Cypher System Revised Edition vs WARDEN
Compare Cypher System Revised Edition and WARDEN side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Cypher System Revised Edition | WARDEN | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Tags | Toolkit, Modular, Character Building, Resource Management, Exploration, Theater of the Mind, Low-Prep, Strong GM Support, Narrative, Character-Driven | Cinematic, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, Exploration, Sandbox, Character-Driven, Grid-Based, Toolkit, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | The GM rates a task from 1 to 10 and multiplies that difficulty by 3 to set its target number. Players roll a d20 and succeed on a result equal to or above the target. Skills, assets, and Effort ease the task before the roll, with Effort paid from a stat Pool after Edge reduces the cost. | Roll a d20 plus a relevant Proficiency and modifiers against a Difficulty Value. A natural 20 or 1 shifts the result one tier, while a result at least 10 above or below the difficulty is a critical. In Conflict, player characters get three Action Points and one Reaction each round. |
| Dice | d20 | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | High |
| Availability | Free core rules | Paid |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 4 of 5 book tools |
| License | Cypher System Open License | ORC License |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Cypher System Open License | Commercial publishing allowed — ORC License |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Monte Cook Games | Ghost Spark |
| Year | 2019 | 2026 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups building their own campaigns across genres who want detailed character choices and frequent resource decisions, with light mechanical preparation for the GM. | Groups who want a tactical, classless system for genre-spanning sandbox campaigns. It rewards a table that enjoys campaign maps, setting alterations, and procedures for custom material. |
| Highlights | Descriptor, type, focus, and optional flavors let players combine broad character concepts with specific abilities. Single-use cyphers continually refresh the powers available during play. Character arcs reward progress toward personal goals, while XP can also buy rerolls and changes to the story. | Classless characters combine Abilities and Feats from three Paths, letting builds develop without fixed classes. Campaign Maps use places, secrets, threats, and clocks to structure an open-ended campaign around player choices. Setting Alterations and Game Warden creation rules provide procedures for adapting the game to a chosen genre. |
| Considerations | Players budget stat Pools across Effort, abilities, and incoming damage. The GM must choose suitable character options and genre rules before a campaign begins. Abstract distances and flexible difficulty ratings rely on consistent table rulings. | Character customization spreads choices across more than 150 Abilities and 500 Feats, so players compare a large catalogue before committing to a build. Conflict procedure is dense: action costs, reactions, conditions, attack penalties, and effect rolls all matter during a turn. Game Wardens are expected to create a campaign map and choose setting alterations before the first session, so the game asks for preparation beyond character creation. |