OpenQuest
3rd EditionCore Mechanic
Roll d100 equal to or under a skill percentage to succeed. Doubles on a success (11, 22, 33) are critical successes; doubles on a failure are fumbles. Modifiers apply in meaningful increments of ±20% or ±50% only. Opposed tests have both sides roll, with the highest successful roll winning. Fortune points allow rerolls and can prevent character death.
Best For
Groups wanting a streamlined D100 fantasy system that retains the feel of classic BRP — deadly combat, three distinct magic systems, and percentile skills — without hit locations or fiddly modifiers.
Highlights
Three magic systems — Personal Magic, Divine Magic, and Sorcery — each with distinct mechanics and progression. Simplified modifiers (±20% or ±50% only) reduce bookkeeping without sacrificing impact. Social combat subsystem handles fast talk, oratory, and intimidation with mechanical structure. Full SRD released under CC BY 4.0, which has spawned commercial derivatives like Jackals (Osprey Games).
Considerations
No hit location system — groups wanting granular wound tracking should look to Mythras or RuneQuest. Low hit point totals make combat swingy from single lucky or unlucky rolls. Non-human character options (Ducks, Elves, Dwarves) are optional rules only.