Genesys vs Modos 2
Compare Genesys and Modos 2 side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Genesys | Modos 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Play Style | Toolkit, Narrative, Career-Based, Social Combat, Modular, Hackable, Character Building | Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, Open Source |
| Core Mechanic | Assemble a pool of custom narrative dice: positive dice (Boost, Ability, Proficiency) from character ability and skill, negative dice (Setback, Difficulty, Challenge) from task difficulty and circumstances. Roll all dice and cancel opposing symbols: Success vs. Failure determines if the task succeeds, Advantage vs. Threat determines beneficial or harmful side effects, and Triumph/Despair trigger powerful narrative outcomes. All three axes resolve independently, so a check can succeed with complications or fail with a silver lining. | 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 | Custom dice | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | High |
| Accessibility | Medium | Very High |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | Genesys Foundry (community content program) | CC BY 4.0 (Rules Catalog only); all other material all rights reserved |
| Cost | $$ | Free |
| Publisher | Fantasy Flight Games | Michael Terlisner |
| Year | 2017 | 2018 |
| Best For | Groups who want a genre-flexible system where every dice roll generates narrative texture beyond pass/fail, and who enjoy interpreting results collaboratively at the table. | 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 | Every roll produces multiple axes of outcome, creating layered narrative results beyond binary success/failure. Full social encounter rules give non-combat interactions the same mechanical depth as combat. The GM Toolkit provides structured guidance for creating custom settings, species, talents, and gear. Six example settings (fantasy, steampunk, weird war, modern, sci-fi, space opera) included in the core book. | 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 | Requires proprietary narrative dice or the Genesys Dice App: standard polyhedral dice cannot be used without conversion charts. Interpreting multiple symbol types on every roll can slow play for groups unfamiliar with the system. No free quickstart or SRD available. | 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. |