For anyone who is a fan of the 1985 TV series MacGyver, well, I have something for you!

This is more of an idea on how to play a team of international troubleshooter who seek to help people though non-violent means. Imagine the A-Team who dealt with problems without killing anyone, despite having guns, but in this case, they have no guns. There will be some combat, but it would be defensive and mostly martial arts. The bad guys (and even allies) will bring guns to the action, but it is up to the heroes to keep them from using them.

This is a thinking-man’s game where the player characters are in contrast to the typical stoic, macho ’80s action heroes. They are highly-intelligent, emotionally complex characters. They are not given weapons, cool tech or a fancy ride, but instead, they have to use what is at-hand to get out of a tough spot. Sometimes, all you really need is a Swiss army knife, cigarette lighter, duct tape and a can of WD-40.

The Phoenix Foundation is an independent nonprofit think tank established to help make life better for everyone. Much of what they do is field research and operation in the areas of environmental surveys and clean-up operations, anti-drug initiatives and treatment, medical research, and social programs. To help in the aims of the foundation they maintain special field agents who serve as highly-capable “troubleshooters.” These agents are highly skilled polymaths who are also motivated by the aims of the foundation. They are not lawmen, nor they have any special authority.

You play as civilians working for the Phoenix Foundation, a well-funded, well-connected group who usually works with government agencies from around the world, akin to Doctors Without Borders.

Everywhen rules to consider:

Resolve: Characters are driven emotionally and often haunted by trauma, while combat is less of a focus for adventure.

Credit: Money is seldom an issue for the characters in the show, unless one needs a nickel to make into a makeshift screw driver, so major purchases should be in the background.

Arcane, Faith and Psionic: While the show was largely temporal, it dabbled into the supernatural. Mind you, not the best episodes so you loose nothing by ignoring the weird parts.

Character generation: As per Dogs of WAR rules, but characters only get 2 points for Combat Abilities and no one is required to get a rank in soldier.

Standard gear: Passport, multi-tool pocketknife, cigarette lighter, spending money, company credit card, personal effects (clothing, wedding ring, driver’s licenses, pocket change, etc.), any tools that are related to one’s specializations (medical bag for a Medic, muscle car for Wheelman, etc.). Optional gear: Any tools and field kits required for the job; company car.

Mission Points: While this is still used to pull strings and use clout, the Phoenix Foundation not is some clandestine organization that will send in an extraction team or a briefcase full of Benjamins, nor would the foundation appreciate agents misappropriating their resources or ruining their good name.

Enemies: While the goals of the foundation are noble and a benefit to humanity, their mission often step on the toes of more unscrupulous groups, such as criminals, major polluters, politicians, the major gun lobby, etc. (while not trying to get “political” with this, I cant help but to incorporate the political backlash the show got back in the day due to its anti-gun and pro-environmental stance)

While the Department of External Services, or D.X.S., started off as the government agency MacGyver initially worked for, but as the series progressed, they become more antagonistic. In fact, they are the perfect analogue for the C.I.A. – a government agency infamous for “spreading democracy” by helping to overthrow governments and becoming king-makers for “pro-democracy” authoritarian dictatorships, drug lords and future terrorists. So yeah, they maybe good sometimes, but most of the time they would be working against the goals of the foundation with their Cold War era mentality.

Homicide International Trust, or H.I.T., are an international fraternity of assassins and contract killers from around the world to carry out their contracts. The less the players know about the organization, the better... and more mysterious.