Block, Dodge, Parry vs Cairn
Compare Block, Dodge, Parry and Cairn side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Block, Dodge, Parry | Cairn | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Classless, Skill-Based, Tactical, Inventory Management, Gritty, Exploration, Social Combat, Freeform Magic, Hackable, CC-Licensed Rules | Rules-Light, Classless, Deadly, Dungeon Crawl, Exploration, Inventory Management, Fiction-First, Random Character Creation, Random Tables, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | To resist a sudden danger, roll d20 equal to or under STR, DEX, or WIL; a 1 always passes and a 20 always fails. When a deliberate action's outcome is in doubt, the Warden checks Time, Gear, and Skill. A character with all three succeeds without a roll, and one with one or none fails. With two of the three, roll d6: 4–6 succeeds, 2–3 succeeds at a cost, and 1 fails. Attacks have no hit roll: the weapon die minus Armor reduces HP, and leftover damage reduces STR and triggers a Critical Damage Save. | To avoid a risky outcome, roll d20 equal to or below STR, DEX, or WIL; a 1 succeeds and a 20 fails. Only the participant most at risk rolls an opposed save. Attacks deal damage automatically, reduced by armor and then Hit Protection (HP). Damage beyond HP reduces STR and requires a save against the reduced STR to avoid critical damage. |
| Dice | d20, d6 | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Availability | Free core rules | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 4 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | CC BY-SA 4.0 | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Creative Commons text reuse | Commercial publishing allowed — Creative Commons text reuse |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Dice Goblin Games | Cairn Press |
| Year | 2024 | 2024 |
| Languages | English, Portuguese | English, Finnish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Best For | Groups who want old-school dungeon and wilderness expeditions with gear-driven fights and characters built from past careers rather than classes. Suits campaigns with downtime in settlements, where characters seek out trainers and new skills between adventures. | Groups who want dangerous woodland expeditions where equipment and preparation matter more than optimized character builds. Suits campaigns shaped by exploration and the consequences of encounters. |
| Highlights | Defensive reactions depend on gear: a character's weapon and armor determine whether they can block or dodge an attack and whether doing so costs Fatigue. New skills come from using them, training with a teacher found in play, or studying books, so advancement follows goals the characters pursue in the world. Arcane casters choose how many Magic Dice to invest in a spell, and duplicate results risk Arcane Feedback that damages the caster. | Fatigue occupies the same ten inventory slots as equipment, making spellcasting and hardship compete with useful gear. Dungeon turns and wilderness watches tie exploration choices to events and resource costs. Training and significant encounters can change abilities without an experience-point track. |
| Considerations | Whether a deliberate action needs a roll depends on the Warden judging Time, Gear, and Skill, rather than on fixed difficulty numbers. Fatigue and wounds fill the same ten inventory slots as gear, and a full inventory leaves a character at 0 HP. Raising HP and ability scores normally requires paid training during downtime, so campaigns with little time between adventures see slow character growth. | Automatic attack damage makes direct confrontation dangerous even when characters wear armor. The Warden decides when fictional advantages remove the need for a save instead of using graded difficulty targets. Advancement depends on experiences and negotiated training rather than a predictable level progression. |