D6 System vs GURPS
Compare D6 System and GURPS side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| D6 System | GURPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Tags | Toolkit, Modular, Cinematic, Hackable, Skill-Based, Character Building | Crunchy, Simulation, Character Building, Classless, Skill-Based, Modular, Toolkit, Tactical, Grid-Based, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | Roll 3d6 at or below a modified attribute or skill to succeed. Quick contests compare margins of success or failure. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | 3d6 |
| Complexity | Medium | Very High |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | High | Very High |
| License | Proprietary (licensed from West End Games) | SJ Games Online Policy |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Noncommercial only — SJ Games Online Policy |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Gallant Knight Games | Steve Jackson Games |
| Year | 2024 | 2004 |
| Languages | English | English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese |
| Best For | Groups who want one adaptable engine they can take across genres (cinematic action, fantasy, cyberpunk) with modular crunch they can dial up or down. | Groups who want detailed character customization and consistent simulation across different genres. |
| Highlights | 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. | Point budgets let players build characters around chosen strengths and limitations. Optional rules let the GM tune the level of detail for a campaign. Maneuver choices give combatants trade-offs between attacking, moving and defending. |
| Considerations | 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. | Selecting and modifying character traits takes time during character creation. Detailed combat can require several rolls to resolve one attack. The GM must establish which abilities and optional rules fit the campaign. |