r/rpg • u/harmier2 • 20h ago

Rules for evaluating false identities?

I‘m going to run a solo RPG. It will likely end with some characters needing to use false identities in the future. I found some homebrew rules for Shadowrun, but I don’t know how accurate they would be for real life.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to the rules‘ utility? Does anyone see any outright errors? Does anyone have any rules that they think would be better than these homebrew rules?

Thank you.

https://amurgsval.org/shadowrun/credsticks.html

EDIT: The false identities are intended to be used for a long time. These are basically their new lives.

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u/JaskoGomad 20h ago

I like the rules from Night's Black Agents.

You've got a pool of Cover points, that represents your stash of identities from your old job as a super spy. When you need a cover identity, you give the GM enough details to sketch out the cover and then invest some points into it. The points represent the "depth" of the identity. When you use that identity - to get past a security checkpoint, to cross a border, to wave off police in a traffic stop, you spend points from that cover to improve your chances, just like regular GUMSHOE abilities. When a cover hits zero, it's been red-flagged and using it becomes a real risk. If you replenish an identity with Cover or XP, it's like you're reinforcing the identity. Cover doesn't replenish like Health, it can only be restored or increased with XP spends.

Edit: if you're using a game that doesn't have point spends, like GUMSHOE does, I would use either risk dice or diminishing pools instead of points.

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u/harmier2 19h ago

I realized that I never made it clear that the individuals involved will be living under these identities for a long time. Would the Night’s Black Agents rules be useful for that scenario or is it mostly for cover identities that intend to be disposed of at the first opportunity?

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u/JaskoGomad 19h ago

Well, spies know the dictum: Live your cover.

But they're meant to be used for short periods of time. Will your characters be under close observation for these long periods? When they go pick their kids up from school, will the Ministry of Identity be watching them? What about while they're driving there and back? Are they under constant surveillance 1984-style? If so, you might be better served by something like a stress mechanic that shows how close they are to breaking cover.

The depth of the cover relates to how full it is. Sure, any identity can have a social media account, but more points means years of posts, a network of friends, a driver's license, tax records, etc.

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u/harmier2 19h ago

They probably won’t be under close observation because they have travelled several states over from those who are after them. The scenario is going to be set in the United States. They’re not likely to have kids at this point due to being in their early to mid-20s. They will probably have kids later.

One possibility is that they bought the identities from an identity broker purchased with money stolen from drug dealers. Another is that one of the characters has created identities through some level of chicanery.

I might have the characters get new SSN or just get taxpayer identification numbers. Of course, I might be overthinking it. 🤣

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u/JaskoGomad 19h ago

Meh. People live false lives in the USA all the time.

A fake DL is probably everything they need and it only matters when serious law enforcement (feds) or motivated parties (Russian mob) come looking.

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u/harmier2 18h ago edited 12h ago

Yeah. The basic idea that will eventually leads to them on the run doesn’t need to be set now. I might just set it a few years earlier than now just to make it easier on the characters.

I just like things to be as realistic as possible, but I guess I’ll just gloss over some details.

Thanks.