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Have you used the Cypher system? What did you think of it?
I recently acquired my copy of The Old Gods of Appalachia RPG from Monte Cook Games, from their million-dollar Kickstarter last year. This game uses a different game system: the Cypher system. (This game system is also used by Numinera, and will be used for the upcoming The Magnus Archives RPG.) This 'new kid on the block' looks like it'll be sticking around for a while.
Now the D20 System is the undeniable favorite for tabletop RPGs, and it's probably the one that most of us are familiar with thanks to D&D, so I don't see Cypher replacing it anytime soon (or ever, really. I don't think that was ever their intention.) It looks like a pretty good system, just looking at it objectively, and I do mean "just looking at it" because I've only read about it. I haven't had a chance to play it yet.
So! If you've used the Cypher system, please let us know what you think of it, what you love or hate about it, and the kinds of games you run with it. And if you've never played it, what's keeping you from giving it a spin? Inquiring moogles want to know!
SUMMARY FROM COMMENTS
Last updated: 9/16/2023
Pros:
The rules are flexible when they need to be.
The bestiaries are very useful.
Excellent choice for running horror-themed games
Exceptional choice for settings
Easy-to-use charts for setting difficulties
Mids:
Pool system is counter-intuitive; some folks like it and others don't
Cyphers themselves (consumable magical abilities) are either fantastic or terrible, depending on who you ask.
Trading XP for narrative setbacks makes XP a type of currency. Folks either love it or hate it.
There are only 3 attributes.
Cons:
The Intrusion mechanic: DM can just declare bad results whenever
Bad experience: DM choice ended up hamstringing a character's abilities
Bad experience: character couldn't bypass any target DCs, ended in a TPK
System feels "clunky," too much Effort attrition
Some Foci are obviously superior to others (balance issue?)
Too much emphasis on resource management
Damage and Effort are coupled together
Roll-then-negotiate mechanic break the rhythm of the game
Class names (in Numinera) are silly
Attributes are all pooled together, exacerbating a "death spiral"
Grade: C
Nearly all voters have heard of it (99%), 65% have played it.
Of those who have played it: 17% love it, 23% like it, 25% are lukewarm, 33% dislike it, and 2% hate it.
Grading the Cypher System
Grading the Pathfinder 2E (D20) System
Grading the Savage Worlds System
Grading the Fate/Fate Core System
Grading the Modiphius 2d20 System
Grading the GURPS System
Grading the Powered by the Apocalypse System
Grading the D6 System
Grading the Hero System
Grading the Storyteller System
Grading the Megaversal/Palladium System
Grading the Basic Role-Playing System
Grading the SAGA System
Grading the Warhammer 40K RPG System
Grading the Mörk Borg System
Grading the Spacemaster/Rolemaster System
I recently acquired my copy of The Old Gods of Appalachia RPG from Monte Cook Games, from their million-dollar Kickstarter last year. This game uses a different game system: the Cypher system. (This game system is also used by Numinera, and will be used for the upcoming The Magnus Archives RPG.) This 'new kid on the block' looks like it'll be sticking around for a while.
Now the D20 System is the undeniable favorite for tabletop RPGs, and it's probably the one that most of us are familiar with thanks to D&D, so I don't see Cypher replacing it anytime soon (or ever, really. I don't think that was ever their intention.) It looks like a pretty good system, just looking at it objectively, and I do mean "just looking at it" because I've only read about it. I haven't had a chance to play it yet.
So! If you've used the Cypher system, please let us know what you think of it, what you love or hate about it, and the kinds of games you run with it. And if you've never played it, what's keeping you from giving it a spin? Inquiring moogles want to know!
SUMMARY FROM COMMENTS
Last updated: 9/16/2023
Pros:
The rules are flexible when they need to be.
The bestiaries are very useful.
Excellent choice for running horror-themed games
Exceptional choice for settings
Easy-to-use charts for setting difficulties
Mids:
Pool system is counter-intuitive; some folks like it and others don't
Cyphers themselves (consumable magical abilities) are either fantastic or terrible, depending on who you ask.
Trading XP for narrative setbacks makes XP a type of currency. Folks either love it or hate it.
There are only 3 attributes.
Cons:
The Intrusion mechanic: DM can just declare bad results whenever
Bad experience: DM choice ended up hamstringing a character's abilities
Bad experience: character couldn't bypass any target DCs, ended in a TPK
System feels "clunky," too much Effort attrition
Some Foci are obviously superior to others (balance issue?)
Too much emphasis on resource management
Damage and Effort are coupled together
Roll-then-negotiate mechanic break the rhythm of the game
Class names (in Numinera) are silly
Attributes are all pooled together, exacerbating a "death spiral"
Grade: C
Nearly all voters have heard of it (99%), 65% have played it.
Of those who have played it: 17% love it, 23% like it, 25% are lukewarm, 33% dislike it, and 2% hate it.
The "grade" is calculated as follows:
The grading formula:
GPA = Σ(PiVi)
where:
Key
Over 3.75 = A+
3.51 to 3.75 = A
3.26 to 3.50 = A-
3.01 to 3.25 = B+
2.76 to 3.00 = B
2.51 to 2.75 = B-
2.01 to 2.50 = C+
1.76 to 2.00 = C
1.51 to 1.75 = C-
1.26 to 1.50 = D+
1.01 to 1.25 = D
0.75 to 1.00 = D-
Under 0.75 = F
- Votes from people who have not played will not affect the grade.
- "Love" votes are worth 4 points. The highest score, comparable to an "A" vote.
- "Like" votes are worth 3 points. The equivalent of a "B" vote.
- "Meh" votes are worth 2 points. This is your basic "C" vote.
- "Dislike" votes are worth 1 point. This is considered a "D" vote.
- "Hate" votes are worth 0 points. The lowest score, considered an "F" vote.
The grading formula:
GPA = Σ(PiVi)
where:
GPA = "grade-point average," the grading score used in the Key below.
Vi = percentage of votes in each category (Love, Like, Meh, Dislike, or Hate)
Pi = corresponding score for that category (4, 3, 2, 1, or 0)
Key
Over 3.75 = A+
3.51 to 3.75 = A
3.26 to 3.50 = A-
3.01 to 3.25 = B+
2.76 to 3.00 = B
2.51 to 2.75 = B-
2.01 to 2.50 = C+
1.76 to 2.00 = C
1.51 to 1.75 = C-
1.26 to 1.50 = D+
1.01 to 1.25 = D
0.75 to 1.00 = D-
Under 0.75 = F
Grading the Pathfinder 2E (D20) System
Grading the Savage Worlds System
Grading the Fate/Fate Core System
Grading the Modiphius 2d20 System
Grading the GURPS System
Grading the Powered by the Apocalypse System
Grading the D6 System
Grading the Hero System
Grading the Storyteller System
Grading the Megaversal/Palladium System
Grading the Basic Role-Playing System
Grading the SAGA System
Grading the Warhammer 40K RPG System
Grading the Mörk Borg System
Grading the Spacemaster/Rolemaster System
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