Cypher System Rulebook (2e)

Monte Cook Games

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The Cypher System is the critically acclaimed game engine that powers any campaign in any genre. You may have heard of it as the system that drives the award-winning Numenera roleplaying game. Lauded for its elegance¸ ease of use¸ flexibility¸ and narrative focus¸ the Cypher System unleashes the creativity of GMs and players with intuitive character creation¸ fast-paced gameplay¸ and a uniquely GM-friendly design.

The Cypher System is easy for beginners to learn¸ but offers all the depth¸ nuance¸ and complexity you want. Some people call it a "rules-light" system¸ but it has the power and sophistication of games that are much more mechanically heavy-and yet it is substantially more flexible. GMs find the game easy to prep for and easy to run-it frees up the GM's attention¸ in prep and at the game table¸ to focus on cool¸ creative ideas rather than numbers¸ mechanics¸ and "crunch."

Cypher System characters are built from the concept up. A descriptive sentence provides not just an easily-understood overview of the character¸ but also the mechanical basis for skills¸ abilities¸ and stats. And the Cypher System gives players amazing narrative engagement¸ rewarding player-driven subplots and giving players resources to bear on the tasks and situations they most want to succeed at.

While preparing for their games¸ and at the game table¸ Cypher System GMs spend their time and mental energy thinking up exciting and creative adventures¸ settings¸ encounters¸ twists¸ NPCs¸ and creatures-while spending only mere minutes on numbers and stats. This is in part due to the elegant¸ math-free simplicity of the system¸ and in part because of the "players roll all the dice" approach¸ which shares the mechanical burden with the players.

The Cypher System is amazingly easy to adjudicate. The GM decides how difficult a task is on a simple 1-to-10 scale¸ and the players apply their skills¸ resources¸ and other assets to lower that number-and then they roll the dice. If you can rate a task between 1 and 10¸ you can run the Cypher System-even if your adventure goes in a completely unexpected direction¸ or you've had no time to prep. Of course there's more to it¸ and creatures¸ encounters¸ and special situations can add layers of additional sophistication. But at the heart of it all is that 1-to-10 scale.

And that's it! Virtually everything that makes routine actions more complex is on the players. The GM is the arbiter of what skills¸ special abilities¸ and other assets apply¸ but it's up the the players to bring these elements to bear¸ resolve the final difficulty of the task¸ and roll the dice. This has the dual benefit of increasing the players' narrative engagement and keeping the mechanical work of running the game off the GM's plate.

All the while¸ the GM is focused on running imaginative encounters¸ spinning great adventures¸ and building vivid and memorable campaigns!

Cypher System characters are built with a three-part sentence. You might be a Rugged Warrior who Stands Like a Bastion. A Guarded Adept who Keeps a Magic Ally. Perhaps a Graceful Explorer who Moves Like the Wind. Or a Charming Speaker who Bears a Halo of Fire. Each part of your sentence says something about your character-but also provides some of your abilities¸ skills¸ and stats. They even offer guidance on your connections to other characters in your party¸ creating bonds that can be a foundation for an ongoing campaign¸ or facil