Cortex Prime vs Modos 2
Compare Cortex Prime and Modos 2 side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cortex Prime | Modos 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Narrative, Modular, Collaborative, Toolkit, Roleplay-Heavy, Character-Driven, Tag-Based | Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, Open Source |
| Core Mechanic | Assemble a dice pool from trait sets (attributes, skills, relationships, etc.) rated d4–d12. Roll the pool, keep the two highest for your total vs. opposition, then choose an Effect Die from the remainder to determine magnitude. Plot Points let players add dice, activate abilities, or alter the narrative. Every mechanical element is a swappable mod. | When an outcome is uncertain, roll a d20 and add the relevant Physical, Mental, or Metaphysical attribute bonus, any applicable skill points, and difficulty. The Guide rolls for an opponent or the difficulty. The higher total earns a Pro result, and the lower earns a Con. A tie may be neutral or rerolled. A player can take half instead of rolling or spend a hero point for an extra d6 when their character concept applies. |
| Dice | d4–d12 dice pool | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | High |
| Accessibility | High | Very High |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | Cortex Creator License | CC BY 4.0 (Rules Catalog only); all other material all rights reserved |
| Cost | $$ | Free |
| Publisher | Dire Wolf Digital | Michael Terlisner |
| Year | 2020 | 2018 |
| Best For | GMs who want to build a custom system from modular parts: homebrew designers, genre-mixers, and groups tired of forcing their stories into a pre-built framework. | Groups wanting a genre-flexible, classless campaign toolkit that can scale from simple contests to structured action scenes. It suits a Guide comfortable choosing campaign assumptions and assembling rules modules rather than running a fixed setting. |
| Highlights | Highly modular: 18+ mods for core rules alone, clear writing with worked examples, Plot Point economy creates dynamic give-and-take, powered well-known licensed games (Marvel Heroic, Firefly, Leverage) | The same opposed d20 contest resolves physical, mental, and metaphysical uncertainty, letting a campaign change genres without replacing its basic procedure. Acting on a character's flaw against their goal can earn hero points, turning complications into bonuses for later contests. Numbered rule dependencies and interchangeable modules give groups an explicit process for changing the game instead of relying on unsupported house rules. |
| Considerations | Not playable out of the box: requires significant GM assembly, steep learning curve to understand which mods fit your game, every roll involves choosing which dice to keep plus an Effect Die which slows resolution | Building a campaign asks the Guide to select its theme, curate option lists, set difficulties, and decide which modules apply. Default positioning uses abstract postures and range, so exact measured tactics require the optional Combat Crunch module. Broad skills, custom perks, and reskinnable powers rely on table agreement to keep character options comparable. |