Genesys vs Storypath Ultra

Compare Genesys and Storypath Ultra side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.

	Genesys	Storypath Ultra
Genre	Universal	Universal
Play Style	Toolkit, Narrative, Career-Based, Social Combat, Modular, Hackable, Character Building	Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Investigation, Social Intrigue, Narrative, Classless
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.	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	Custom dice	d10 dice pool
Complexity	Medium	Medium
Accessibility	Medium	Medium
Runnability	Very High	High
License	Genesys Foundry (community content program)	Proprietary (third-party license pending)
Cost	$$	$$
Publisher	Fantasy Flight Games	Onyx Path Publishing
Year	2017	2026
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 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	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.	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	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.	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.