Genesys Quickstart

The Dice

The Genesys System uses a unique dice system that is designed to encourage narrative gameplay. The dice are used to resolve actions and determine the outcome of a character's actions. The dice are unique in that they do not use numbers, but rather symbols. The dice are seperated into two categories: positive dice and negative dice. Positive dice are used to determine the success of an action, while negative dice are used to determine the difficulty of an action. The dice are rolled together, and the symbols are compared to determine the outcome of the action.

Positive Dice

The three types of positive dice are Ability, Proficiency, and Boost. Having more of any of them when rolling is always good.

Ability k

The green Ability die represents basic skill or aptitude and forms the base of any skill check.

Proficiency l

The yellow Proficiency die represents advanced skill or training. The only way to use a Proficiency die is if an Ability die get upgraded.

Boost j

The blue Boost die represents additional benefits from lucky circumstances, careful planning, and help from friends.

Negative Dice

The three types of negative dice are Difficulty, Challenge, and Setback. You want to mitigate how many of these dice you have to roll. Although, it is though these dice that the most interesting complications can occur.

Difficulty k

The purple Difficulty die represents basic obstacles and the inherent difficulty of performing a task.

Challenge l

The red Challenge die represents more extreme adversity or advanced training of a foe. To get a Challenge die in your dice pool a Difficulty die must be upgraded.

Setback j

The black Setback die represents hindrances from unlucky circumstances, environmental hazards, or a foe actively working against you.

Building The Dice Pool

When the GM asks for a skill check you'll roll positive dice based on the skill your character is using and the characteristic that skill is linked to. You'll also roll negative dice based on the difficulty of the task. To determine which positive dice (k and l) to roll look at both of the values for the skill and its linked characteristic. The higher of the two values is how many green Ability k dice you start with. The lower value is how many green Ability k dice get upgraded to yellow Proficiency l dice. For example, if your character has a Intellect of 3 and a Medicine of 2 then you'll roll llk. Additionally, if they instead had a Intellect of 2 and a Medicine of 3 the dice would be the same. The GM will tell you which negative dice (k and l) to use.

Once you know the dice coming from your character's skill and the dice coming from the difficulty, the GM may add blue Boost j dice or black Setback j dice based on circumstances. Frequently, you may find that a Talent your character possesses will also add blue Boost j dice or even remove black Setback j dice.

Rolling The Dice

Make sure you have all the dice you need and roll them together. The symbols on the dice will determine the outcome of the action.

Interpreting The Results

Success and Failure

The first thing to look at is the number of Successes s and Failures f. If the number of Successes s is greater than the number of Failures f then the action is a success. If the number of Failures f is greater than the number of Successes s, or if they are equal then the action is a failure.

Advantage and Threat

The next thing to look at is the number of Advantage a and Threat h symbols. These symbols cancel each other out and represent positive and negative side effects of the action. How they affect the outcome of the action is up to the GM, but they can be used to add narrative flair to the action. For example, if a character is trying to hack a computer terminal and fails, but generates a lot of Advantage a then the GM may rule that the character failed to hack the terminal, but they did manage to download some useful information. Or if a character is trying to sneak past a guard and succeeds with a lot of Threat h then the GM may rule that the character managed to sneak past the guard, but they left behind some evidence that they were there. Advantage a can also be used mechanically to heal strain or activate certain effects.

Triumph and Despair

Triumphs t also count as a Success s and Despairs d also count as a Failure f. Triumphs t and Despairs d are similar to Advantage a and Threat h, but they are more powerful. Triumphs t and Despairs d can be used to activate powerful effects or to add narrative flair to the action. For example, if a character is trying to hack a computer terminal and succeeds with a Triumph t then the GM may rule that the character not only hacked the terminal, but they also managed to gain access to the security cameras. Or if a character is trying to sneak past a guard and fails with a Despair d then the GM may rule that the character not only failed to sneak past the guard, but they also tripped an alarm.

Story Points

Story Points are a resource that can be used by both the players and the GM to add narrative flair to the game. At the start of each session the GM will put a Story Point in the Player Story Point Pool for each player and one in a separate GM Story Point Pool. When a Story Point from either side is spent it goes into the other pool. Story Points can be spent to upgrade a positive die to a more powerful die or downgrade a negative die to a less powerful die. Story Points can also be spent to activate certain character abilities or to add narrative flair to a situation. For example, if a character has climbed on top of a shuttle and is looking for a way in that hasn't been described by the GM, the player can spend a Story Point to say that there is a hatch on top of the shuttle that they can open.

Combat

Combat in the Genesys System is designed to be fast and cinematic. The combat system is designed to be abstract and narrative, rather than tactical and grid-based. The combat system is also designed to be flexible and can be used to represent any type of combat, from a bar fight to a space battle.

Initiative

Initiative is determined by each character making a Cool or Vigilance check with a Simple (-) difficulty (no negative dice). The highest number of successes s determines the order of initiative. If there is a tie then the character with the most Advantage a goes first. Your character does't go on your initiative instead you get an initiative slot and the players together decide who wil act in each slot. The GM will also get an initiative slot for each group of NPCs. The GM can decide which NPCs go in each slot. Once the initiative order is determined the first character or group of NPCs will act. On the next round the PCs and NPCs could act in different slots, opening up tactical options.

Your Turn

On your turn you can perform one maneuver, one action, and a reasonable number of incidental actions.

Maneuvers

Maneuvers are the things you can do that are not as simple as an Incidental or a complex as an Action. They are activities that do not require a skill check; you just do them. Your GM should provide you the exhaustive list of Maneuvers, but for the most part you will use Maneuvers to move from one place to another, drawing or holstering a weapon, standing up or lying down, or taking your time to aim at a target. You get one free Maneuver on each of your turns. You can take up to one additional Maneuver by either suffering 2 strain or using your Action. No matter what, you can only perform two Maneuvers on your turn, with few exceptions.

Actions

Actions are those complex activities that almost always require a skill check. Your action is used to shoot a gun or swing a sword at a target, jump a chasm, hack a computer, or cast a spell. These checks will use all the rules you learned in the Building The Dice Pool section.

Incidentals

Incidental are small operations that require very little effort to perform. There is no mechanical limit to the number of Incidentals a character can perform, but your GM may cut you off if you push the boundaries of what makes sense. Some examples incidentals are speaking a short sentence or two, dropping a held item or character, and making small movements like peeking around a corner.

Range Bands

The Genesys System uses a range band system to represent the distance between characters. The range bands are as follows:

Engaged

Engaged is the range band that represents close combat. If you are engaged with another character then you are close enough to touch them. If you are engaged with another character then you can attack them with a melee weapon, but not a ranged weapon.

Short

Short is the range band that represents close ranged combat. If you are in the short range band then you are close enough to shoot someone with a pistol or a shotgun. Characters have to talk quietly to avoid being heard at short range.

Medium

Medium is the range band that represents medium ranged combat. If you are in the medium range band then you are close enough to shoot someone with a rifle or a sniper rifle. Characters have to talk loudly to be heard at medium range.

Long

Long is the range band that represents long ranged combat. If you are in the long range band then you are close enough to shoot someone with a heavy weapon like a rocket launcher or a tank cannon. Characters have to shout to be heard at long range.

Extreme

Extreme is the range band that represents extreme ranged combat. If you are in the extreme range band then you are close enough to shoot someone with a weapon like a mortar or a battleship cannon. Hearing each other is impossible at extreme range.