This was a major break from the d20 games being produced by TSR in 1983. JB:007 gave us game mechanics that took into account the quality results — that a good role would improve the outcome of a skill test or damage committed to a victim by a person or weapon.
Your weapons and cars were individuals, themselves, having different accuracies, stopping power for weapons; different handling characteristics, top speeds, ranges for vehicles. Early on, Victory Games gave us the Q Manual, which outlined the gear from the movies up to For Your Eyes Only. in 1985, I started working on a second Q Manual which eventually wound up on the early interwebs as the Q2 Manual. It’s been pirated and hosted on a variety of sites, but it’s my work. (Just drop a line to Uncle Bear to get the skinny on this.)
It is presented here (unfinished as it always is…) Feel free to print it out, use it, share it. Just give credit where it’s due! Any suggestions, gear I’ve missed, or additions made to it, drop me a comment and I’ll gladly look it over and include it with credit to the author.
Here it is, broken into chapters:
Chapter 2: Vehicles and Modifications
Chapter 4: Drugs and Poisons (still under construction!)
Chapter 5: Computers and Hacking
Here are a few vehicles (a bunch of new Ferraris, the Bugati, and the Bristol fighter) that didn’t make it into the document, and a few new weapons (including my favorite 9mm, the CZ-85.)
Some house rules, including the use of languages and some suggestion on making Fields of Experience useful.
And here are links to posts for new vehicles and weapons:
The vehicles: Mercedes SLS AMG, Maserati A6GCS, the superlative Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Burn Notice‘s 1973 Dodge Challenger. Here’s the new Marine fighting vehicle, the Oshkosh M-ATV.
For the motocycle fans, here’s the Moto-Guzzi V7 Cafe Classic.
For the gun bunnies: a selection of Spetnaz gear, including the tasty GM-94 grenade launcher. For those needing to take on bears, or compensate for feelings of inadequacy, the S&W 500, and something a bit more reasonable for undercover work, the Kimber Ultra CDP II in 9mm.
The Black Campbell 
14 July, 2010 at 21:34
Hi Scott
Just found your website and love the stuff for the James Bond RPG. I love the game and I am going to be revisiting my campaign with my game group very soon.
I’ve downloaded all your articles (great job) and have two questions…
1) Any chance you might be able to complete “Chapter 4: Drugs and Poisons”?
2) Could you explain to me how you figure the Cruising Speed of vehicles? I can’t find the relevant info anywhere?
BTW – I’ve got some articles you might be interested in on the game and I can also let you have a copy of my homemade character sheets. I’ve also done a Savage Worlds conversion if you’re interested.
Cheers,
Rob
p.s. Will be at GenCon this year. If you’re in the area perhaps we could grab a beer.
14 July, 2010 at 22:06
Thanks, Rob. Unfortunately, I’m in Scotland during GenCon this year; I keep meaning to get out there but life keeps interrupting. I’ve been hoping to finish the drug & poisons section, but I’ve been more locked in on the dissertation research and quick gaming tips/widgets (when I’ve got the time.)
The cruise speed is pretty much guesswork, based on magazine articles and having rest driven some on the vehicles. Good trick is assume it’s about 60% the top speed, give or take. Haven’t played Savage Worlds, yet. Mostly Cortex and Hollow Earth Expedition here. Articles are always welcome.
14 July, 2010 at 22:20
Scott
Understand about your research. If and when you get the time I’d love to see what you come up with on the Drugs & Poison. Thanks for the tip on Cruising Speed. Let me know how to send you articles and I’ll see what I can do.
Cheers,
Rob
14 July, 2010 at 22:40
blackcampbell@comcast.net
Thanks for reading, by the way. I always enjoying hearing from people who like the site. Makes it all worthwhile
30 July, 2011 at 14:57
Hello Scott,
just found this site…
Great job on Q manual 2! I have recently begun GM’ing “James Bond” for a couple of friends and your Q manual will certainly be used! Its great to see people are still interested in this game. I find its game mechanics very simple but effective!…also intelligence role play is a nice change from the standard hack and slash RPG’s out there! Thanks again!!
29 December, 2011 at 09:29
Well, keep your eyes open for more JB stuff this year. I’m working onimprovements to streamline some of the rules, and better incorporate Fields of Experience, etc.
16 May, 2012 at 17:31
My sudden involvement in “Magnum PI” re-runs have got me thinkin what his “james Bond” stats would be. Seeing how my campaign takes place in the early 80’s It could be alot of fun for the players to run into him. Have you ever created “James Bond” RPG stats based on any TV/movie Characters? Thanks!
16 May, 2012 at 17:58
I hadn’t but it would be an interesting thing to do. An upcoming project was going to have a variety of characters that look a lot like characters from the 80s (but copyright reason obviously aren’t.) Magnum, Sonny Crockett, a few others might be fun to do. If you do it before me, by all means let me know and I’ll gladly let you guest post.
None of his attributes would be above 10, and even his good skills should be running higher than a PC of 18. But that’s my opinion and I haven’t watched the show in a while, but I remember him missing a lot with his pistol (save for Ivan, of course.) I think his best skills would be charisma and local customs.
23 May, 2012 at 10:53
well Scott, I have watched the first four seasons of Magnum and I think i have a pretty good idea of Magnums characteristics. I also did up Higgy, being an Mi6 agent and all. would you be alright with me sending it to you? Thanks!
23 May, 2012 at 11:47
Why not? sent to theblackcampbell at gmail.com
28 December, 2011 at 23:07
Hello Scott,
I just wanted to thank you for all of your hard work on this blog! I especially appreciate the James Bond 007 pages. I used to GM the game when I was in the service and after in college. In fact, with all the new material you have compiled here for the game, I’m going to kick off a new 007 campaign for my college buddies tomorrow. Wish them luck!
Kudos to you!
Bryan
29 December, 2011 at 09:27
Hi, Bryan, and thanks for the kind words. This used to be my absolute favorite RPG system, and I’ve been working on updating it.
Hope your JB campaign goes well and is fun – that’s what it’s all about!
5 January, 2012 at 07:24
Hi Scott,
I´m a spanish guy that love the bond films and the roleplaying game too. I really appreciate the material in your page. I think is a great job. I´m going to revisite the game with some new adventures and your material was very useful to me.
Thanks for keeping this great game alive and sorry for my english.
5 January, 2012 at 07:44
Your English is pretty good, no problem understanding you. I don’t speak Spanish, but I do Italian, do let’s see how close I can get in Spanish:
Gracias y me alegro que estes contento (not sure there) con el material.
5 January, 2012 at 12:17
Very good spanish!! 🙂
I´m working to increase Professions and Fields of Experience, Maybe I can translate it and put the file to download.
5 January, 2012 at 13:58
Thanks! Ive found that I can read all of the romance languages since I learned Italian, and if spoken slowly I can pick up about 50-70% of Spanish, Portguese, and Romanian. My French, however, is attrocious. Id probably get knifed in Paris if I tried to speak it.
If you want input on the professions and fields, you’re welcome to email it to comment on. If it’s good, I’d host it for you here with the appropriate credit to you.
5 January, 2012 at 16:19
Hi again Scott
It’s great to see some more JB 007 RPG aficionados posting on your blog. I hope you don’t mind me mentioning this, but another great site for hosting articles for the JB 007 RPG (and most other espionage RPGs) is…
http://www.modus-operandi.co.uk/
I just thought it would be good for any JB articles to be hosted at multiple sites.
BTW – looking forward to any new articles you post on the game; I’m hoping to re-visit my JB campaign again this year as well.
5 January, 2012 at 22:56
I know modus operandi — have it bookmarked.
There should hopefully be more material coming soon. Been sidetracked with the dissertation, pushing a book out for Cubicle 7, and being ful-time dad to the new kid. If all goes well, big announcement in summer.
6 January, 2012 at 00:14
I can understand how busy you must be but I’m very excited about the “big announcement in summer” statement 🙂
28 July, 2012 at 21:36
So when does the “big announcment” happen? 🙂
28 July, 2012 at 21:48
Pretty soon. Still working out some of the gears and levers.
The project got slowed partly by my kid being more high maintenance than anticipated, and also by my having been picked up as faculty at a local university.
12 December, 2012 at 07:50
Anyone want to take a stab at statting the Daniel Craig version of bond? Thanks for the site! The game rocks and I’m glad people like you are keeping it alive for the rest of us!
12 December, 2012 at 16:47
Thanks for the kind words, Jonathan. Bond is one of my favorite systems, and like the other systems/games we concentrate on here, is one I think has a big enough audience to excuse creating more material for them.
I haven’t written up a new version of Bond, yet, but it’s on the list of stuff to do.
12 December, 2012 at 17:19
Kind of an odd question: I play many RPGs online using a virtual tabletop and Skype for voice communication. Would any GM out there be willing to run a James Bond 007 game online (real-time NOt pbp) where I could be a player, getting to play as 007 himself? I have been trying to find a GM for this for a while.
12 December, 2012 at 20:17
I’ve been trying to find the time to try the Skype for gaming thing with Runeslinger, but he had to go and live halfway around the world (damned, not-flat Earth!) there are others who have used it or Google Hangout (better for multiple callers, but not as stable as Skype or Facetime.
What time zone are you in? That’ll help anyone looking. If you want, tomorrow I’ll post the question on the main page as a post.
12 December, 2012 at 21:13
I am in the U.S. eastern time zone and thank you for your help.
14 December, 2012 at 06:44
Hi Scott! We’re running a Bond campaign and using a lot of your stuff, cudos for all the work you’ve put into updating stuff.
A boring, specific question on experience: According to the rules you pay 30xp times the desired skill level. Is it your understanding that that is per stage. Ie if you have Fire Combat 5 and want to get to 7 would you pay 30*7=210 or 30*6 + 30*7=390?
Cheers
14 December, 2012 at 08:40
It’s my understanding there’s no limit on the steps, but our house rule is you buy up each step (say Evasion from 5 to 7, you would buy the 6 and 7=30×6, 30×7=390.) I limit the players to improving only two steps at a time, personally, unless there’s a valid reason otherwise…like a montage sequence of your intensive training over months or something to the effect.
17 December, 2012 at 01:45
That’s what I thought. I won’t tell our Gamesmaster though. 🙂
17 December, 2012 at 05:39
Ooooooo…bad player! No hero points!
17 December, 2012 at 09:46
Actually, I think the game was always intended that each step should be purchased rather than just jumping to the chosen step in one hit. Gerry Klug discusses the balance of experience point expenditure in “For Your Information”…
“The ratio of 5-to-1 for the cost of increasing a Characteristic Value as compared to a Skill Level ensures that there is no extra cost-effectiveness in raising one over the other. Any tinkering you or your players do with these costs and ratios will violate this balance.”
17 December, 2012 at 12:27
The Git hath spoken! Chuckle…
17 December, 2012 at 13:21
Ahh…indeed…my nickname from my days in the RN has tended to stick 🙂
17 December, 2012 at 13:34
What did you do in the navy? Other than clean stuff?
Army here.
17 December, 2012 at 15:15
Joined in 1988 as a helicopter pilot but, due to illness, was unable to complete the training so I transferred and become a Seaman Officer – trained as Officer of the Watch and Navigator but, after meeting my wife in Canada, left after three years. Moved to Canada in 2001. May have only been in the Andrew for three years but had a great time. Oh, and cleaned stuff 😉
8 February, 2013 at 01:44
Scott,
Id love to play the Victory Games James Bond rpg sometime; I used to play it back in the day. Interested in playing or do you know anyone else who wants to play?
Ian
8 February, 2013 at 07:41
I would be, but it depends on if I can get the time. Between raising my daughter, work, and other commitments, I’m short on time. Also, there’s the how — I’m US Mountain time, so there’s the time zone thing. (Which has kept me from finding a good time to do a bit of game-over-Skype with other readers…damn you, International Date Line!)
8 February, 2013 at 09:54
Scott,
Good to hear from you. I know what you mean….finding time can be tricky. Luckily, I’m just in calif. Pst and I can be pretty flexible. Maybe we could just start with an hour or two session on skype. I’ve got all the old materials to draw up a character and I could refamiliarize myself with the rules (to keep things moving along). Can you email me directly (fergy008@yahoo.com) and we can make arrangements to meet up over skype? Any one else can also contact me if they want to play too.
8 February, 2013 at 10:12
Let me see what I can do. I’ll drop you a line sometime today.
8 February, 2013 at 16:05
Scott,
Please do! I’m looking forward to talking to you. Ian
18 July, 2013 at 18:46
good effort!
19 July, 2013 at 08:41
Thanks. And thanks for looking through the site and joining conversation.
4 February, 2014 at 01:26
Hi!
Question on the draw, the draw is only applicable if a character has shots left in the action round and is fired on by an NPC? That is, the draw is not applicable if a charcter fires on an NPC?
Thanks
4 February, 2014 at 07:25
Right — if you’ve fired or punched, or kicked up to your Speed, you are out of moves, (although I usually allow a character to Dodge, anyway), but if you haven’t popped off all your rounds, you still have a action.
Our house rules usually allow for the use of a Hero Point to react and fire one last time on a situation like the one you described…but that’s me.
4 February, 2014 at 07:33
Excellent service! As always. 🙂
4 February, 2014 at 07:52
We aims to please…if we beat you on an initiative test.
4 February, 2014 at 19:23
Check out the new updated retro clone of this amazing game, it is called Classified. I have it and it is the best Espionage game ever. http://josephbrowning.blogspot.com/
http://www.modus-operandi.co.uk/generic/classified/
13 August, 2015 at 14:19
Scott, just found your site here after researching old, dead RPGs. JB007 has always been one of those that I have loved in concept and execution, but never really got to play when I was younger. I have a huge fascination with dead games (card, board, rpg, etc.) and was lucky enough to pick up a very well kept collection of this one with several modules and the basic boxed set all still in factory plastic from my local game shop. The funny thing is that I have similar Scottish descent and live in NM (Los Lunas just outside Albuquerque) and would love to connect with you on playing this epic RPG. I’m looking to put something together with one of my regular gaming groups, but having an experienced GM and/or player would totally enhance the experience, I think. Drop me a line if you get this in the near future and let’s try to get an adventure going!!!
13 August, 2015 at 14:49
Thanks for the kind words. I am the master of the dead system! JB:007, Castle Falkenstein, Cortex (which is the favorite of our current game crowd.) I’m going to be away for the weekend on a long motorcycle trip in Telluride, but should get back Monday (barring injury), and wouldn’t mind meeting up for a chat. I’ll shoot you an email to the gmail.com addy that was linked to this comment.
Feel free to look around and jump in on the conversations. There’s a bunch of JB fans here.
2 August, 2016 at 18:04
Great work on the Q2 Manual. I was wondering if anyone had any stats for heavier military vehicles like tanks? Even a guideline would be great like force ratings for modern tanks.
2 August, 2016 at 18:28
Not that I’ve seen but it would be an interesting project…they had a Bradley in the original Q Manual, if memory serves…
2 August, 2016 at 18:38
And the answer to the Bradley was “yes.” Page 55, Q Manual. Force on the M113A1 is 9, so you could assume an M1, for instance, would be about 17 Force and 288 Struct.
18 March, 2021 at 22:00
Any guidelines on how to stat vehicles for James Bond 007 RPG? Any advice on converting real world stats into game stats?
18 March, 2021 at 22:34
There’s rules for this in the “Q Manual”, which can be found online, if you cast about. One thing to note is the modification rules probably don’t cut it for the modern electronics on cars, etc.
19 March, 2021 at 09:52
Geez I completely overlooked that! I own a copy of the Q Manual and I see the section you are referring to now. Thank you.
19 March, 2021 at 09:58
Not a problem, man! Thanks for stopping by!