Cypher System vs Storypath Ultra
Compare Cypher System and Storypath Ultra side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cypher System | Storypath Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Tags | Toolkit, Modular, Character Building, Player-Only Rolls, Theater of the Mind, Low-Prep, Strong GM Support, Narrative | Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Investigation, Social Intrigue, Narrative, Classless |
| Core Mechanic | The GM rates each task from 1 to 10 and multiplies that difficulty by 3 to set the 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 the relevant stat Pool after Edge reduces the cost. | Roll a pool of d10s equal to Skill + Attribute. Each die showing 8+ is a hit; 10s count as two hits. Add Enhancement (bonus hits from gear, abilities, or circumstances). Spend hits to meet the difficulty, buy off Complications (side effects attached to the roll), or purchase Tricks (extra effects like knockdown or critical hits). Failed rolls generate Momentum, a shared pool players spend for bonus hits, to turn failures into successes, or to introduce story facts. |
| Dice | d20 | d10 dice pool |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Accessibility | Very High | Medium |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | Cypher Open License 2026-07-15 | Proprietary (third-party license pending) |
| 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 | Onyx Path Publishing |
| Year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups building genre-spanning campaigns who want broad character customization, player-facing resource decisions, and little mechanical preparation for the GM. | Groups who want a genre-agnostic d10 dice pool engine with dedicated subsystems for action, investigation, and social intrigue: especially those building their own setting or adapting existing Storypath games. |
| Highlights | Player-only rolls keep the GM focused on adjudication and scene management. Descriptor, type, and focus choices support broad customization across multiple genres. One-use cyphers continually rotate situational abilities through play. | Three distinct play modes (action-adventure, investigation, and influence) each with dedicated mechanics. Complications and Tricks give every successful roll narrative texture beyond pass/fail. Momentum turns failed rolls into a shared resource that keeps the story moving. Modular building-block systems (powers, heists, vehicles, crafting, large-scale combat) plug into any game. |
| Considerations | Players manage Pool spending for abilities and Effort, so pushing a roll competes with other resource uses. Abstract distances and level-based NPCs leave many tactical details to table rulings rather than map procedures. The broad toolkit asks the GM to select genre modules and character options before play. | No included setting beyond three short examples: groups must build or adapt their own world. No free quickstart or SRD available. Multiple interacting subsystems (Enhancement, Advantage, bonds, Complications) take several sessions to internalize. |