Cypher System vs Modos 2
Compare Cypher System and Modos 2 side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cypher System | Modos 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Narrative, Low-Prep, Exploration, Cinematic, Collaborative, Theater of the Mind, Roleplay-Heavy | Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, Open Source |
| Core Mechanic | GM sets difficulty 1–10, multiply by 3 for target number. Players spend Effort to reduce difficulty. | 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 | d20 | d20 |
| Complexity | Low | High |
| Accessibility | Very High | Very High |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | Cypher System Open License | CC BY 4.0 (Rules Catalog only); all other material all rights reserved |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Publisher | Monte Cook Games | Michael Terlisner |
| Year | 2019 | 2018 |
| Best For | GMs who want minimal prep and players who enjoy spending resources to shape the story. | 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 | Very easy GM prep, flexible character descriptors, XP for discovery | 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 | Players track most complexity, limited tactical combat, can feel same-y | 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. |