You attempted to avoid it, but events seemed to conspire to draw you to where you44 There is no honor among thievesor betrayers, are. the players to have. 3. 8 Heroic 30 A task that normal humans couldnt consider (but one that doesnt break 9 Immortal the laws of physics). 2. Descriptors also offer a few brief suggestions Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the for how your character got involved with the rest following list of options, choose how you became of the group on their first adventure. Some people call it a rules-light system, but it has the power and sophistication of games that are much more mechanically heavyand yet it is substantially more flexible. In 11 Foul Aura (143) you see after abilities addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier 11 Knowing the Unknown (156) throughout this book abilities with a different one from a lower tier. Whetheryoure pounding down stiff drinks while holdingup a bar in your favorite watering hole or tradingblows with a thug in a back alley, you keep going,shrugging off hurts and injuries that might slowor incapacitate a lesser person. CYPHER SYSTEM RULEBOOKCREDITS Designers Monte Cook, Bruce R. Cordell, Sean K. Reynolds Additional Designers Shanna Germain, Robert J. Schwalb Creative Director Monte Cook Managing Editor Shanna Germain Editor/Proofreader Ray Vallese Art Director Bear Weiter Cover Artist Roberto Pitturru Artists Eren Arik, Jacob Atienza, Bruce Brenneise, Marco Caradonna, chrom, Vincent Coviello, Biagio DAlessandro, Sarah Dahlinger, Florian Devos, Jason Engle, Felipe Escobar, David Hueso, Baldi Konijn, Guido Kuip, Kezrek Laczin, Katerina Ladon, Brandon Leach, Eric Lofgren, Raph Lomotan, Anton Kagounkin Magdalina, Patrick McEvoy, Jeremy McHugh, Brynn Metheney, Giorgio De Michele (Erebus), Reiko Murakami, Federico Musetti, Irina Nordsol, Mirco Paganessi, Grzegorz Pedrycz, Angelo Peluso, Mike Perry, John Petersen, Roberto Pitturru, Scott Purdy, Aaron Riley, Riccardo Rullo, Nick Russell, Seth Rutledge, Martin de Diego Sdaba, Sam Santala, Lie Setiawan, Joe Slucher, Lee Smith, Kim Sokol, Matt Stawicki, Cyril Terpent, Cory Trego-Erdner, Tiffany Turrill, Shane Tyree, Jordan K. Walker, Chris Waller, Cathy Wilkins, Ben Wootten, Kieran Yanner 2019 Monte Cook Games, LLC. Perhaps she is a dancer. They might be magic, psychic powers, Advanced Adepts: Even at low tiers, Adept Player intrusions, page 21 mutant abilities, or just a wide variety of intricate powers are impressive. Mary chooses Resilient for her descriptor anddecides that she can probably learn the truth DRAWBACKS AND PENALTIESbehind some of the strange things that shesheard about without feeling too much trauma if In addition to other customization options, aits horrible. A sibling recommended you to the other PCs. Youthat distance would require a long or very long dont earn XP for killing foes or overcomingmove. your mind. lore, knowledge, or understanding is hindered. 4 While traveling alone, you saved the life of a powerful person. They remain indebted to you. There are certain machines that can be used to crack the DES algorithm. Whenever you inflictdamage, you can choose to inflict 2 fewer pointsof damage to ease your next attack against thatfoe. In your estimation, now youre repaying that obligation by helping they have no place in the real world. But whenangered or frustrated, your dual nature revealsitself, and those who have earned your scorn arelikely to suffer for it. You might have had a serious Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From the But if youre constantly accident, a harmful mutation, or just poor following list of options, choose how you became genetic luck, but you are incontrovertibly ugly. For a small fee, of course. being learned scholars, or wielding supernatural powers should stress their Intellect stat.14Creating Your CharacterPOOL, EDGE, AND EFFORT CREATING YOUR CHARACTER Chapter 5: Type, page 20 IN 5 EASY STEPSEach of the three stats has two components: Pool Warrior Example, page 23and Edge. Youve never met the culprit, but youd certainly like to.SPEAKER PLAYER INTRUSIONS SPEAKER STAT POOLSWhen playing a Speaker, you can spend 1 XP Stat Pool Starting Valueto use one of the following player intrusions,provided the situation is appropriate and the GM Might 8agrees. something can do is to use it. That said, Intellect 8 starting skills. Last, they choose Knowledge Skills and select11 Capable Warrior (118) geology and biology to help during interplanetary11 Expert Skill (137) explorations.11 Increased Effects (153)11 Read the Signs (174) Sams Explorer can bear two cyphers, which11 Runner (179) in this setting involve nanotechnology. 3 out of 5 rating for Cypher System Rulebook As a standalone rulebook the "Cypher System" is pretty solid and some of the new rules and gaming tips included are pretty cool. Youll even get the PDF a little early. At first, Mary is Weakness: A weakness is, essentially, thesad that her descriptor gives her an inability in opposite of Edge. Use descriptors. She decides to be somewhat her role in the world and Choose two of the abilities listed below (or well rounded, so she puts 2 of her additional expectations in the game. However, they pay you well. The GMdecides that Rays first cypher is a pill thatrestores 6 points of Might when swallowed,and his second is a small, easily concealed 23Magic here is a term ADEPT Group Role: Adepts are not powerful in used very loosely. standard challenges in the course of play. Cypher Use: You can bear two cyphers at a 11 Muscles of Iron (165) 11 No Need for Weapons (166) time. Attacking with a spear is Skills and other advantages also ease a task, a Might action; the character has a Might Pool of and you can use them in conjunction with Effort. For each level of and has an Effort of 3, an Intellect Pool of 13, Effort you apply in this way, you inflict 3 additional and an Intellect Edge of 1. 2 You studied in a school infamous for its dark, brooding instructors and graduates. Others may have choice: writing, computer coding, composing suffered in your place, and you might be the first music, painting, drawing, and so on. Helping, page 226instead. Youre importance, function, or power. Selecting any of these options counts The verb is called your focus. 11 Knowledge Skills (157) Chapter 10: Equipment. your Speed Edge of 2, it costs only 3 points. The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence . Flavor, page 34 So, really, what youre choosing here is the for your PCs, even though its fine in other Chapter 5: Type, page 20 experience you want to haveand that you want fantasy games. FOURTH-TIER MAGIC ABILITIES FIRST-TIER MAGIC ABILITIES 11 Elemental Protection (133) 11 Blessing of the Gods (114) 11 11 Closed Mind (119) 11 Entangling Force (136) 11 Pry Open (172) 11 Hedge Magic (149) 11 Magic Training (159) FIFTH-TIER MAGIC ABILITIES 11 Mental Link (161) 11 Premonition (171) 11 Create (122) 11 Divine Intervention (130) 11 Dragons Maw (131) 11 Fast Travel (139) 11 True Senses (194) SIXTH-TIER MAGIC ABILITIES 11 Relocate (176) 11 Summon Demon (188) 11 Traverse the Worlds (194) 11 Word of Death (200) Theres very little to COMBAT FLAVOR gain by flavoring a Warrior with combat. Why fuss around when the HONORABLE exciting thing is just ahead? Might defense tasks are hindered. The concepts of strength, This stat determines how smart, knowledgeable, endurance, constitution, hardiness, and physical and likable your character is. down, stare at your screen and, by indomitable force of will, produce something from nothing. could have logically read or seen in the past. how they affect combat happens based on the circumstance. You know a smattering of people in many locations. Inability: Any task that involves seeing through in every situation, that a deception, an illusion, or a trap is hindered. however, its effectively canceled out by their Danger Sense (and vice versa). The Cypher System Rules Primer gives you a quick but complete overview of the Cypher System rules, to learn, teach, or simply have handy for quick references. You cant choose the same ability least one free hand unlessmore than once unless its description says the GM says otherwise. You slip, butsee things for what they are, you get the lay its just in time to duck an attack. The other PCs earned your trust by helpingyou when you needed it. experience youre after.You have all the freedom in the world (manyworlds, actually). usable by anyone for anything and present it in a truly user-friendly way. This gives him a SpeedEdge of 1. Combat and action are not a Speakers strong suits, so other characters sometimes have to defend the Speaker in times of danger. He also becomes trained in jumping and breaking inanimate objects. You might wear garments that enhance your agile movement and sense of style. You left her service in disgrace. Looking ahead to the descriptor rules, Ray11 Spin Attack (185) chooses Strong, which increases his Might Pool Defeat a Foe, page 24411 Weapon and Body (196) to 17. As her initial abilities, she chooses Scan, page 179 11 Fire and Ice (140) Onslaught and Ward, giving her a strong offense 11 Force Field Barrier (143) and defense. Edge, are determined 5. Sometimes the 1. you with a clear answer or suggests a course of action with regard to an urgent question, problem, or obstacle youre facing. That book is a system-agnostic Strange. If you do, and regardless of the outcome, the GM presents you with a GM intrusion. Youre a good ally to have in a fight. When not in combat, However, its yoursmall are light weapons. Or you may receive Inability: People dont like or trust you. 6 You served in the military with honor. a task, you can apply Effort. Or maybe you just sit to you. 19 You saved the lives of a family when their house burned down. Thats okay too. remembering or memorizing things you experience important throughout directly. They might even take leadership roles. This helps speakers get others to do what needs to be done. FIRST-TIER SPEAKER starting skills. This the setting, you might want to go through the is not the kind of game where changing one character creation material in this book again. genres (or to address different character concepts). The four character benefits are as follows.Every character starts the game at the first tier.Tier is a measurement of power, toughness, and Increasing Capabilities: You gain 4 points to addability. Now he inflicts 6 points of damage withso he can inflict extra damage with his big knife. Seemed like a good idea at the time. 3. Special rules and advice for nine specific genres, including fantasy, modern, science-fiction, horror, superheroes, and post-apocalyptic. in a book, you can remember a path through aWhen not hitting the road and looking around, set of tunnels that youve explored before.you spend your time with your nose in a book, Initial Link to the Starting Adventure: From thelearning everything you can about the place following list of options, choose how you becameyoure going so you know what to expect when involved in the first adventure.you get there. In other words, you dontthe worst from people so you wont be surprised suffer the effects of being impaired until youwhen they prove you right. One of the PCs fascinates you, perhaps due 1. The constant bombardment of emotions 3. Dont worry about or manipulated. Might 10 Special Abilities: Choose four of the abilities Speed 9 listed below. For additional point of damage with his chosenhis second ability, he chooses Combat Prowess weapon. Although Cypher seems to be a nice RPG system, their shitty PDF layouting makes me sick when creating characters, specially when choosing their abilities. The player rolls a d20 and exploration, as well as achieving personal goals. Dumb Luck: The GM can introduce a GM intrusion on you, based on your clumsiness,CLEVER without awarding you any XP (as if you had rolled a 1 on a d20 roll). 15 Your uncle runs a theater in town. . area. you, or something else. One of the other PCs invited you, having no from those around you likely takes a toll. different one from a lower tier. 49, The words you are searching are inside this book. You are trained 3. 17 People you meet seem put off by the strange birthmark on your face. Doom: Every other time the GM uses GM 1. They wouldnt remember you, but you made friends with their young daughter. 16 While exploring a remote location, you saw something strange youve never been able to explain. as history or geology. 2. You just press on through the pain andcontinue. They look upon you kindly, but they also expect much from you. For instance, an becomes damaged and moves two steps down long as it fits both your intrusion indicating that the cypher just the object damage track. You have grown weary of your isolation.Joining the other PCs gives you a chance tobelong. This is similar to a minor effect,and you must use two hands to attack with but the results are more remarkable. Before making the roll, In addition, your character might have special they decide to apply a level of Effort to ease the abilities or equipment that allow you to apply attack. Mary rounds out her points of Speed. 11 No Need for Weapons (166) 11 Overwatch (168) Perfect Setup: Youre fighting at least three 11 Physical Skills (170)foes and each one is standing in exactly the right 11 Practiced in Armor (171)spot for you to use a move you trained in long 11 Quick Throw (174) 11 Swipe (188) 11 Trained Without Armor (193) 21SECOND-TIER WARRIOR THIRD-TIER WARRIOR FOURTH-TIER WARRIORChoose two of the abilities listed below Choose three of the abilities listed below Choose two of the abilities listed below(or from a lower tier) to add to your (or from a lower tier) to add to your (or from a lower tier) to add to yourrepertoire. difficulty by one step. Skill: You are trained in Might defense actions. Enter your email address to receive email updates when a new article is created on Monte Cook Games. Rather than hurting you (much), itthem but are rarely fooled. 19Chapter 5 TYPE In some roleplaying Character type is the core of your character. are called enablers. them with the task at hand. can use your Might Edge to reduce the cost For information on of one of those uses of Effort, not both. Because this result is at least equal Experience points have many uses, and one Skills sidebar on page 19.to the target number of the task, they succeed. 17 Your mentor wrote a book on martial arts. as the skill benefit necessary to advance to the Even though character type is in the middle next tier. The high Edge will of flexibility in how youyour Might Pool, a poison that makes you clumsy let them reduce the cost of spending points from develop your character.reduces your Speed Pool, and a psionic blast the Pool, which means theyll have more pointsreduces your Intellect Pool. defense rolls are hindered. The Cypher System is the critically acclaimed, award-winning rules set that drives Numenera and The Strange, and easily adapts to an unlimited range of genres with a game engine that's fast, narrative-focused, and super easy to prep for and GM. Maybe theyll ask your stat Pools however you wish. Others delight in your outgoing and put in their place might call you puffed up andcharitable nature, and you delight in their arrogant. For their part, the players call upon resources such as Effort, player intrusions, and flexible uses of XP to influence the course of the game and bring advantages to the rolls and situations they most want to succeed. Youll and so on. That would ease the attack every time You could choose a skill that incorporates more than you used it. GRACEFUL You have a perfect sense of balance, moving and speaking with grace and beauty. 0 Routine 6 Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this. All occurs often in modern or feeble, necessarily (although this is a good climbing, running, jumping, and swimming tasks games and particularly descriptor for characters who are elderly), are hindered. Theyre indebted to you, and their neighbors regard you as a hero. If the GM wishes, they can use GM you have hired one of the other PCs as your might not be appropriate intrusions based on your clumsiness normally protector. You 41Descriptors like Craven, and the GM should work together to determine 1. Start a new campaign set in a fantasy land of elves and fae creatures, a science fiction setting spanning the galaxy, or a modern slasher horror game. You asked politely if you could join the other doing the wrong thing. Helpful: Whenever you help another character, 2. In the end, shes gracefuland quick, charismatic, and hardier than she Normally, you can have a weakness only in ainitially thought thanks to her drive. While exploring on your own, youdiscovered something strange. 11 Far Step (138) Expert Cypher Use: You can bear three cyphers 11 Hedge Magic (149) Chapter 9: Abilities, 11 Magic Training (159) page 95at a time. small charm that restores 5 points to her Intellect 11 Death Touch (125) Pool, and a fluid-filled flask that explodes like 11 Exile (136) a fiery bomb. Its the noun of the sentence I am an adjective or a lower tier. In the Cypher System, 17s, 18s, 19s, and 20s offer you slight boosts to your attack rolls, like the chance to stun an enemy or deal extra damage, and 1s give the GM a free 'intrusion': a complication of some kind, rather like the 'compel' mechanic in Fate. interesting and complexpersonable, but not necessarily studious or Inability: You were never good at studying or characters that arestrong-willed. but were thrust into in all manner of academia or other intellectual them, a trope that pursuits, but nothing physical. This book takes the ideas and to use it in any way you wished. task matters when using Effort. You turn around too quickly, but you end upyoure physically attractive, or maybe you use knocking the weapon from your foes hand. undertake a potentially dangerous task alone. As a light weapon, medium weapons, and Adepts and Speakersit inflicts 2 points of damage, but attacks with it can use light weapons. roll and one level to its damage, two levels to the you sometimes use brute To increase your chance for success, you decide attack and no levels to the damage, or no levels force and sometimes use to apply one level of Effort, which will ease the to the attack and two levels to the damage. who goes first in combat) are hindered. Strong, page 56SIXTH-TIER WARRIOR Intellect defense: Used for fending off Masters Weaponry, mental attacks or anything that might page 72Choose two of the abilities listed below (or affect or influence ones mind.from a lower tier) to add to your repertoire. Explorer, page 27 flavors everything you do. addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier addition, you can replace one of your lower-tier In the fantasy setting of abilities with a different one from a lower tier. difficulty further: each additional level of Effort eases the task by another step. You with capable individuals in the hopes of repairing some people want their are trained in tasks involving breaking things. This book, like the other three that have come before it (the Stars are Fire, Stay Alive, and We Are All Mad Here) takes the section on Fantasy games in the Revised Cypher System Rulebook, Chapter 13 (page 252) and expands it from 9 pages to 224 pages. the Cypher System in many ways. PCs to be entirely heroic. Group Role: The Speaker is often the face of the group, serving as the person who speaks for all and negotiates with others. They did update object damage to the damage track created in ND/D, which was in my opinion much easier and more intuitive to use. 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