Cypher System vs D6 System
Compare Cypher System and D6 System side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cypher System | D6 System | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Tags | Toolkit, Modular, Character Building, Tactical, Theater of the Mind, Low-Prep, Strong GM Support, Narrative, Character-Driven, Resource Management | Toolkit, Modular, Cinematic, Hackable, Skill-Based, Character Building |
| Core Mechanic | The GM sets a difficulty from 1 to 10. Skills, assets, and Effort ease that difficulty before players roll a d20 against three times the final rating. Effort costs points from the relevant stat Pool, reduced by Edge. | Rate attributes and skills in numbers of six-sided dice, then roll that pool and total it against a difficulty number set by the GM. One die is the Wild Die: a 6 explodes and is rolled again, while a 1 can introduce a complication. Pips give +1 or +2 between full dice, and Character Points can be spent to add dice to a roll. |
| Dice | d20 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Accessibility | Very High | High |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | Cypher Open License 2026-07-15 | Proprietary (licensed from West End Games) |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Cypher Open License | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | Free | $$ |
| Publisher | Monte Cook Games | Gallant Knight Games |
| Year | 2026 | 2024 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups building their own fantasy, science fiction, or modern campaigns who want varied character builds and meaningful resource choices with little mechanical preparation for the GM. | Groups who want one adaptable engine they can take across genres (cinematic action, fantasy, cyberpunk) with modular crunch they can dial up or down. |
| Highlights | Descriptor, type, and focus choices combine into characters with distinct abilities across different genres. Character arcs award experience for pursuing personal goals and resolving their stories. One-use cyphers rotate situational abilities through play and encourage spending them freely. | Attributes and skills are rated in numbers of d6 that you pool, sum, and compare to a difficulty number, so improving a trait literally adds dice. One die in every pool is the Wild Die, which explodes on a 6 to push results higher and can trigger a complication on a 1. Genre Modules for fantasy, cyberpunk, superpowers, and more bolt onto the same core, so one engine spans many settings. |
| Considerations | Effort and special abilities draw on the same Pools, making stronger rolls compete with other resource uses. Blocking reduces wounds while dodging avoids them, requiring players to weigh armor benefits against mobility penalties. Genre options and focus abilities require the GM to decide which character choices fit the campaign. | Large dice pools mean rolling and summing many d6s per action, which slows resolution for highly skilled characters. The breadth of optional modules and rules variants means groups must decide which subsystems to use before play. Character creation allocates dice and pips across attributes and skills, requiring some up-front arithmetic. |