.] That’s a 9!

22
 REFEREE: Success! But you must choose REFEREE: Very well. You’re gonna have to
between adding a die to the Stack or a make two rolls: one for the magic trick and
setback. another to steal the keys. Fail, and the offi-
GERARD: I’ll take a setback. cers will turn against you!
REFEREE: Okay! So the guards have been RITT: Fair enough. [Rolls 3d6: 4, 4 and 5.]
immobilized, but Livingstone left a screw- That’s a partial success! I choose to add a
driver on top of the table. You now return die to the Stack.
to the reception, saying the team will take REFEREE: Okay, the magic trick works, and
another 20 or so minutes with the repairs, they’re buying your story. But you have to
but all is good. Let’s move on to the next make another roll for stealing the keys.
scene.(…) RITT: Arghhhhh… [Rolls 2d6: 6+6.]
Ritt is waiting for Jenny and uses a blow- REFEREE: PERFECT! You steal the keys,
Scene 7

torch to cut through the reinforced doors they move on and you have access to the
to the Mona Lisa hall. (The cameras should Mona Lisa hall. You can now try to remove a
already be black by then!) die from the Stack!
REFEREE: You’re in a large hall with a tall
ceiling and round pillars. The marble walls
are covered in Renaissance paintings, but Dice Stack
it’s all dark. You see no one.
RITT: I pull out the blowtorch and fire it up. During the game, you will be asked
Jenny, confirm that the camera in the cor- to form Dice Stacks. Each stack
ner there is turned off! starts with zero dice — the only
exception is the first Stack of the
REFEREE: Did you guys bring safety goggles? game, which starts with a total of
JENNY: Oh! OHHH! NO! dice equal to the Heat from the
REFEREE: Roll with disadvantage, then. setup scenes. The only rule for
Good luck! stacking is that you cannot touch
any dice already on the stack.
RITT: [Rolls 3d6: 2, 4 and 6. Ignores the
highest number for a final roll of 6]. As the heist moves forward, the
stakes become higher and the
REFEREE: That’s a failure! The blowtorch is stress ramps up. The Dice Stack
broken. Not only that, but remember those represents tension or pressure,
officers from the control room? YOU HEAR the accumulation of errors and
THEM COMING WITH FLASHLIGHTS AND anxiety.
TASER GUNS! They’ve freed themselves
using the screwdriver. First Stack: the heist starts with
little tension, so whenever you are
JENNY: Shit! I’m gonna climb a pillar and asked to place dice on the Stack,
hide in shadows. you add only one die to it.
REFEREE: Sure, roll it. Second Stack: when the first
JENNY: [Rolls 2d6: 5 and 6.] That’s 11! Stack collapses, reset the Stack
REFEREE: Excellent, an effortless climb. and start a new one with zero
You may remove a die from the Stack. dice. However, from now on,
whenever you are asked to place
RITT: Wait, wait! Do these officers have the
dice in the Stack, you must add
keys to the door we just tried to blowtorch?
two dice to it.
REFEREE: Oh, good idea! That does make If the third Stack
Third Stack: exactly does not collapse,
sense! Let’s say they do.
as before, but you
RITT: In that case, I’m gonna put on the must now add three the crew is victorious
cleaning uniform, pull out a deck of cards dice to the Stack. and can enjoy their
(because of my Stunt), and perform a mag- If this Stack falls, spoils on some tropi-
ic trick. I wanna steal the keys. Jenny is on the game ends. The cal island on the oth-
the lookout in case something goes wrong. crew is caught, and er side of the world,
the Referee gets to with umbrella mojitos
narrate a suiting end. and Cuban cigars.

23
No
players
beyond
this
point

24
REFEREES
ONLY!
25
5. Refereeing
The Job
Here you will find general guidelines to referee The Job. Ultimately, use your own
judgement and common sense. If you don’t like something, change it. Don’t let
the rules stop anyone from having fun, you included.

The Brief The Preparation

Create a Brief before the session After handing out the Brief, you just sit
starts. The Brief must include back and let the spotlight shine on the
players. Your job here is only to pay
(1) an object to steal,
attention to whatever ludicrous Plan
(2) the location where the object can they are brewing, and to take notes on
be found, potential, unexpected trouble you may
throw at them. Visualise the Plan, the
(3) a budget and
locations and what might go south so
(4) six complications. you can use them later on.
See chapter 7, Creating Briefs, for more If players ask you to refine certain de-
information. When the session starts, tails (‘How big is the location?’, ‘Exactly
slide the Brief to the players and allow how many guards are there?’), you can
them to prepare the Plan. intervene and reach a consensus with
them to establish these details.

You will need to improvise. Make sure you are comfortable with it.
Give details about the physical space the players are in, what they see, what they hear,
what they smell, how tall the building is. Ask for rolls whenever it feels natural. Make
use of setbacks and add interesting complications to the scenes, making them come
to life with details that create tension and force players to make tough decisions.

26
The Action
Pick up the Plan and run the crew through the scenes they devised. Breathe life
into them by adding details and establishing an image of the environment. Don’t
shy away from asking the players for help — ‘What colour is the building?’, ‘What
does it smell like?’

Running Scenes
Interact with the players to
make the scenes come to life.
Ask them to ‘worldbuild’ as
much as you want.

Each scene should not take

longer than 5—10 minutes of
play. Push the game forward
at a steady pace.

Ask for rolls whenever crewmem-

bers do something risky, even if it is
spelled out in the Plan. Disarming an
alarm, hacking a computer or putting
a guard to sleep are all risky.

In each scene, you should ask

for an average of two rolls. Don’t
make crewmembers ‘overroll’.

as Dice Stacks Speed

You may add unexpected trouble
heis t, but don ’t
you see fit during the The first Stack will most likely take
intro duc e it only if it com es
sweat it — some time to collapse — maybe
rally. Perh aps a doo r clos es in 4, 5 or 6 scenes. This is fine. Don’t
natu
by-
front of the crew; a vault is boo get stressed about it. The second
doe sn’t wor k prop erly.
trapped; a key and third Stacks will definitely
e min or, trivi al trou ble to mak e collapse much more quickly, so
Generat
the story more interesting. you should probably aim at hav-
ing the crew assemble the third
Dice Stack in the last two or three
Use setbacks cleverly and when play- scenes.
ers least expect them. Setbacks exist
to add unpredictable elements to the In sum: the game starts slow-
fiction and move the story forward by ly, but the end is designed to be
forcing players to deal with unexpect- abrupt and tense.
ed trouble. Use them throughout the If you’re already in scene 6 or 7
heist. Find out more on next page. and the first Stack did not collapse
yet, ask players for more rolls.

27
Player Rolls
Your job as a Referee is not only to
breathe life into the scenes but also to
intervene whenever players make rolls
since these can potentially alter the
crew’s fictional positioning. Rolls have
three possible outcomes: Setbacks
Setbacks are problems that come
ACTION SUCCEEDS (10+) back to haunt players in subsequent
scenes. When a player chooses a set-
The crewmember does exactly what back, you must hint that ‘something
they intended. Narrate how they is off’ — but nothing else happens for
achieved it or ask the player to do so. now. Later on, use these hints to intro-
Move the story forward as planned. duce unexpected trouble into future
The player may remove one die from scenes.
the Stack, but if the Stack falls, this
counts as a collapse! A typical setback would be a play-
er getting injured — ‘As you climb
or the wall, your feet slipped, but you
moved on’. Later in the heist, ‘Re-
member that climb? YOU ARE AC-
TUALLY BLEEDING!’ — roll with dis-
YES, BUT… (7–9)
advantage now in all physical tasks.
A roll of 7–9 can result in adding a
Another example could be ‘As you
die to the Stack OR in a setback, an
try to handle all the ravenous dogs
unforeseen complication that you
in the yard, one of them runs off
must hint at immediately but only use
into the building’. Later in the heist,
further along in the heist. It may take
‘Remember that dog? HE IS NOW
a few games to properly master the
HERE, BITING YOU!’ — roll to deal
setbacks procedures, but once you do,
with this.
this easily becomes the funniest as-
pect of play. Another one could be ‘As you hack
the surveillance system, you no-
or tice a strange glitch in the screen’.
Later in the heist, ‘Remember that
glitch? THE CAMERAS ARE WORK-
ING, AND THE FBI IS HERE NOW!’
ACTION FAILS (2–6) — how do you want to deal with it?
The crewmember does not accomplish The most crucial aspect of refereeing
what they wished. Narrate why. When a heist is choosing a fitting setback
this happens, the player must add dice and skillfully introducing it in the story
to the Stack and immediately impro- later. Allow players a few scenes to
vise an alternative method/scene to ‘forget’ about the setback and then
deal with the situation. This will gener- make it appear when they least expect
ate more dice rolls, which risk adding it. Write the setbacks down as they
extra dice to the Stack. occur so that you have a list to pull
from further in the heist.

28
 REFEREE FAQ
How to deal with setup scenes How to run combat
Your only job is to ask each player what their When NPCs appear in a scene and come up
crewmember does and what they want to ac- against the crew, your job is to describe them
complish. These scenes exist to set the tone and their behaviour. Then ask players what
and create logical conditions for the heist to they wish to do. This may include brawling,
occur as planned. You can always refuse a shooting, fast talking, fleeing and anything else
setup scene, but in general, just go with what the players can think of. Whatever they do, call
the players are imagining. Then decide if the for action rolls.
scene brings Heat or not. If it does, add an • On a success: the crew’s plan succeeds.
extra die to the initial Dice Stack. This could be eliminating a target entirely,
which would remove them from the game.
Can I refuse scenes from the plan? • On a failure: take the opportunity to de-
You can suggest changes to any scene in the clare an action on the NPC’s behalf — this
Plan. But you should try to work with the play- could be immobilizing a crewmember or
ers’ vision. After all, it’s their heist, not yours! eliminating them entirely! Ask the player
Ask for links between scenes if they’re not what they want to do about it; if they fail
evident to you and adjust the Plan if needed. their roll again, the NPC’s action succeeds.
Remember that players are encouraged to
worldbuild as much as possible. If you are Injuries
unsure about the logical sequence between If a NPC injures a crewmember, carry on play-
scenes or what a scene is describing, talk to ing as usual, but you can give that character
the players and reach a compromise. disadvantage in all tasks that involve using the
injured body part.
Theatre of the mind
This game uses ‘theatre of the mind’ roleplay. Allow crewmembers to improvise
Think cinematographically. Don’t get tied by
During a heist, things can go wrong, and the
trying to achieve architectural realism. Vague-
crew can deviate from the Plan. Let them. Par-
ly describe the locations the crew is in, asking
ticularly let crewmembers who are not in a giv-
the players for help if needed; a few details
en scene intervene if there’s a logical reason.
are more than enough (the ceiling is high, the
Adding more chaos makes the heist fun. The
floor is slippery, the walls are pink). Run the
more the crewmembers intervene, the higher
scenes as per the Plan and have the players
the chance they have to keep adding dice to
roleplay them out — rolls will generate unpre-
the teetering Dice Stack.
dictability and gameplay. Don’t be afraid to
abruptly cut to the next scene, possibly in a What happens if the stack falls?
different part of the location. That is fine. Nothing except for the Third Stack — in which
case, the heist ends! Simply narrate that ten-
How to use gear sion and stress are accumulating and the crew
Ask the player to narrate what their crew- is becoming nervous and edgy. Alternatively,
member wishes to accomplish with the piece you can escalate the situation by adding im-
of gear. Then ask them to make an action roll. mediate, unforeseen trouble to the scene or by
You may decide whether they receive advan- introducing a setback from a previous scene.
tage or disadvantage depending on how they Up to you. Whatever you deem more appropri-
use it. ate to the scene in which the Stack collapses.
Player facing Setbacks in the last scenes
The Job is player facing, which means only Players cannot choose a setback in the Escape
the players make rolls, not you. They make all stage of the heist, because there are not sub-
the rolls. sequent scenes to use them in. Simply have the
player add dice to the Stack.

29
30
6. The Escape
Success Failure
If the Stack does not fall a third If the third Stack collapses, the heist is over.
time, the crew is successful. The game either stops right then, or you
They’ve pulled it off! The heist may use the rules below to narrate a chaot-
is done, and they can now enjoy ic escape.
its spoils. Each player gets to
narrate one last scene for their • The crewmember who made the Stack
crewmember. collapse is caught. That’s it. Game over.
• All other players have exactly one min-
ute to write down on a piece of paper
what their crewmember will do. What-
ever they do, it must involve at least
one other crewmember. Players cannot
talk to each other during this phase.
When the time is up, players reveal their
writings. They now have exactly three min-
utes to work out a logical story based on
what they’ve written. Select one player to
be the group’s spokesperson.
When the time is up, the spokesperson ex-
plains the Escape to the Referee, who com-
pares it to the notes. If the Referee finds
inconsistencies, they may send any crew-
members to jail. If the Escape and the notes
are consistent, all crewmembers escape.
They are free to plan the next heist.

31
7. Creating Briefs
To create Briefs, all you need is an object, a place, a budget and a list of six
complications. You can prepare a session of The Job in 5 minutes.

The Object The Place

Think bold. Real-life objects are usu- Think about known places that are
ally more appealing, but it’s your call. connected with the object chosen.
Use these examples for inspiration: a These include famous museums and
famous painting or art object, precious art galleries, national banks, diamond
stones of renowned value, a hoard of stores, casinos, high-end laboratories,
gold bullion, a top-secret document, a storage buildings or residences of
historical object of incalculable value. big-time celebrities. You can also try
You cannot go wrong with the Mona moving transports like yachts or trains.
Lisa, Tutankhamun’s mask, Cardinal We recommend that you use places the
Mazarin’s diamonds or a giant stash of players know so that immersion is easier.
gold bars.
s of real-
net for brochure
Search the inter t. Gi ve them
print them ou
life places and e Br ief so th ey can
th th
to the players wi tills a se ns e of real
. This ins
pinpoint scenes ag ine and
es to better im
location and serv .
enes
give life to the sc

The Budget
By default, the budget should be right around $250,000. You can make it less
if you want a low-resource heist, or more if you wish your players to go full-on
beast mode with all the latest tech trinkets. Ultimately, it’s up to you. You can
even prepare a heist in which the crew can only use common gear if you think
that sounds fun.

32
The Complications
Come up with six complications that will make up the heist’s six chapters. Be
aware that your choices must be woven into the Plan. If you select metal detec-
tors, you are probably telling players that the heist is to be performed during the
day, because at night, those would hardly constitute a problem. Consider compli-
cations in relation to the object and the place chosen.

List of Possible Complications

Security cameras Motion sensors Laser sensors

Alarms Reinforced doors Fingerprint-activated doors

Window and door bars Bulletproof glass ‘Impossible’-to-crack vault

Metal detectors Eye-scanner elevators Passcodes that change

every 6 hours

Hordes of guards Military-trained staff Dogs (or tigers)

A crowd of bystanders Heat sensors

33
 EXAMPLE BRIEF

Directed by the Referee

OBJECT PLACE BUDGET

lots of cash (dollar bills) Maddison Square Garden $500,000

34
FAKE FILMS PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MAKE-BELIEVE PICTURES A REFEEREON COLLECTION PRODUCTION A REFERREE FILM LOW-HANGING FRUITS
THE BOSS • THE CON ARTIST • THE BRUISER • THE GENIUS WITH THE ANIMAL HANDLER MUSIC BY THAT DOPE '70S FUNK PLAYLIST
©2023 FAKE FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

COMPLICATIONS
(1) security cameras on all floors, (2) elevator activated by retinal scanner (secu-
rity chief), (3) biometrically locked walk-in vault (director’s fingerprints and club
owner’s voice), (4) massive crowd of spectators, (5) police present everywhere
during the game, (6) heat sensor in the corridor that leads to vault.

35
OBJECT PLACE BUDGET
Imperial State Crown Tower of London $250,000

EXAMPLE BRIEF

FAKE FILMS PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MAKE-BELIEVE PICTURES A REFEEREON COLLECTION PRODUCTION A REFERREE FILM FISH AND
GOLDEN CHIPS THE BOSS • THE PICKPOCKET • THE BRUISER WITH THE CON ARTIST MUSIC BY THAT DOPE '70S FUNK PLAYLIST
©2023 FAKE FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

36
 COMPLICATIONS
(1) surveillance cameras in castle walls and rooms, (2) ravenous dogs in the
moat, (3) horde of tourists visiting the site, (4) King’s Guard present at all times,
(5) bulletproof-glass display with alarm system, (6) snipers on the roof.

Directed by the Referee

37
FAKE FILMS PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MAKE-BELIEVE PICTURES A REFEEREON COLLECTION PRODUCTION A REFERREE FILM AND YOU GET
THE HORNS THE BOSS • THE PICKPOCKET • THE BRUISER WITH THE CON ARTIST MUSIC BY THAT DOPE '70S FUNK PLAYLIST
©2023 FAKE FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

EXAMPLE BRIEF

eferee
by the R
Directed

OBJECT PLACE BUDGET

triceratops skull Natural History $50,000
Museum, London

38
COMPLICATIONS
(1) crowd of happy tourists, (2) children's school-day visit, (3) skull attached to
alarm-triggered high-tension metal ropes, (4) two security personnel at all times
in the Dinosaur gallery, (5) skull weighs 350kgs / 770lbs, (6) metal detectors on
all entrances and exists to Dinosaur gallery.

39
 EXAMPLE BRIEF

40
FAKE FILMS PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MAKE-BELIEVE PICTURES A REFEEREON COLLECTION PRODUCTION A REFERREE FILM MARBLE LIKE
FLESH THE BOSS • THE PICKPOCKET • THE BRUISER WITH THE CON ARTIST MUSIC BY THAT DOPE '70S FUNK PLAYLIST
©2023 FAKE FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Directed by the Referee

OBJECT PLACE BUDGET

Michelangelo’s David private castle in the $200,000
Scottish Highlands

COMPLICATIONS
(1) mine field, (2) wolf pack, (3) elec-
trically charged floor in all rooms when
owner is not present, (4) motion-ac-
tivated alarm system connected to an
elite mercenary unit that arrives in less
than 5 minutes, (5) two black-belt per-
sonal assistants inside the building, (6)
retinal scan–activated door (the owner,
who is NOT present) to private cham-
ber where the statue is.

41
 OBJECT PLACE BUDGET
high-security prison a valuable prisoner $200,000

Get Back t
EXAMPLE BRIEF

42
 COMPLICATIONS
(1) high walls with barbed wire surrounding the entire building, (2) security cam-
eras covering the yard and interior, (3) guards watching over the walls and yard
at all times, (4) metal detectors and security systems at entrances, (5) one hun-
dred other prisoners present, (6) target is locked in cell 12 hours per day.

to Alcatraz
Directed by the Referee

FAKE FILMS PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH MAKE-BELIEVE PICTURES A REFEEREON COLLECTION PRODUCTION A REFERREE FILM GET BACK TO
ALCATRAZ THE BOSS • THE PICKPOCKET • THE BRUISER WITH THE CON ARTIST MUSIC BY THAT DOPE '70S FUNK PLAYLIST
©2023 FAKE FILMS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

43
8. Compatibility
You may use The Job as a side-quest for other games. Imagine you’re a running
a fantasy campaign using a traditional roleplaying game or an OSR (Old School
Revival) system, and the players decide to pull off a heist to steal an object of
interest from a castle, palace or inn. Pull out this rulebook and use it alone to run
that heist, resuming your campaign afterwards. Think of it as a fun minigame to
re-create just the heist, playable in a single session of three hours. You may need
to replace the police with other (less modern) authorities, or alarm systems with
more traps, witnesses and guards, but the system remains usable. Just come up
with six complications and a map, then let the players decide how to go about it.

Converting Characters
One easy way to convert characters
is to check traditional stats and class-
es. For instance, the character who
has the highest charisma could take
the role of the Boss; whoever has
the most strength, probably a fighter,
can assume the role of the Bruiser; a
high-dexterity character like a thief
can easily fit in as the Greaseman; a
Con Artist could be the character with
the most wisdom or an illusionist; a
druid could easily take the role of the
Animal Handler; finally, the character
who has the most intelligence could
take on the Genius. Adjust as you see
fit to accommodate your party.
Then put aside all stats and simply use
the role’s Stunts and the characters’
inventories. Optionally, you may also
allow certain abilities like magic spells;
let players choose them over their
role’s Stunts and make any necessary
adjustments.

44
Budget
If you’re using this system as an inter-
lude of an ongoing campaign, don’t set
a budget. The player characters can use
any gear they have on them as well as
whatever money they have to purchase
additional equipment. Adjust gear pen-
alties and bonuses as you see fit.

Other Games
There’s no one stopping you from apply-
ing this method to whatever game you
might be playing. Science fiction, cyber-
punk or historical characters could also
be converted into the roles of crew-
members. Follow the principles above
and use common sense. Give them a
budget and let them decide what to do.

45
The Plan
Codename:

Who:

Budget Where What

The Job
INFILTRATION

1.

2.
DEPLOYMENT

3.

4.

5.

6.
 Setup Scenes

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.
EXECUTION

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.
ESCAPE

12.

Was the Job Successful?

YES NO KINDA?
 This work is licensed under a Creative Com-
mons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:

Share, copy and Adapt, remix and Release new Briefs

redistribute build upon the for The Job, even
the material in material for any commercially.
any medium or purpose, even
format. commercially.

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Attribution: you must give appropriate
credit (Example: [Your Work] is based on The
Job by Andre Novoa, published by Games
Omnivorous).

You may do so in any reasonable manner

but not in any way that suggests the licensor
endorses you or your use.

For any reuse or distribution, you must

make clear to others the license terms of
this work. The best way to do this is with
a link to the license web page, as well as
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indicating if changes were made.

❖
This book was designed with the Open Sans 9/11
and the Gasoek 27/32 specimens. All the art
collages were designed using photography under
public domain generously scanned and freely
shared online by museums around the world.
You’re after the good
stuff. Gems, diamonds,
gold bullion, a Picasso
painting, Fabergé eggs,
the Queen’s crown.
Nothing short will do.
You live fast, think fast
and move fast.
THE JOB is a tabletop role-
playing game. In conventional
RPGs, winning or losing is
irrelevant. This game, however,
has a clear objective: to pull off
a heist. You either do it, or you
don’t. The game is played in
two phases, Preparation and
Action. In the first phase,
players devise their master
Plan. In the second, they put it
into action and discover how
(ill-)prepared they were. This is
played with a teetering dice
stack that may fall with any
failed action, potentially com-
promising the entire heist.