Risus
Version 2.02Best For
Pick-up games, emergency one-shots, comedy campaigns, or anytime you need a complete RPG in four pages that handles any genre.
Core Mechanic
Characters are defined by Clichés rated in d6s (e.g., Viking (4), Hacker (3)). Roll your Cliché dice vs. a target number or in opposed rolls where the low roller loses a die.
Characters are Clichés rated in d6s, rolled against a target or in opposed contests. That one idea is the entire comedic system, learnable in a minute.
- Free to tryFull core rulesLegally free as an SRD, PDF, or official web rules
- Get it nowAvailable nowFree to download or read online
Not listed
We have not listed this book's reference tools. Very short games are read straight from the page, so there is nothing to look up, and some older entries have not been checked yet.
Highlights
Fits on four pages, broadly universal, character creation takes minutes, completely free
Considerations
Cliché-based resolution can feel one-note over multiple sessions, limited advancement rules, team combat heavily favors larger groups, creating a strong incentive to always combine dice, comedy tone permeates all mechanical language
Rules license Free (non-commercial)
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