Cypher System vs Risus
Compare Cypher System and Risus side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cypher System | Risus | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Narrative, Low-Prep, Exploration, Cinematic, Collaborative, Theater of the Mind, Roleplay-Heavy | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Comedy, Low-Prep, Narrative, Fiction-First, Freeform Magic, Tag-Based |
| Core Mechanic | GM sets difficulty 1–10, multiply by 3 for target number. Players spend Effort to reduce difficulty. | Characters are defined by Clichés rated in d6s (e.g., Viking (4), Hacker (3)). Roll your Cliché dice vs. a target number or in opposed rolls where the low roller loses a die. |
| Dice | d20 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Low | Very Low |
| Accessibility | Medium | Very High |
| Community | High | Medium |
| License | Cypher System Open License | Free (non-commercial) |
| Cost | $$ | Free |
| Publisher | Monte Cook Games | Big Dice Games |
| Year | 2019 | 2021 |
| Best For | GMs who want minimal prep and players who enjoy spending resources to shape the story. | Pick-up games, emergency one-shots, comedy campaigns, or anytime you need a complete RPG in four pages that handles any genre. |
| Highlights | Very easy GM prep, flexible character descriptors, XP for discovery | Fits on four pages, broadly universal, character creation takes minutes, decades of community support, completely free |
| Considerations | Players track most complexity, limited tactical combat, can feel same-y | Cliché-based resolution can feel one-note over multiple sessions, limited advancement rules, team combat heavily favors larger groups, creating a strong incentive to always combine dice, comedy tone permeates all mechanical language |