Block, Dodge, Parry vs Whitehack
Compare Block, Dodge, Parry and Whitehack side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Block, Dodge, Parry | Whitehack | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Classless, Skill-Based, Tactical, Inventory Management, Gritty, Exploration, Social Combat, Freeform Magic, Hackable, CC-Licensed Rules | Rules-Light, Narrative, Hackable, Mana Points, Freeform Magic |
| 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. | Roll d20 under your attribute to succeed; the face value of a success indicates quality. Positive double rolls (roll 2d20, pick best) and negative double rolls (pick worst) replace flat modifiers. Characters are defined by Groups (species, vocations, and affiliations) which grant advantage on relevant tasks. The Wise class casts miracles by spending HP, with effects triangulated by their groups and wordings. |
| Dice | d20, d6 | d20 + 3d6 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Availability | Free core rules | Paid |
| Runnability | 4 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Proprietary |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Creative Commons text reuse | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Dice Goblin Games | Christian Mehrstam |
| Year | 2024 | 2023 |
| Languages | English, Portuguese | English |
| 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. | Experienced players who want a concise, elegant OSR system that rewards creative play: where freeform character groups replace rigid skill lists and miracles are flexible but costly. |
| 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. | Concise yet deep (~136 pages), Groups system replaces both skills and feats, compatible with old-school modules from 1974 onward, Auction mechanic adds tension to extended contests, miracles system rewards creative description, four editions of refinement |
| 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. | Dense writing requires careful reading: not a quick-start game, assumes familiarity with old-school play, no bestiary or setting included, rare classes may feel underdeveloped |