These simplified rules are designed to remove the intimidating barrier of entry that often accompanies traditional tabletop roleplaying games. By condensing complex statistics into three core attributes and standardizing a single target number for success, new players can focus on the core joys of the hobby—creative problem-solving, collaborative storytelling, and immediate action—without getting bogged down by heavy math or constant rulebook referencing. This approach allows guides to get a diverse group of players rolling dice and engaging with the story in under five minutes, making it an excellent tool for introductory sessions, casual game nights, or playing with younger audiences.
The beauty of this framework lies in its modularity; it can easily be hacked or expanded as the table grows more comfortable. If your players crave a bit more tactical depth, you can easily introduce an armor system that reduces incoming damage, or create specialized class abilities that trigger on a critical success. Alternatively, if you want to shift the tone from heroic fantasy to a gritty survival horror, you can modify the rules by dropping the starting health pool below ten points or introducing a “stress” tracker tied to Mind rolls. Because the core engine relies on a straightforward d20 roll with advantage or disadvantage, you can layer on specific mechanics without breaking the underlying balance of the game.
The Core Rule: The D20 Roll
Whenever your character tries to do something difficult or dangerous (swing a sword, jump a chasm, pick a lock), you roll a single 20-sided die (d20).
- Roll a 1: Critical Failure. Something goes comically or dangerously wrong.
- Roll an 11 or higher: Success! You achieve what you set out to do.
- Roll a 20: Critical Success. You succeed perfectly and get an extra benefit.
The Difficulty Modifier: If a task is exceptionally easy, the Guide might tell you to roll with Advantage (roll two d20s and take the higher number). If it is brutally hard, you roll with Disadvantage (roll two d20s and take the lower number).
Skills represent specific areas of training. Instead of adding extra math, if your character has a relevant skill, you roll with Advantage on the d20 task.
Instead of tracking dozens of complex stats, your character has just three Attributes. Allocate these three scores to your attributes: +2 (Great), +1 (Good), and +0 (Average).
- BRAWN: Strength, toughness, and physical violence. (Add this to rolls for smashing doors, climbing, or melee attacks).
- AGILITY: Speed, stealth, and coordination. (Add this to rolls for sneaking, dodging, or firing a bow).
- MIND: Intelligence, perception, and magic. (Add this to rolls for researching lore, spotting hidden traps, or casting spells).
When you make a roll, simply add your Attribute score to the d20 result to beat the target of 11.
Skills represent specific areas of training. Instead of adding extra math, if your character has a relevant skill, you roll with Advantage on the d20 task.
Brawn Skills
- Athletics: Used for running, swimming long distances, jumping over chasms, or breaking down heavy doors.
- Intimidation: Using physical presence or brute strength to scare someone into cooperating.
Agility Skills
- Stealth: Sneaking past guards, hiding in shadows, or moving silently.
- Sleight of Hand: Picking pockets, palming small items, or unlocking a door with a lockpick.
- Acrobatics: Balancing on narrow ledges, tumbling to avoid fall damage, or escaping rope bindings.
Mind Skills
- Investigation: Searching a room for hidden buttons, tracking footprints, or spotting hidden traps.
- Lore: Remembering historical facts, identifying magical items, or reading ancient ruins.
- Insight: Reading a person’s body language to tell if they are lying or hiding something.
- Medicine: Knowing which herbs stop bleeding or diagnosing a strange magical poison.
When a fight breaks out, everyone rolls a d20 + Agility to see who goes first. On your turn, you can Move and take One Action (like attacking or casting a spell).
Health & Harm
- Every hero starts the game with 10 Heart Points.
- When you successfully attack an enemy, roll a standard 6-sided die (d6) to see how much damage you deal.
- When an enemy attacks you, roll a d20 + Agility. If you roll an 11 or higher, you dodge it. If you fail, the enemy rolls a d6 and subtracts that from your Heart Points.
- If your Heart Points hit 0, you fall unconscious. Your allies have 3 rounds to heal you before you perish.
Resting & Recovery
- Short Rest (Catching your breath): Spend 10 minutes resting to regain 1d6 Heart Points.
- Long Rest (A safe night’s sleep): Fully restores all Heart Points and resets any failed spells.
In this system, all weapons deal a base of 1d6 damage on a successful hit. Their differences come from how they are used (Brawn vs. Agility) and their special combat properties.
Melee Weapons (Uses Brawn)
- Sword & Shield: Deals 1d6 damage. Once per combat, you can block an incoming enemy attack completely.
- Greataxe: Deals 1d6 damage. On a Critical Success (rolling a 20), it deals maximum damage (6) automatically plus an extra 1d6.
- Dagger: Deals 1d6 damage. Easy to hide. You can roll with Advantage when attacking an enemy who doesn’t see you.
- Spear: Deals 1d6 damage. Has reach. You can attack an enemy from one square away without getting close enough for them to hit you back.
Ranged Weapons (Uses Agility)
- Shortbow: Deals 1d6 damage. Standard ranged weapon. Requires two hands to use.
- Crossbow: Deals 1d6 damage. Heavy impact. You get a +1 bonus to your attack roll, but you must spend your Move action to reload it after firing.
- Slingshot: Deals 1d6 damage. Uses small stones found anywhere. Easily concealed in a pocket.
Spellcasters choose three tricks. Casting requires a d20 + Mind roll against a target of 11. If you fail, the spell is marked as “Fizzled” until you rest.
Offensive Spells
- Firebolt: Hurl a ball of flame. Deals 1d6 damage to a target at a distance.
- Shocking Grasp: Touch an enemy to deal 1d6 lightning damage. The target is shocked and cannot take reactions or move until its next turn.
Defensive & Utility Spells
- Mage Shield: Create a shimmering barrier. Gives you or an ally Advantage on the next roll to dodge an attack.
- Healing Touch: Touch a living creature to instantly restore 1d6 Heart Points.
- Telekinesis: Move an object up to the size of a chair with your mind from a distance.
Exploration Spells
- Light: Cause an object or weapon to glow brightly, illuminating dark dungeons for one hour.
- Ghost Sound: Create a fake sound (like footsteps, a whisper, or a dropping coin) anywhere within sight to distract guards.
If your character is a spellcaster, you don’t need to manage spell slots or complex components. You know three specific tricks (e.g., Firebolt, Telekinesis, Healing Touch).
- To cast a spell, roll a d20 + Mind.
- If you succeed, the spell works.
- If you fail, the spell fizzles out, and you cannot cast that specific spell again until you take a rest.