Universalis vs We Are But Worms
Compare Universalis and We Are But Worms side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Universalis | We Are But Worms | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Universal | Universal |
| Tags | GM-Less, Narrative, Collaborative, Worldbuilding, Experimental, Hackable, Tag-Based, Resource Management, Improvisation, Low-Prep | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, GM-Less, Freeform Magic, Experimental |
| Core Mechanic | There is no GM. Players spend Coins to add to the story: most statements that establish a Fact, such as a new character, a Trait or an Event, cost 1 Coin. A Complication decides who narrates the outcome of a clash between Components controlled by different players. Each involved player builds a pool of d10s by using relevant Traits for free or buying dice for 1 Coin each. Every die showing 1 to 5 is a Success, and the side with more Successes wins. Winners gain Bonus Coins equal to the total on their successful dice and spend them first to narrate the outcome. Losers gain 1 Bonus Coin per die rolled and narrate with whatever the winners have not cancelled. | The entire game is one word. No dice, no stats, no GM. Playable as a tabletop RPG or LARP. Explores physical embodiment and perspective through the act of play itself. |
| Dice | d10 dice pool | Diceless |
| Complexity | Low | Very Low |
| Availability | Paid | Paid |
| Runnability | 3 of 5 book tools | Book tools not listed |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Third-Party Publishing | No verified route found | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Ramshead Publishing | Riverhouse Games |
| Year | 2006 | 2019 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want to build a setting and story from nothing without a GM, in any genre, and who enjoy bargaining over who decides what happens next. | Anyone curious about the absolute boundary of what an RPG can be: a single-word game about embodiment, physicality, and being a worm. |
| Highlights | Rules Gimmicks are proposed as Tenets for 1 Coin, so a group can add or change rules mid-game the same way it adds story facts. Coins spent defending an established Fact count double when a Challenge goes to bidding, which makes contradicting the shared record more expensive without a referee. Another player can turn an Event into an Obstacle by buying dice against it, so the table supplies difficulty instead of a GM. | Entire game is a single word, playable as tabletop or LARP, zero barrier to entry |
| Considerations | Control of a character does not carry over between scenes, and creating a character gives no claim to it later. There is no prescribed mechanical ending, so a story runs until the players agree it is finished. Every paid Fact is written down so it can be enforced later, which adds steady bookkeeping to play. | No mechanical structure: no dice, no stats, no resolution system, one word of rules text with no GM guidance or scenario framework, single session only, no character creation or advancement |