Modos 2 vs Storypath Ultra
Compare Modos 2 and Storypath Ultra side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Modos 2 | Storypath Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Tags | Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Classless, Character Building, Tactical, CC-Licensed Rules | Toolkit, Modular, Hackable, Investigation, Social Intrigue, Narrative, Classless |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | 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 | High | Medium |
| Availability | Free core rules | Paid |
| Runnability | 4 of 5 book tools | 4 of 5 book tools |
| License | CC BY 4.0 (Rules Catalog only); all other material all rights reserved | Proprietary (third-party license pending) |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Michael Terlisner | Onyx Path Publishing |
| Year | 2018 | 2026 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | 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. | 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 | 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. | 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 | 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. | 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. |