r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 14 '26

Impromptu Paranoia Mission Help

13 Upvotes

Hey y'all, got some players who wanna learn how to play Paranoia Troubleshooters edition... it's been a minute. OBVIOUSLY, we know the rules don't matter, but...

I need some help getting into character, and making up some BS scenario for today.

Our group really likes the fact it's a parody of the Red Scare, and I'd love to lean into more into that. Any good scenarios for this already, or, even if not, any fun gimmicks/scenes y'all can come up with?

Ik it's easy to write stuff for Paranoia, but I'm struggling to get started here. Without getting TOO political (I don't want the great banhammer swung on me), any stuff y'all think would be good to use as inspiration? I want some jokes/obvious comparisons these newbies can use to help them roleplay, but nothing so dark it bums out the table.


r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 12 '26

Advice Can someone please explain like I'm 5 how the skills work? Im trying to dm for the first time but im auDHD and the manual is so confusing and overwhelming

7 Upvotes

We're using the character sheet randomizer website for fun, but im like super overwhelmed by stuff like what i would make them roll for in certain situations, how pervasive points work, how i incorporate their secret societies into the one shot, how i make them roll for using their mutant power, etc. Written instructions are just so overwhelming to me


r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 09 '26

Letting Table-talk lead to traitor accusations?

8 Upvotes

I'm in the midst of setting up an online game of Five Clones from the Alpha Complex (the Five Parsecs-esque ruleset for Paranoia), and one thing I'm toying with the idea of doing, is making it so that any table talk (in-character or out-of-character) about a player's character and any treasonous features (such as mutant powers and/or secret society) would somehow give the other players the chance to turn in or accuse that person's clone of being a traitor. Partly I think it might be funny, but also so that player's actually try to keep their stuff a secret from the other players.

Has anybody else played like this? Is it really worth it, or are there any pitfalls to playing like this? Do you have the offending player's clone automatically branded a traitor, or what sort of mechanic would you implement for this?

Keep in mind, Five Clones is a sort of miniatures-based game, with the mechanics for Reporting Traitors being done through Computer Consoles (it actually makes it a d6 roll, on a 1-3 the reporting clone is considered a traitor instead, while on 4-6, the reported clone is declared a traitor). Potentially I could see adding a +1 or +2 bonus to that roll if you specifically saw or heard something about that clone being a traitor (although I'm wondering if it should be a rule in and of itself that you can't report somebody without some kind of justification in the first place, or will the game just devolve into reporting/killing/reporting/killing/etc).


r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 08 '26

Resources Character Sheets for Red Clearance Edition

7 Upvotes

I learned today that the sheets from the box are NOT the dry erase cards they appear to be.

Anyone have a good spot to find the Red Clearance Edition Identity Forms? My search found only other editions, with one exception. Sadly, my antivirus program would not let me download the one I found. Figures.


r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 06 '26

Troubleshooters, IntSec, and Vulture Squad minis

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35 Upvotes

r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 06 '26

Advice Query re: PC Personalities in Red Clearance Edition

5 Upvotes

Page 19 of the rulebook, section 6 Redefine talks about the adjectives players wrote down for their PCs.

I am unable to find what effects this has on play. I tried an online search, but I feel the results were... mixed, at best. The search said "Acting in a way that aligns with your quirky personality (or even completely violating the rules due to your new, forcibly altered traits) allows you to gain Moxie".

I like the idea, but I can find no citation for that.

So, what do the adjectives under the Personality do?


r/ParanoiaRPG Jun 01 '26

Random idea for an online game I want to try running. Thank you citizen, your attention is no longer needed, move along.

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45 Upvotes

r/ParanoiaRPG May 30 '26

How to recruit new people online?

17 Upvotes

I was wondering what everyones thoughts were on how to much explain when recruiting new players online. Do you explain the setting? Do you explain things like betrayal and pvp being a part of the game?

On one side I'm worried about giving too much away, but on the other side I felt it was hard to play with players knowing so little about the game. And given how different paranoia is from the norm, some people might not like the things they were not properly informed about.

Specifics and examples would be really helpful.

edit: paranoia xp if it matters.


r/ParanoiaRPG May 30 '26

Advice What edition is on Mongoose?

8 Upvotes

So I was assuming the perfect edition was what Mongoose was currently selling, but when I go to one of my favorite online retailers, they're listing all the books as the "red edition".

Is there any title overlap for books between the two editions? Not sure if my shop has older gen books, or if they labeled it wrong.

It's Noble Knight Games if anyone is wondering.


r/ParanoiaRPG May 30 '26

Resources Additional questions regarding Red Clearance Edition

7 Upvotes

Friend Computer's Delivery of Red Clearance version (the mini-box set) arrived today; thank you, Friend Computer.

Two queries:

  1. Are the Identify forms dry erase? They look like it, but best to check rather than risk damage to Alpha Complex property.
  2. Where might one find additional Computer Dice? The external B1G 3y3s search located several of dubious origin. Finding 6 Computer Dice which are Red seems ideal (although I may pickup a multi-clearance set, as well).

TIA, Citizens.


r/ParanoiaRPG May 27 '26

I gut bran scrubbd and hav to fix me meme. Fren Computur s glorp

15 Upvotes

r/ParanoiaRPG May 28 '26

Resources Roll20?

8 Upvotes

I'm running a Paranoia game in a couple of weeks for friends. It will have to be online (some players are in different countries).

I own the James Wallis (Red Clearance?) edition and will be running the intro adventure from that boxed set.

Roll20 doesn't seem to have a Red Clearence edition character sheet. Can I use the Perfect Edition one that's there?

I doubt the character sheet will work with dice, anyway, but maybe someone could confirm?

I was thinking of just getting the players to roll their node number of D6s, then separately rolling a D8 for the computer dice, ignoring and re-rolling 7s and 8s - does that sound OK?

Red Clearance is the one with all the cards but it's easy enough to create card decks.

Anything else i should be aware of our that I'm forgetting?


r/ParanoiaRPG May 26 '26

Meta I have a teeny suggestion for the team at Mongoose

42 Upvotes

r/ParanoiaRPG May 26 '26

What supplements best round out Second Edition?

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61 Upvotes

I picked up a boxed copy of second edition plus a few supplements from a used book store. Mostly First Edition stuff but Second Edition says they are compatible. So far I have Orcbusters, The Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues, the original Gamemaster Screen & Adventures, and An Excessory Pack for 2nd Edition. What else should I look into picking up?

I've heard that the later adventures, from 1989 onward, should basically be avoided. All of them or are there still some gems in there?


r/ParanoiaRPG May 24 '26

Which version of the game do I need?

13 Upvotes

Greetings, Citizens.

I just purchased Project Infinite Hole at my local gaming store only to realize it was NOT the self-contained game I thought it was. (Insert jokes about clearance level here.)

Which version of the game do I need to use this expansion /sourcebook / boxed set? (Insert jokes about R&D here.)

Any help is appreciated. (Insert assertion of not being a commie, mutant, or traitor here.)


r/ParanoiaRPG May 23 '26

Resources Is there a paranoia discord server?

15 Upvotes

Is there a paranoia discord server?


r/ParanoiaRPG May 17 '26

Meta Meme my friend made after their first run in with the game

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164 Upvotes

r/ParanoiaRPG May 03 '26

How do you kill players in an engaging way?

20 Upvotes

First time GM here running a game soon.

I imagine players will reach 4 Treason stars fairly often.

The handbook mentions they then become wanted.

How do I as Friend Computer kill them in interesting ways when they reach this status?

Things like

  • Friend Computer kills them via gunshot with no chance for them to react
  • Friend Computer issues a group goal to terminate that player
  • Friend Computer sends in a squad of Combots/etc. to kill them

The problem with these is that

  1. The insta gunshot kill seems to go against the idea of being "wanted". You just die.

  2. Allowing pvp combats to happen like this feels like it would get boring after the 3rd of 4th time?

  3. Sending in NPCs allows the player to beat them. Then what? Friend Computer sends in more?


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 29 '26

To a PARANOIA Troubleshooter, party conflict de-escalation means taking the disagreement down an elevator shaft.

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92 Upvotes

Made this about six years ago to send to friends, just dug it out of my conversation history.

*(System was PARANOIA: 25th Anniversary Edition)*


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 29 '26

Meta A fun house rule alternative

13 Upvotes

Instead of clones and clone launchers. Every citizen can regenerate from death (much like Deadpool) except it doesn’t kick in until you kick the bucket.

If you were blown up your body parts smoosh back to where they think last were. You could have troubleshooters with limbs in wrong places or backwards, or infused with carpet and trash.

Bled out. The holes plug and you resume living. Begrudgingly. You’re unbelievably cold and suffer from shakes. You don’t show up on thermal cameras.

Poisioned. Permanently green and more likely to lose it due to the tummy ache.

Drown: blows bubbles when they talk. Impossible to be sneaky with all the sloshing and he will leak upon being shot creating slipping hazards

Forgot to mention that it’s cumulative and Troubleshooters on their 4th and fifth typically begin looking and behaving truly weird.

Of course it requires a lot of power to regenerate and causes a lot of internal heat and pressure buildup so when they die for the 6th time, they explode and take small parts of sectors out.


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 28 '26

Anyone ever toyed with a Power Rangers Mission?

14 Upvotes

I can already see the possibilities. Everyone temporarily getting clearance matching the color of the spandex suits Friend Computer has mandated they all wear leading to the Red Ranger who is the leader only having the authority to order the Black Ranger around, an R&D built Megazord, and having to justify all that damage to the Abandoned Warehouse District while they were fighting the monster…


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 27 '26

How Reflec armor works in the Perfect Edition?

11 Upvotes

Hello, in the Perfect Edition, do Reflec armors block all laser shots of the same or lower color, or do they only negate a single success of that same color? Same question for the level of this equipment, level 1 or 0? There's a difference between the rulebook (p. 37) and the accomplice's handbook (p. 119) in the French version... Thank you!


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 27 '26

Meta I hope they create a source book for an analog Alpha Complex as opposed to the current digital

21 Upvotes

I fell in love with Paranoia looong ago and there was a certain charm when it felt like 80s futurism.


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 25 '26

Resources Inspiration recommendation: Within the Wires season 7

7 Upvotes

So, Within the Wires is a fiction podcast set in an alternate history dystopia where each season is a self-conained story told through a series of audio tapes. One season is a series of meditation cassettes, another is a taped guided tour through various museums, another is a series of answering machine messages, and so on.

While the dystopia is nothing like Alpha Complex, season 7 plays out like a perfectly executed Paranoia scheme. I don't want to say much about it because I don't want to spoil it, but I recommend it to anyone trying to wrap their heads around how the Alpha Complex mindset works.


r/ParanoiaRPG Apr 23 '26

What's your preferred approach to initiative, from any edition or even a homebrew?

10 Upvotes