About | Guidelines | Random Tables | Character Sheet
Precipitate is a setting-agnostic tabletop roleplaying game that blends old school lethality, deep character roleplay, and modern mechanics to create high-stake scenes. Scenes and combat are collaborative and simultaneous without downtime. Creativity and teamwork are your lifelines.
Read the Guidelines to start playing!
Third-party content is encouraged. The core system is free and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) to allow independent content and extensions to the system.
Please review the Fine Print on the Legal page for details.
Download the previous versions of Precipitate as PDFs using the links below. Each version has its own legal and licensing. The licensing of one version does not imply or apply to another version.
Print a page to get a PDF or printable version of the website.
| Status | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Playtesting | 3.0 - 28 June 2025 | Lighter resolution mechanics & roleplay focus |
| Legacy | 2.0 - 15 October 2024 | Heavy exploration and item management (items, tables, legal, digital character sheet) |
| Legacy | 1.1 - 15 October 2023 | Economy updates |
| Legacy | 1.0 - 1 October 2023 | Initial release |
The game master facilitates the game for one or more players who each play as a character.
These Guidelines are written be read from top-to-bottom, but I encourage you to blaze your own trail. Throw away, modify, and bolt on systems to craft a unique experience. Adapt the system to the story you all want to tell together.
Descriptions, questions, detailed intent, and consistent world logic drive the game.
Combat is not special. This Core Loop applies to all scenes played. Things that can be done outside of combat can be done inside of combat and vice versa.
Before you begin, come up with a character concept. Draw inspiration from anywhere. Work with the game master to shape your character while ensuring they fit within the world the group wants to play in.
Precipitate is designed to be simple enough to draw and fill out your own character in a notebook as the character is created. However, a Digital Character Sheet is available for convenience.
Characters are written in clay, not stone. They should change as they experience the story and grow, but not so often that they become unbelievable. Review the character every few game sessions.
A Skill describes a character's ability to perform a specific category of actions. They should be specific and a character's ability to perform related actions should be inferred. A "Good Equestrian" might be inferred to be understanding with animals, have good balance, and be emphatic.
Skills are determined through play. If a Skill seems to come up multiple times, write it down as a Skill. If it doesn't come up often after having it written down, remove it to make room for others that might be more relevant. Skills can always be re-recorded in the future.
Skills are broadly rated as Exceptional, Good, Average, Bad, or Terrible. They are based on the average Skill level of someone with that Skill in the world. Just having a Skill states that it is trained. Being a "Terrible Computer Programmer" means that the character is terrible in relation to the average computer programmer. They can still write programs and have better computer knowledge than the average character without any Skill in computer programming.
Applicable Skills might affect the Target Number of related Challenges. Remind the game master when one or more might apply to a situation.
A player might have 3-5 Skills that are recorded and referenced often. Stride for a balance of good and bad Skills. A character that is good at everything lacks depth. Based on what a character's background and their existing skills, what might they be bad at?
Exceptional and Terrible Skills should be rare and character defining.
Conditions are short phrases that describe temporary effects that help or hurt a character. They are roleplay aids that may affect Challenges the character, or their opponent, tries.
The environment might apply Conditions. A slippery rock formation might give the "Unstable footing" Condition.
The game master tracks Conditions applied to the players and players track the Conditions they give to their opponents.
The outcome of character actions are determined by logic. The game master might call for a Challenge when an outcome is uncertain with clear consequences. They interpret the rolled result and is the final arbiter.
| Roll 2d6 | Result |
|---|---|
| Double 6s | Overwhelming success, and gain a Luck |
| Equal to or greater than the Target Number | Success |
| Less than the Target Number | Failure |
| Double 1s | Overwhelming failure, but gain a Luck |
If the Challenge involves doing Damage, the Damage die are included and rolled as part of the Challenge roll.
Many times, only the acting character needs to roll for a Challenge. If opposing another character, they roll their own Challenge. This may lead to mixed results.
Use a high-level Challenge to resolve an outcome while keeping the game moving. Break it down into multiple Challenges with different decision points when the scene is interesting to focus on what's happening.
The Target Number is determined by the game master based on the situation the acting character is in. The situation may include their skill, tools, or the skill of an opposing character.
| Situation | Target Number |
|---|---|
| Ideal | 5 |
| Favorable | 6 |
| Neutral | 7 |
| Unfavorable | 8 |
| Grave | 9 |
This table is a starting point for game masters to use and should be adapted to fit the story being told.
Luck can be spent to force a reroll of all die involved with any rolled Challenge, including damage, or Prayer. Even if the spending character is not involved with the scene and is somewhere far away.
Luck is gained by rolling double 6s or double 1s during a 2d6 Challenge roll and can be spent on the roll it was earned in. Damage and Favor die do not generate Luck.
Characters can each have a maximum of 3 Luck. Luck persists between sessions.
Most of the time, play is unstructured. Players declare what their character is doing and the game master responds with the outcome. However, there are important moments where play needs to slow down to allow everyone to have a fair chance at making critical decisions. This is Structured Time.
The game still flows using the Core Loop, but Structured Time is played out in 10 second rounds of in-game time. Each round, players should work together to discuss plans and intents for their characters.
The game master will announce when play returns to unstructured time.
Hit points represent scrapes, bruises, sore muscles, and stress. These add up as a character takes damage and impact the character's ability to defend themselves.
A character that loses all their Hit Points suffers an incapacitating blow or a series of strikes. Characters suffering lethal Damage must roll Judgment. Otherwise, they are knocked-out and wake up after 2d6 minutes with d6 Hit Points.
Devastating hits might leave lasting Conditions. Hit Points are restored with Rest.
The Damage roll depends on the amount of stress caused to and effort expended by the defender to ward off the attack. The roll might represent a single arrow or a fury of attacks against a single opponent.
| Stress and Effort | Damage Roll |
|---|---|
| High | 2d8 |
| Medium | 2d6 |
| Low | 2d4 |
Overwhelming successes roll 1 additional damage die of the same type and adds the highest face of the die to the result. A 2d8 damage roll would turn into a 3d8+8 damage roll.
Damage can be applied to multiple targets if it was part of the stated intent of the Character. Damage is rolled normally, but the result is split evenly across the targets.
Damage is assumed to be lethal if it is able to be. The attacking character may choose to do non-lethal damage if they have an appropriate way to do so. This may impact the Target Number of a related Challenge.
The game master might rule for more or less damage or damage die depending on the situation.
Melee attacks interrupt ranged attacks and magic. Ranged physical damage interrupts magic. Combat-related actions interrupt non-combat actions. Timing matters.
A ranger might be able to shoot before a swordsmen gets to them. A wizard can cast a spell if the arrows coming for them miss. A thief picking a lock needs to be protected.
After a night of Rest, restore 2d6+5 Hit Points up to the character's maximum Hit Points.
Judgment is a conversation with the divine. The character is in a last stand fighting for their life and their fate is now out of their hands.
When rolling Judgment, roll in private and do not reveal the result to other players or the game master. Another nearby character may spend 5 seconds to look at the die result and, if the knocked-out character is still alive, stabilize them.
Each turn while knocked-out, the player records how many rounds they have been knocked out for even if they are stable or dead. They may optionally recall a memory from the character to share with the group while they decide their intents for the next round.
A knocked-out character loses 1 round to live for each Damage they take. If they are stable, they are now unstable and have 8 - Damage rounds to live.
A stable but knocked-out character wakes up after 2d6 minutes with d6 Hit Points.
| Roll d20 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 20 | Adrenaline rush. The character stays up instead of being knocked out, but is knocked out at the end of the next round and must re-roll Judgment. |
| 19-18 | Stable |
| 17-14 | 4 rounds to live |
| 13-10 | 3 rounds to live |
| 9-6 | 2 rounds to live |
| 5-2 | 1 round to live |
| 1 | Soul already departed |
To cast, reflect on 3 questions:
Everyone has a unique magical signature, a personal flair that influences the manifestation of their magic.
Casting spells is a Challenge depending on the caster's intent and their skill using the kind of magic they are invoking.
| Challenge Result | Spell Effect |
|---|---|
| Overwhelming Success | Spell is cast with intended effect, and more powerful |
| Success | Spell is cast with intended effect |
| Failure | Spell is cast with a related, minor, but unintended effect |
| Overwhelming Failure | Spell is cast with more power, but the caster loses control and the effect is unintended. The caster gains a permanent, undesirable, and interesting quirk related to the spell. |
The same spell might produce different results each time it is cast.
A caster’s personal notes record past spells and their effects. These are real player notes on paper, treated as notable Equipment.
To create a Scroll, a caster must cast a spell as normal and store the intent and result. This only succeeds if the Challenge result is an overwhelming success or success. On a failure or overwhelming failure, the Scroll is destroyed in the process, no magical effect is produced, and the caster gains a permanent, undesirable, and interesting quirk related to the spell they attempted to store.
Scrolls are used without rolling, treating the user as if they had cast the original spell. Once used, the Scroll is destroyed.
Spells can target other spells to combine with or negate different aspects.
An incoming fireball might be countered from a caster throwing a bucket of water and manipulating it to target the fireball. But wherever the spells meet might explode into a cloud of boiling mist that is hard to see through.
Rituals are a powerful, slow, and open form of magic that require clear intent. The more elaborate, detailed, and involved the Ritual, the more powerful and specific the effect.
Prayers are freeform, delayed, and fueled by Favor earned by respecting your Mark. To say a Prayer, set a clear intent and give 1 to 3 d20 Favor dice to the game master based on the magnitude of the plea.
At a future time, the game master rolls the Favor dice together and takes the highest result to determine if and how the Prayer is answered. Higher numbers are better where a 20 is an overwhelmingly positive response and a 1 is an overwhelmingly negative response. Luck may be used to re-roll all rolled Favor die.
The character may propose additional bargains beyond Favor to plead with their Mark.
Favor is earned by acting in alignment with your Mark and can be lost by acting against it. If a character loses too much Favor, they might lose their Mark.
A character may hold up to 3 of Favor die at a time.
Favor d20 die are divine, treat them as such.
Characters have the Equipment that would reasonably carry for their situation based on their background and experiences. Only unique and notable Equipment are tracked. The game master highlights scarcity and encumbrance as a Condition when relevant.
A normal sword isn't interesting enough to record, it can be assumed that your adventuring character has one. But the Guard Captain's Sword with a Ruby in its Hilt is unique and interesting. There may be interesting world and character reactions towards a character carrying such a sword.
Equipment, weapons, and armor may play into how the game master rules how favorable or not a situation is during Challenges.
Wealth is narrative and untracked. If something seems expensive, it is, and acquiring it requires specific effort. Characters have enough money to keep their items stocked, afford a minor item or two during market trips, and keep some pocket money.
Travel is handled narratively by offering choices with different consequences or other peculiarities. One route might be safe, but be relatively slow and is patrolled by the guards that are looking for the players' characters. Another might be through the haunted woods and without roads, meaning the players' characters would need to leave their wagon behind until they return. Of course, the players can come up with any other routes or way to get to where they're going.
Not every destination needs something interesting. When not critical, travel is mundane and often hand waved.
Squads from a group of goblins to the armies of nations can be modeled as a character. The primary difference being the narration and scaling the actions being performed to represent the group. A Squad of enemies might do extra damage to a single character, normal damage to another Squad, and have no chance of doing anything against an army in a straight-up fight.
A Squad that is losing Hit Points can be thought of as actual loses of some of their members or the gradual loss of morale until the Squad breaks up and flees. The game master will narrate it depending on the situation.
Vehicles are modeled as characters but, like Squads, have a different narration and scaling. They can be anything from a horse, a single-seater fighter jet, to a massive capital ship in space.
Vehicles might have different crew stations that characters can operate. If using a vehicle with multiple crew stations for an extended period of time, each crew station should have interesting decisions and valuable contributions to make.
In a large enough vehicle, characters may move around and perform Actions like they normally would inside of or on the vehicle itself.
These tables are designed to spark the imagination. If you don't know where to start, roll on them and use the results to help discover the Character you want to play.
Having a few of these selected will help inspire what the rest might be.
Re-roll, choose, or come up with your own results.
These Vocations are general themes. Adapt them to the setting and specify what you do within that general theme.
| Roll d66 | Vocation |
|---|---|
| 11 | Healer |
| 12 | Scout |
| 13 | Merchant |
| 14 | Soldier |
| 15 | Scholar |
| 16 | Farmer |
| 21 | Hunter |
| 22 | Builder |
| 23 | Smith |
| 24 | Performer |
| 25 | Priest |
| 26 | Scribe |
| 31 | Navigator |
| 32 | Spy |
| 33 | Cook |
| 34 | Leader |
| 35 | Messenger |
| 36 | Artisan |
| 41 | Teacher |
| 42 | Guard |
| 43 | Diplomat |
| 44 | Explorer |
| 45 | Judge |
| 46 | Thief |
| 51 | Tinker |
| 52 | Musician |
| 53 | Animal Keeper |
| 54 | Prophet |
| 55 | Lawkeeper |
| 56 | Outlaw |
| 61 | Herald |
| 62 | Herbalist |
| 63 | Diplomat |
| 64 | Engineer |
| 65 | Courier |
| 66 | Oracle |
| Roll d66 | Perception |
|---|---|
| 11 | always has a plan |
| 12 | doesn't feel fear |
| 13 | can fix any situation |
| 14 | follows the rules without question |
| 15 | won't take no for an answer |
| 16 | cares more about results than people |
| 21 | keeps their emotions locked down |
| 22 | does the dirty work so others don't have to |
| 23 | is all talk and no follow-through |
| 24 | always walks away unharmed |
| 25 | never forgives a slight |
| 26 | knows more than they’re saying |
| 31 | was born for leadership |
| 32 | wants to be left alone |
| 33 | fights for the right reasons |
| 34 | never backs down from a fight |
| 35 | won't compromise |
| 36 | would die for the cause |
| 41 | can't be trusted |
| 42 | puts the mission first |
| 43 | only looks out for number one |
| 44 | laughs in the face of danger |
| 45 | is chasing revenge |
| 46 | doesn't understand what they've lost |
| 51 | enjoys the violence too much |
| 52 | hides how much they care |
| 53 | will snap one day, it's only a matter of time |
| 54 | wants to be a hero |
| 55 | acts like they’re better than everyone |
| 56 | won't stop until they win |
| 61 | doesn't belong here |
| 62 | was meant for something bigger |
| 63 | has nothing left to lose |
| 64 | is holding back something dangerous |
| 65 | never learned how to lose |
| 66 | doesn't believe in anything anymore |
| Roll d66 | Truth |
|---|---|
| 11 | feels like an impostor in every room |
| 12 | still wants to be chosen, not used |
| 13 | is afraid I'll never be enough |
| 14 | doesn't know who I am without a cause |
| 15 | believes people only like me for what I do |
| 16 | carries shame I've never spoken aloud |
| 21 | wants connection but doesn't trust it |
| 22 | is terrified of being ordinary |
| 23 | fears I peaked a long time ago |
| 24 | keeps waiting for everything to fall apart |
| 25 | doesn't believe I deserve the good things |
| 26 | feels responsible for things I couldn't control |
| 31 | measures my worth in what I can survive |
| 32 | can't stop comparing myself to others |
| 33 | clings to anger because it's easier than grief |
| 34 | never learned how to ask for help |
| 35 | wants to forgive someone, but can't |
| 36 | grieves someone I never really knew |
| 41 | wants to belong more than I admit |
| 42 | hides how much I care behind sarcasm |
| 43 | feels invisible when I'm not useful |
| 44 | still believes I have something to prove |
| 45 | fears I'll become like the people who hurt me |
| 46 | chose survival over honesty |
| 51 | avoids stillness because I don't want to feel |
| 52 | hopes I haven't already been forgotten |
| 53 | needs structure because chaos terrifies me |
| 54 | chased strength to avoid feeling small |
| 55 | can't let go of a mistake I made |
| 56 | never feels safe, even when I should |
| 61 | doubt my own story, even as I tell it |
| 62 | fear love because it never lasts |
| 63 | learned to read people better than I read myself |
| 64 | wish I could start over |
| 65 | hold onto control like it's oxygen |
| 66 | am still shaped by a promise I broke |
| Roll d66 | Desire |
|---|---|
| 11 | to prove I matter |
| 12 | to feel safe again |
| 13 | to make it up to someone I failed |
| 14 | to finish what I started |
| 15 | to protect the people I love |
| 16 | to never be helpless again |
| 21 | to be left alone |
| 22 | to finally belong somewhere |
| 23 | to live a quiet life far from all this |
| 24 | to be remembered for something good |
| 25 | to feel whole again |
| 26 | to earn back someone's trust |
| 31 | to make them regret underestimating me |
| 32 | to be free from the past |
| 33 | to find someone who understands |
| 34 | to stop running |
| 35 | to destroy what destroyed me |
| 36 | to take control of my own story |
| 41 | to be seen for who I really am |
| 42 | to matter more than the mission |
| 43 | to hold onto something real |
| 44 | to escape the role I was born into |
| 45 | to win, just once, without compromise |
| 46 | to break the cycle |
| 51 | to stop pretending |
| 52 | to protect what little beauty is left |
| 53 | to uncover the truth, no matter the cost |
| 54 | to build something no one can take from me |
| 55 | to feel something again |
| 56 | to start over and do it right |
| 61 | to outgrow who I used to be |
| 62 | to make them proud |
| 63 | to silence the voice that says I can't |
| 64 | to forgive and be forgiven |
| 65 | to survive long enough to choose my own ending |
| 66 | to be chosen, not needed |
| Roll d66 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 11 | pushing people away before they can leave |
| 12 | taking on more than I can handle |
| 13 | pretending I'm fine when I'm not |
| 14 | turning every choice into a fight |
| 15 | lying to protect myself |
| 16 | refusing to ask for help |
| 21 | assuming the worst about everyone |
| 22 | chasing danger to feel alive |
| 23 | trying to fix things that don't want fixing |
| 24 | lashing out when I feel small |
| 25 | testing people just to see if they'll stay |
| 26 | doing what's easy instead of what's right |
| 31 | avoiding conflict until it explodes |
| 32 | keeping secrets from the people who matter |
| 33 | taking control of everything around me |
| 34 | sacrificing too much to prove I'm loyal |
| 35 | hiding behind humor or sarcasm |
| 36 | making promises I can't keep |
| 41 | hurting people to protect them |
| 42 | burying myself in work to stay numb |
| 43 | refusing to let go of old pain |
| 44 | chasing approval from people who'll never give it |
| 45 | believing I know what's best for everyone |
| 46 | faking confidence I don't feel |
| 51 | overreacting to small problems |
| 52 | trusting the wrong people just to feel wanted |
| 53 | running from anything that feels real |
| 54 | waiting for something to go wrong |
| 55 | taking things too personally |
| 56 | trying to be everything to everyone |
| 61 | failing to say what I really mean |
| 62 | testing my limits just to feel in control |
| 63 | blaming myself for things I couldn't stop |
| 64 | pretending the past didn't happen |
| 65 | making plans I know I won't follow through on |
| 66 | using people before they can use me |
| Roll d66 | Shift |
|---|---|
| 11 | I can't save everyone, and that's not failure |
| 12 | being loved doesn't make me weak |
| 13 | my past doesn't define who I am now |
| 14 | I don't have to earn being cared for |
| 15 | I'm allowed to want something for myself |
| 16 | I'm not responsible for their choices |
| 21 | I don't need to be perfect to be enough |
| 22 | it's okay to not be okay |
| 23 | forgiving myself doesn't mean forgetting |
| 24 | I can't fix what refuses to change |
| 25 | what I lost isn't coming back |
| 26 | I don't have to carry this alone |
| 31 | being angry isn't the same as being strong |
| 32 | I can't control everything, no matter how hard I try |
| 33 | trust is a risk worth taking |
| 34 | I deserve more than just survival |
| 35 | someone already sees the real me and stayed |
| 36 | my fear is lying to me |
| 41 | letting go isn't the same as giving up |
| 42 | I was hurt, but I don't have to keep hurting others |
| 43 | it's not too late to try again |
| 44 | being vulnerable is how connection begins |
| 45 | what I thought was strength was actually fear |
| 46 | the people who hurt me don't get to define me |
| 51 | I can stop proving myself, I already am enough |
| 52 | I have nothing to prove to people who won't see me |
| 53 | being alone doesn't mean I'm unlovable |
| 54 | someone does care, I just haven't seen it yet |
| 55 | I've mistaken silence for safety |
| 56 | if I want change, I have to make it |
| 61 | belonging takes effort, not just hope |
| 62 | the life I want won't wait forever |
| 63 | my story isn't finished yet |
| 64 | I'm not broken, just bruised |
| 65 | I can choose who I become |
| 66 | healing doesn't mean forgetting, it means remembering without breaking |
| Roll d66 | Quirk |
|---|---|
| 11 | I count steps when I'm anxious |
| 12 | I carry something I never use but can't throw away |
| 13 | I always check the exits in any room |
| 14 | I write things down I could never say out loud |
| 15 | I trace the same scar when I'm thinking |
| 16 | I hum the same tune under my breath when I'm scared |
| 21 | I cook for people I care about, even if I say I don't |
| 22 | I touch the ground when no one's watching |
| 23 | I keep a token from someone I lost |
| 24 | I sleep curled up like I'm still in danger |
| 25 | I say people's names like a shield |
| 26 | I always fix what's crooked, even if it's not mine |
| 31 | I re-tie my boots when I'm nervous |
| 32 | I knock twice on wood before I act |
| 33 | I collect stories I never tell |
| 34 | I practice apologies in my head |
| 35 | I talk to things that can't hear me |
| 36 | I press my fingers to my wrist to make sure I'm still here |
| 41 | I keep a map of a place I've never been |
| 42 | I braid and unbraid a leather cord when I think |
| 43 | I whisper old prayers without believing them |
| 44 | I stare too long at the stars when I think no one's looking |
| 45 | I line up my tools before every job |
| 46 | I leave notes I never send |
| 51 | I name things that don't need names |
| 52 | I tap a rhythm I learned as a child |
| 53 | I can't fall asleep without my gear beside me |
| 54 | I fold things the same way every time |
| 55 | I hold my breath in moments I should speak |
| 56 | I collect small broken things and keep them hidden |
| 61 | I always finish a meal, even if I'm full |
| 62 | I wipe my blade clean the same way every time |
| 63 | I light candles I don't need |
| 64 | I try to memorize every kindness |
| 65 | I flinch when someone says my name too gently |
| 66 | I keep one piece of clothing long past its usefulness |
| Roll d66 | Mark | Must | Mustn't |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Thresholds | Cross | Stagnate |
| 12 | Hollowing | Empty | Cling |
| 13 | Knots | Bind | Unravel |
| 14 | Waking | Reveal | Ignore |
| 15 | Splinters | Fracture | Smooth |
| 16 | Rust | Erode | Polish |
| 21 | Veils | Obscure | Expose |
| 22 | Echoes | Repeat | Forget |
| 23 | Ashes | Endure | Rebuild |
| 24 | Spores | Infiltrate | Sterilize |
| 25 | Grudge | Remember | Forgive |
| 26 | Thread | Weave | Sever |
| 31 | Lanterns | Illuminate | Darken |
| 32 | Glass | Reflect | Distort |
| 33 | Salt | Preserve | Rot |
| 34 | Cracks | Reveal | Patch |
| 35 | Spiral | Cycle | Fix |
| 36 | Teeth | Bite | Hesitate |
| 41 | Marrow | Strengthen | Hollow |
| 42 | Needles | Pierce | Blunt |
| 43 | Drift | Wander | Anchor |
| 44 | Static | Disrupt | Obey |
| 45 | Chains | Restrain | Abandon |
| 46 | Mire | Hold | Escape |
| 51 | Glimmer | Inspire | Extinguish |
| 52 | Worms | Consume | Reveal |
| 53 | Collapse | Trigger | Support |
| 54 | Friction | Resist | Yield |
| 55 | Blood | Sacrifice | Harden |
| 56 | Nest | Protect | Expose |
| 61 | Shiver | Sense | Ignore |
| 62 | Rope | Rescue | Strangle |
| 63 | Scrap | Salvage | Waste |
| 64 | Knell | Warn | Celebrate |
| 65 | Hiss | Threaten | Trust |
| 66 | Murmur | Whisper | Shout |
A Bond is between two Characters. Each player rolls a d6 to contribute to the shared d66 result. Work together to define the Bond between the Characters.
| Roll d66 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 11 | You survived a major disaster together. What was it? |
| 12 | You once failed at something important together. What happened? |
| 13 | You successfully kept a dangerous secret. What was it? |
| 14 | You share responsibility for someone else's misfortune. Who and why? |
| 15 | You both discovered something unsettling that you haven't shared with anyone else. What is it? |
| 16 | You once risked everything for each other. Why? |
| 21 | You traveled together but parted ways due to a disagreement. Over what? |
| 22 | You overcame a powerful enemy together. Who, and how did you succeed? |
| 23 | You each owe the other your life. What happened? |
| 24 | You share the same important mentor. Who, and what did they teach you? |
| 25 | You both ran from something dangerous. What chased you? |
| 26 | You broke the law together once. Why, and what were the consequences? |
| 31 | You once fought on opposite sides of a conflict. What changed? |
| 32 | You both experienced the same strange event. What was it? |
| 33 | You were involved in a complicated love triangle. How did it end? |
| 34 | You've been mistaken for each other before. How did that cause trouble? |
| 35 | You once made a reckless promise together. What was it, and to whom? |
| 36 | You were stranded somewhere together for days. Where, and how did you survive? |
| 41 | You worked undercover together. What were you investigating? |
| 42 | You helped each other escape a life you didn't want. What was it? |
| 43 | You once hunted or were hunted by something powerful. What happened? |
| 44 | You helped someone together, but it backfired. How? |
| 45 | You've seen each other at your absolute worst. What was the situation? |
| 46 | You fought together in a pivotal battle. Who or what were you fighting? |
| 51 | You share guilt over a decision you both made. What was it about? |
| 52 | You once betrayed the same person. Who, and why did you both agree to it? |
| 53 | You both received visions or warnings about each other. What did they say? |
| 54 | You both were tricked or betrayed by the same person. Who, and what happened? |
| 55 | You both competed fiercely for something valuable. Who won, and what was it? |
| 56 | You helped each other achieve something impossible. What and how? |
| 61 | You once lied together to protect someone else. Why was this necessary? |
| 62 | You once rescued each other in rapid succession. How did that happen? |
| 63 | You both made a decision that cost you dearly. What did you sacrifice? |
| 64 | You once pulled off a daring heist together. What did you steal, and why? |
| 65 | You kept watch over each other during a long and dangerous night. What was happening? |
| 66 | You both swore an oath together. What did you promise, and why does it still matter? |
TODO Keep the guides to a short set of themes and ideas kinda like the agile manifesto
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Character Image
Character Name (pronouns)
Character Description
| Aspect | Response |
|---|---|
| Vocation | |
| Perception | |
| Truth | |
| Desire | |
| Flaw | |
| Shift | |
| Quirk | |
| Mark (for Prayers and Favors) | |
| Bonds |
| Consumable | Remaining |
|---|---|
| Hit Points (healed with Rest) | / |
| Luck | |
| Favor |
Skills Conditions Notable Equipment Spellbook (reference: Casting Magic, Scrolls, Linked Casting, Rituals)
Notes are personal. This is one of many ways to get started with taking notes if you don't know where to start.
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Scratch | |
| General | |
| People | |
| Locations | |
| Threads | |
| Bestiary | |
| Journal |
Precipitate is by John Dylan Boronkas.
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These describe my process for running games from start to finish including theory and examples from the actual session.
Worlds before rules states that the setting and how it works is the most important. In the world, how do things work? What kinds of stories are told in it? What are the common themes and feelings? A shared understanding between everyone allows the mechanical rules to fade to the background as everyone brings the fiction alive.
Roleplay at this level is like passing a notebook around the table, taking turns to write the next few lines of the story, while everyone shouts ideas for what might happen next. This immersive hivemind style of storytelling is what keeps me coming back to the hobby.
FKR is conflated with no-rules, almost make believe, play. Where the game master has all the pressure to figure out how to rule different character actions using their own knowledge and experience. The system being ran is in the head of the game master.
Instead, we select or craft game mechanics to reinforce the world. We use it to create a layer of shared understanding. Discuss how something might be ruled and provide a consistent ruling. Conversation to figure out how something might resolve is important, but too much takes us out of the fiction. Mechanics allow scenes to flow.
Any system can be used, even something as heavy as 5e. But lighter systems are simple to understand and are easier to meld into the background during play. They leave room to tinker with and pull in mechanics from other systems to model whatever is important for the world and fiction.
The rules are guidelines. The game master has final say on how to rule something. Abstracting the system from the players facilitates this. Not the entirety of the system, players should at least know how resolutions work, but any intricate details and edge cases should be handwaved and left to the game master. However, this requires trust between the players and the game master. The game is about coming together to tell an interesting story.
The Free Kriegspiel Renaissance is a style of play that can be applied to any roleplaying game. It is not a genre of games.
Following the core FKR principles, improv play is the heart of roleplay. The game master is a player and shares in the real-time creation of the fiction. They do not write it all alone and wait for the players to ruin their plans. They understand the world and note the interesting details. They trust themselves that knowing the world will let them fill in the blanks on the fly. They trust that players will ask questions to inject what is interesting to them.
A believable world is a reactive one. It responds to the actions of the characters. Having too much written down or spending hours in session prep makes it harder to be flexible in the moment.
Treating the game master as a player permits them the same freedoms as players. The game master can ask for a minute to think, use a random table for a spark of inspiration, or say "I don't know, what do you all think would happen?"
This is my approach and commentary for a virtual Discord session I ran on 22 May 2025, from inception to key highlights from play. An application of the FKR ideas for running a session.
My primary campaign fell through the night before. But a last minute Discord ping to my wider play group allowed us to pull together enough people for a one-shot.
However, we're scheduled to start playing in 3 hours and I estimated having only 15 minutes of real prep time at my computer to put together the 2 hour session. We land on running a spooky surreal modern game. Yikes. Lets dive in.
Prep comes in 2 stages. Stage One is the mess of physical and digital notes with inspirational media. Stage Two is the shut up and sit down phase where we pull everything into what we need to run the game.
For refined work, the 3rd stage is editing, but we can do that in the moment. A large volume of raw content provides flexibility.
Normally, Stage One takes place over days, weeks, or even months. These are all the little ideas that are drempt up and worked on in the background of our everyday tasks. These are the things that keep us awake during dry work meetings and far into the night. Our unconscious mind iterates on the ideas for us.
I had 2 hours.
But, we do have some massive advantages. Modern games are great because we're living the world we're trying to model. The shared understanding is 80% there. It's not some made up fantasy world with dungeons and dragons in them. We were also gifted the Quinns Quest Review of Delta Green 2 weeks ago that is still fresh in my mind. It had some solid surreal horror ideas in it that left me inspired.
Deadlines force prioritization and keep us focused on producing something that's good enough for what is required. Given our timeline, where do we put our focus?
It's easy to improv when we're intimate with the surrounding material and the kind of game we want to experience. Focus on preparing what you need to improv well instead of session content. The answer will be different for everyone. Players should do this too, a handful of improv notes on their character sheet goes a long way towards roleplaying the character. The scenes are for if we still have time without going overboard. A few bullet points about the purpose of the scene and what the players are trying to get. A brainstorm to reference for how to invoke the feelings we're going for.
Lets invoke some fear and uneasiness. I'll start with the system since I have a staple go-to when I'm in a crunch like this. Knowing my players, they all have multiple years of experience with 5e. Knave 2nd Edition by Ben Milton is an easy choice. Same general mechanics, just simplified. Light enough for us to twist to fit our needs. Someone who knows 5e knows what 11 AC and 10 HP with just a pocket knife as a weapon in a world with guns. The system's mechanics play into the fear.
I start them off with a random amount of pocket cash, lets say 2d100. I'll have them roll on the d100 background table and I'll modernize whatever they roll. I cut out the item slots and all the fantasy elements. Nothing takes you out of the horror like looking at your spreadsheet of items and figuring out logistics. Since there are no item slots, I give them 10+CON HP. I go with my standard d6 ranged damage and d8 melee damage for any weapon (d4 unarmed), but guns are guns so they will do 2d6 instead. A gunshot should be scary and a firefight lethal.
The system took a few minutes to think about so we have the majority of the time to think about the story. Keeping it simple, a bunch of 20-something year olds get together for a weekend roadtrip to the beach. On the way, they stop at a small town to camp. Making up the high-level details, the players started a fire 12 years ago that killed a supposed cult leader. The players don't remember. The town buried the event. Maybe we can give them some flashback scenes, like they go to the camp site to sleep and everything is pretty much normal, but when they wake up they find out the campsite was burned down and abandoned and they are trespassing. I jot down these high-level ideas. We'll figure out the specifics during play.
I like doing async information between players. Beyond just having players with Knave 2e backgrounds, lets give them each a role to jump into the story with. Like a camper/climber that initiated the camping part of the trip, a driver that owns the car they are all in, and lets have a druggie that is the planner and leader of the group that organized the overall trip.
The last piece I have time for is the opening scene to set the tone for the session. It throws the players into the world and says "Go have fun!". I landed on having a cop pulling them over for no reason. Have the cop be creepy, pushy, and searching for a reason to lock them up. This works well with the druggie in the car with hidden drugs that the others don't know about. To lay it on, we should have the locals start to gather and stare at the traffic stop. We'll see where the players take it.
For my opening scenes, the players didn't choose to get into the siutation. So I try to take an easy on them and use them for world establishment. Sure, they can mess up and end up in jail or a firefight, but the intent is to show them what the town is about and to establish that unsettling mood. As soon as they pull away from the stop, the gloves come off.
An hour before the session, I have 15 minutes to pull all of my notes together into a 2 hour session.
I start with tlDraw and create a private game master board and a public table board to use as my virtual tabletop. I like the chaotic whiteboard layout for pulling my notes together instead of text documents. I write down some location ideas as stickynotes in tlDraw and come up with the name Pine Hill for the town. This takes about 5 minutes.
For the next 5 minutes, I start looking for some location images to see how easy it would be and turns out Pine Hill is a real place in New Jersey. I start going around in Google Maps picking out locations and images from the area. Images and other media are great for setting the tone and feel for the game. I rework my locations based on what I found and place them in tlDraw to make a map. I put the locations where I want them, not where they are in real life, then use the real roads as inspiration for drawing a few lines to represent the roads and where the campsite is.
I spend the rest of my time looking up techniques cops use to pressure people into letting them search their car and how to catch lies. I write down a few ideas to reference for when my players fight back.
I have enough to start the session, I'll have a few minutes while they create characters to jot down any other ideas that come to mind.
At the start of the session, I send out the link to tlDraw and type out the character creation instructions so they can be self-sufficient. As they develop their character details, I create a sticky note for each player to put near their face on Discord. I like having critical player details right next to the players' faces as they talk, especially their name and how to pronounce it so I can refer to them as their character naturally during play.
During character creation, one of my players rolled a fortune teller. She started asking questions and fishing for world details related to it. She decides on being a Tarot card reader and asks if her character's visions are real. I deadpan say "Yes, they're real." while I side message my other players on Discord saying that their friend believes the readings are real, but they haven't seen any proof despite their claims. But they support them because they're friends. Again, I don't have any of this prepared and I haven't even thought about it until I was asked. I'm playing into the details the players are interested in.
I'll spare you, perhaps more so myself, the details of the entire session.
During the initial traffic stop, the officer taps the trunk of the car to ensure it's closed. Standard procedure. The officer has nothing, so I start spewing some nonsense about an out of state car with a bunch of teens in it going to a small town camping site. Just want to make sure you're all safe for the weekend. Then the officer starts to ask about anything dangerous in the car that he should know about. Any drinks or drugs?
The driver asks about the body cam. I didn't even think about body cams when preping. On the spot, I tell the players that he has one, and that the driver doesn't see the recording light on. The driver asks in character and the officer lies, saying that it is recording.
Questions drive detail. The scene, world, and game grows towards what is interesting to the table. The rest is glossed over.
My druggie player starts coaching the driver, telling her that she doesn't need to answer details about whats in the car. I use that as a point of escalation: "Execuse me, I'm talking to the driver right now. Ma'am, you have nothing to hide, right? Just step out and let me have a quick peek and we won't bother you for the rest of the weekend."
A subtle threat, but enough to get the druggie to make sure the driver doesn't get out. He speaks up again. The officer grabs the license and registration, calls for backup while there, then walks back to his car. This gives the players more time to chat about what to do next and for me to think about what to do to them.
As the game master, it's my job to facilitate and guide the session to allow the players to play their characters. The story, like any creative work, takes a form of its own that we all contribute to.
I wait for the players to start to get into a deeper conversation about planning what to say and do. That's when I have the 2nd cop pull up and the 1st get out of his car again. I disrupt their conversation to set the timer as the officer approaches. This gives the players a rushed few seconds to get their ideas out to each other.
I describe the officer touching the trunk again to ensure its closed. The druggie player's face lights up and I see him write something down in his notes. I make a mental note that the cop just planted an AirTag on the back of their car. I didn't have this idea during prep. I'm just playing off of what my players are giving me and the world and feelings we're trying to invoke. Having surreal stories and ideas at the top of my mind helps me improv things like the AirTag on the fly. Time spent immersed in the world is valuable prep time.
I don't do this every time. Sometimes I have something planned and the player is wrong, sometimes there is nothing to find, and sometimes I steal or augment an idea based on what the players are talking about.
After the traffic stop, the druggie tells the driver to pull into the next parking lot so they can see what the officer did. They don't need to roll to search the back of their car, they just find the AirTag. I only ask for a roll when there is risk and uncertainty.
From here the session continues on. The druggie wants to go to the police station to file a report based on the traffic stop, the driver calls her dad to rant and ask for advice, and the fortune teller decides to go with the druggie. They happen to be a 3 minute walk to the police station. They do what every good party should do, split it. The driver stays behind to talk to their dad. As the others reach the police station, I have the cop return and park across the parking lot from the driver and the session starts to write itself from there.
This post blew up because I wanted to share my current understanding of FKR play and what I think it means. I started running games with a prep-heavy workload and needing to have all the branching paths in front of me. But as I ran more games over the years, I've been drifting closer towards what I describe in this post. Discussions with other roleplay game designers and the FKR community pushed me off the cliff and lead to me running this one-shot using these techniques to see how it went. This ended up being one of my top 5 sessions.
Two weeks before this session, I ran a different one-shot in my safe style of almost over-prepared. It was my first time playing with a few of the players and I was not ready for their level of chaos. In a panic to hold control of the game, I stuck to the script I had prepared and the game failed. The players had a blast roleplaying together, but I know that I let it go off the rails. I didn't have the world react to their actions enough, so they were left to impose their will and we generated a lackluster story because of it.
The FKR is about reactive play.
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Character Name (pronouns)
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Description
Backstory
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