Cypher System vs Savage Worlds
Compare Cypher System and Savage Worlds side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cypher System | Savage Worlds | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Narrative, Low-Prep, Exploration, Cinematic, Collaborative, Theater of the Mind, Roleplay-Heavy | Cinematic, Fast-Paced, Tactical, Pulp Action, Combat-Heavy, Heroic, Miniatures |
| Core Mechanic | GM sets difficulty 1–10, multiply by 3 for target number. Players spend Effort to reduce difficulty. | Roll trait die + wild die (d6), keep the highest. Target number 4. Raises every +4. |
| Dice | d20 | d4–d12 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Community | High | Medium |
| License | Cypher System Open License | Savage Worlds Adventurer's Guild |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Monte Cook Games | Pinnacle Entertainment |
| Year | 2019 | 2018 |
| Best For | GMs who want minimal prep and players who enjoy spending resources to shape the story. | Fast-paced pulp action across any genre. Great for large groups and mass combat. |
| Highlights | Very easy GM prep, flexible character descriptors, XP for discovery | Fast resolution, genre-flexible, handles large groups well |
| Considerations | Players track most complexity, limited tactical combat, can feel same-y | Exploding dice can produce extreme variance in outcomes, setting books vary in depth — some provide minimal mechanical content beyond a genre frame |