D&D Hermit's Guide to Cypher System
There aren't many roleplaying game systems that can handle practically whatever game you want. However, Cypher System by Monte Cook holds up to the task. Supporting both setting-driven content like that of The Strange, and Numenara. The Cypher System is a hugely expansive but easy-to-learn resource for finding that perfect structure for the roleplaying game you want.
(Cover art by Robert Pitturru)
For today's installment of the D&D Hermit's Guide, I received a fantastic amount of guidance and insight from Monte Cook Games' Community Relations Coordinator, co-host of the Cypher Speak podcast, and Creator and Destroyer of Worlds, Darcy Ross. As I explain the concepts and mechanics of Cypher System and try to do them justice, I will be drawing from my own experience as well as the sea of knowledge Darcy imparted to me through our discussion this past week.
Deciphering Cypher Sytem
Cypher System is undoubtedly has a vast expanse of material to cover. If I were to cover everything that Cypher System offers, I may as well word for word recount every line in the book, but for legal reasons and my own sanity, I'll cover the four main points of the game: the mechanics and play, the players, the GM, and cyphers.
The mechanics of the game may seem familiar at first, as Cypher System is a mostly d20 based system. However, the mechanics shift away from the form that most TRPG players are familiar with. The dice system itself is built in such a way that it offers the players with feeling of control of their dice rolls. Every skill test, as they're called, has a difficulty of 1 to 10. That number is then multiplied by 3 to determine the number the player(s) need to roll in order to succeed that test. The GM almost always announces Unlike most games, players do not have an array of modifiers that affect every roll, instead the players have skills or impairments that decrease or increase the difficulty of tests. Though, the player's ability to modify their success doesn't end there. Each player has three different stats that also function as resource pools: Might, Speed, and Intellect. By expending 3 points (or more at higher levels of play) from one of these pools, players can exert Effort to reduce the difficulty of a test by the level of Effort they expend. Equipment, cyphers, and some actions can add further bonuses in the form of +1 or +2 benefits, or reducing the test by another level, referred to as an asset. Should a player roll a 19 or 20, they can come up with a minor or major effect which allows the player to influence the way the story progresses rather than just doing that task really well.
As Darcy defined it to me, skill tests aren't just asking for a roll but more engaging a discussion between the GM and the player, in which the player has the chance and is encouraged to explain how a skill or asset that the player wants to use is or could relevant to the task at hand. She also reminded me that skills in Cypher system are not exhaustive nor are they completely concretely defined. "Say for instance, you want your character to has a bunch of magical abilities that can be called upon, your character could have a skill in 'illusion magic' and then more elaborate illusions are just harder skill tests," Darcy explained. This concept was for lack of better word, mind blowing to me. Even though I had played Cypher System several times, that hadn't occurred to me. Skill tests, and how players approach those skill tests are the very core of Cypher System's play.
Combat is no different, and does not compound upon the system like D&D does. One of the first questions I asked Darcy was "What is one of, if not the most stark difference between Cypher System and Dungeons and Dragons?" To which she replied, "the way that the two games handle combat," to which I completely agree. As Darcy reminded me, Dungeons and Dragons focuses more on combat at its core, and characters in D&D are built for, in a large part, combat. In contrast, Cypher System characters aren't necessarily built for combat but they can be. Cypher System doesn't change for combat other than incorporating damage and armor, but the method does not change from the core system. Any enemy character has a challenge rating like any skill test. In order to avoid its attacks and whatever threats it may pose, are based off of that challenge rating. As we will address later when we talk about GMing in Cypher System, players make all rolls in Cypher System, meaning players' abilities concerning tests apply to combat against NPCs. For instance, if a character is trained in Speed defense tasks, he reduces the difficulty of a test to avoid a hit at one level lower than it would normally be. Conversely, if the character is trained in a type of attack, then the difficulty for that attack is one level easier than it would be normally. Dealing damage is based upon weapon, but characters can spend points from their relevant pool to deal extra damage. Armor is used to reduce incoming damage by both players and enemy characters. Damage to a character comes in three types, Strength, Speed, or Intellect damage, reducing the corresponding pools. Once a player character's Strength, Speed, and Intellect pools are all at 0, the character is dead, a design feature evocative of a holistic form of character design. At it's base form, Cypher System's combat rarely deviates from this as Cypher System puts more a focus on narrative than mechanics.
Characters are also products of this marriage of mechanics and narrative. Each character is built of a descriptor, type, and focus. The combination results in the completing the sentence I am a that . For instance, a Charming (descriptor) Speaker (type) who Fights with Panache (focus). The descriptor generally offers training in a skill and an improvement to one of the of the character's pools. The type is liken unto a traditional RPG class, divided into six tiers, while the focus is the unique ability, power, or training that the character possesses. Because the Cypher System Rulebook is setting the types, descriptors, and foci can be handpicked by the GM to determine what is appropriate for the setting they are bringing to the table. Furthermore, all of the abilities given to the characters can be flavored however the players and GM see fit. For instance in a Marvel-esque superhero game, if one player wanted to play a character more like Thor and the other player wanted to play a character like Hulk, they may both play a warrior type character, but the descriptors and foci of the two characters would be entirely different.
If you want to try playing Thor, try a Strong Warrior who Rides the Lightning. You're welcome.
Each type offers choices as they move up the tiers, further expanding the characters making each character more unique. Darcy noted that one of the key strengths of Cypher System is its flexibility. This flexibility is ubiquitous in each aspect of the game. From a more mechanical standpoint, characters can be flavored with various add-ons such as the Stealth Flavor or Magic Flavor to add an extra thematic touch to the character. As your character receives XP you spend it to get closer to moving to the next tier, but it can also be used to add new options to the character with the GM's help. As characters advance through tiers, their abilities improve and they gain unique actions and enabling features that mechanically expand the character.
One of the most interesting aspects of character creation is that each of the three character aspects not only develop who your character is, but also tie your character to the story at hand and the other player characters at the table. Your descriptor usually introduces how you came to know the rest of the group, your type offers ideas as to your backstory or origin, and your focus creates a dynamic relationship with another player character in particular. I have always felt that these cues and similar allow better cohesion between the players and even the story, and Darcy, as an experienced Cypher System GM, remarked that these sort of features allow the GM to lean on the players. I would entirely agree and I think Darcy described these features best as "shared storytelling." I find the idea that this woven inclusion allows the players to be much more involved in the story along side of offering the players chances to not only to contribute to the direction of the narrative but also the content of the narrative.
The main direction of the narrative, of course, comes from the GM. The GM doesn't roll any die, which puts the GM further in the spot of contributing to the narrative, and creating complications. For seasoned GMs, Cypher System's approach to GM intrusions may be very appealing. Whenever a GM feels it appropriate, they can introduce a complication by offering a player a bribe of 2 XP, 1 for themselves and one for another player. If the player accepts, the GM can introduce a complication that affects the scenario the players are in. As a long time GM, I love this mechanic. The idea that the GM can introduce their ideas into the story in a way that it appeals to the players is a fantastic method to keep the GM as a force in the game. In some models of roleplaying games, once the GM has revealed the encounter, the encounter can't really change too drastically by the GM's intrusion without causing friction. As intrusions are one of the main methods characters acquire XP, the design of Cypher System makes it beneficial and fun for the GM and players to complicate scenarios as they go.
Darcy highlighted a couple of points concerning the intrusions for me that had not stood out to me before. The first being that players can always choose to reject the GM intrusion. As one of the first things Darcy had pressed upon me about Cypher System, the game includes player narrative, not just player agency. The player always has a hand in the story. The players' ability to refuse complications keeps not only their agency, but their say in the narrative intact. The second point she brought up is that intrusions are the GM's way of maintain balance. If something is too easy, the GM can always use an intrusion to try to make the scenario more challenging. These are monumental design features and considerations. If the game allows both the GM and players to keep a hand on the narrative in a balanced fashion. Players can expend XP in a similar fashion, to create footholds for themselves in the narrative or mechanically. Throughout the Cypher System Rulebook, the GM is offered tips as to how to account for where the game may take them and the players. In a way, Cypher System is runs like a game with one main GM and a number of lesser GMs (the players) that interact in a dynamic way.
Part of this dynamism is contributed to by the namesake of the system- cyphers. Cyphers take the form of one time use abilities and items. In a fantasy setting, cyphers may be a potion or scroll, in a sci-fi setting, a one time use device like an E.M.P, etc. There are even subtle cyphers to give settings without a magical or sci-fi component, and even to settings with such aspects a greater dimension and catalog of cyphers. Characters can only possess so many cyphers at a time, and their use in sessions will change the way the narrative plays out based on the varied effect and sheer number of varying cyphers a character could find. One of the rewarding GM challenges is incorporating cyphers into the setting and the players can even contribute in flavoring the cyphers in the narrative. More powerful items exist, of course that don't disappear with a single use, but can deplete over time. These items are usually referred to as artifacts, but like cyphers, using them is half the fun. The GM can include whatever way they feel like fleshing out cyphers and artifacts and many fun and interesting play experiences can come from them. For those of you like the same type of resourcefulness that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild promotes, then you will get a kick out of using cyphers and artifacts. For those of you scared of your precious artifacts depleting, remember, no one said they can't be recharged. By embracing the dynamic nature of these core features, your Cypher System game becomes much more the same- dynamic.
Breath of the Wild's Link would attest everything he touches is a cypher or artifact. That ancient arrow? It's a cypher.
Intellect Test or an Arcana Check?
Darcy and I had agreed that players of Dungeons and Dragons tend to have a harder time adapting to Cypher System than people who have never played another roleplaying game. She had summed it up by citing it was the nature of flux that Cypher System wields versus the D&D player's instinct to hold on to what they have, whether it be hit points, magic items, etc. As someone who only played Dungeons and Dragons and one day randomly tried Cypher System, she's entirely right. It took me about three or four tries until I actually started playing Cypher System like Cypher System and not Dungeons and Dragons. This does not imply any superiority of one over the other. They are both means to an end and it is how the players and GM use them. I would never tell you one game is better than another, and I definitely don't think Darcy would either. Everyone has their own preferences, but in order to try something new, sometimes viewing that novel thing through the lens of what your used to does not do you any favors. Though for you D&D players looking for fun new things to learn from Cypher System, Darcy recommended porting the intrusion system by using D&D 5e's Inspiration system as the reward for GM intrusions, as well as the minor effect and major effect system, because she already ports plenty of things she has learned from Cypher System into D&D when she plays and runs games. I also plan to incorporate those two fun mechanics from Cypher System in my games immediately. I would also encourage for those of you that go on to try Cypher System to see what you can learn as far as player and GM techniques. Like the cyphers themselves, Cypher System is brimming with potential for you to unlock.
I want to extend a huge thank you to Darcy for all her help, wisdom, and expertise that made this article possible. If you are interested in her projects and the cool stuff she does in the gaming community, you can find her on Twitter @DarcyLRoss on the Cypher Speak podcast on iTunes, and wherever podcasts are found. If you want to know more about Cypher System and what Monte Cook Games is up to, you can check out their website and follow them on Twitter @MonteCookGames.
That's all for now, if you have thoughts or question you want to share, leave them here or on my Twitter. Remember, your game is your game, so happy gaming!