Cypher System
Second EditionBest For
Groups building their own fantasy, science fiction, or modern campaigns who want varied character builds and meaningful resource choices with little mechanical preparation for the GM.
Core Mechanic
The GM sets a difficulty from 1 to 10. Skills, assets, and Effort ease that difficulty before players roll a d20 against three times the final rating. Effort costs points from the relevant stat Pool, reduced by Edge.
Most actions use one difficulty and a d20 roll. The depth comes from combining character abilities with Pool spending and choosing how to handle wounds and recoveries. Advancement and genre options broaden those choices without requiring every campaign to use the additional vehicle or horror rules.
- Free to tryFull core rulesLegally free as an SRD, PDF, or official web rules
- Get it nowAvailable nowFree to download or read online
- ✓IndexFind any rule by page number
- ✓GM guidanceA chapter on how to run the game
- ✓Examples of playRules shown in action at the table
- ✓Quick referenceCheat sheet or summary tables
- ✓Cross-referencesRules point to each other by page
5 of 5 book tools found in the core book
Highlights
Descriptor, type, and focus choices combine into characters with distinct abilities across different genres. Character arcs award experience for pursuing personal goals and resolving their stories. One-use cyphers rotate situational abilities through play and encourage spending them freely.
Considerations
Effort and special abilities draw on the same Pools, making stronger rolls compete with other resource uses. Blocking reduces wounds while dodging avoids them, requiring players to weigh armor benefits against mobility penalties. Genre options and focus abilities require the GM to decide which character choices fit the campaign.
Third-Party Publishing
Publishers may reproduce or modify Cypher Reference Document text and publish compatible games, settings, adventures, and tools with the required compatibility mark and legal notice; other MCG content, settings, art, and trademarks remain excluded.
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