Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cypher System GM Screen
Cypher System GM Screen
TASK
DIFFICULTY DESCRIPTION TARGET NO. GUIDANCE
0 Routine 0 Anyone can do this basically every time.
1 Simple 3 Most people can do this most of the time.
2 Standard 6 Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this.
3 Demanding 9 Requires full attention; most people have a 50/50 chance to succeed.
4 Difficult 12 Trained people have a 50/50 chance to succeed.
5 Challenging 15 Even trained people often fail.
6 Intimidating 18 Normal people almost never succeed.
7 Formidable 21 Impossible without skills or great effort.
8 Heroic 24 A task worthy of tales told for years afterward.
9 Immortal 27 A task worthy of legends that last lifetimes.
10 Impossible 30 A task that normal humans couldn’t consider (but one that doesn’t break the laws of physics).
ARMOR
SPEED EFFORT SPEED POOL
ARMOR TYPE ARMOR VALUE ADDITIONAL COST REDUCTION
It’s okay to tell players—particularly
Light Armor 1 point +1 2
starting players—the difficulty of
Medium Armor 2 points +2 3
Heavy Armor 3 points
the5task.
+3
WEAPON DAMAGE
Light Weapon 2 points of damage (+ Reduces attack roll difficulty by one step) MODIFYING ABILITIES
Medium Weapon 4 points of damage Impossible task (10). Accomplish an
effect that has nothing to do
Heavy Weapon 6 points of damage
with the description or intent.
Formidable task (7). Do something
DISTANCE similar to the description or
Immediate Right there. No more than 10 feet (3m). A character can move an immediate intent, but changing its na-
distance and do something else on his turn.
ture.
Short Not far. 50 feet (15m) or so. A character can move a short distance as his turn.
Difficult task (4). Do something
Long Pretty far. 100 feet (30m) or so. A character can move a long distance as his
within the spirit and general
turn, but there is a roll involved.
idea of the ability.
SPECIAL ROLLS DAMAGE BASED EFFECTS
1: Intrusion. The GM makes a free 20: Major Effect. If the PC spent points Damage Reduction Effect
intrusion and doesn’t award from a stat Pool on the action, 1 Hinder/Distract
experience points (XP) for it. the point cost for the action 2 Specific body part
decreases to 0, meaning 3 Knock back
17: Damage Bonus. If the roll was an
the character regains those 3 Move past
attack, it deals 1 additional 3 Strike held object
point of damage. points as if she had not spent
4 Knock down
them at all. The PC gets a
18: Damage Bonus. If the roll was an 7 Disarm
major effect in addition to 7 Impair
attack, it deals 2 additional the normal results of the task 8 Stun
points of damage. if it was not an attack. If the
19: Minor Effect. The PC gets a minor roll was an attack, it deals 4
effect in addition to the additional points of damage, WEAPON DISTINCTIONS
normal results of the task if or the PC gets a major effect, Slashing. Slashing weapons
it was not an attack. If the such as: inflict 1 additionnal point of da-
roll was an attack, it deals 3 Knock down: The foe is knocked mage against an unarmored foe
additional points of damage, prone. It can get up on its turn (without a physical protection).
or the PC gets a minor effect, if it wishes. Piercing. Piercing weapons inflict
such as:
Disarm: The foe drops one 1 additionnal point of damage on
Strike a specific body part: The object that it is holding. rolls of 17 or higher (beyond any
attacker strikes a specific spot bonus damage granted by such
on the defender’s body. The Stun: The foe loses its next
rolls).
GM rules what special effect, action.
Crushing. Crushing weapons
if any, results. Impair: For the rest of the
ignore 1 point of Armor.
Knock back: The foe is knocked combat, the difficulty of all
tasks the foe attempts is Reaching. Attacks made against
or forced back a few feet. someone with a reaching weapon
modified by one step to
Move past: The character can its detriment. are modified by one step in the
move a short distance at the defender's favor (unless the
end of the attack. attacker also have a reaching
Try to use three to four weapon of its own).
Distract: For one round, the
difficulty of all tasks the foe
GM Intrusions per session.
attempts is modified by one Remember to award 2 XP
step to its detriment. points to the affected player.
RECOVERY ROLLS DAMAGE FROM HAZARDS
RECOVERY ROLL REST TIME NEEDED SOURCE DAMAGE NOTES
First recovery roll One action Falling 1 point per 10 feet (3 m) fallen (ambient —
Second recovery roll Ten minutes damage)
Third recovery roll One hour Minor fire 3 points per round (ambient damage) Torch
Fourth recovery roll Ten hours Major fire 6 points per round (ambient damage) Engulfed in flames; lava
Acidsplash 2 points per round (ambient damage) —
Acid bath 6 points per round (ambient damage) Immersed in acid
LASTING DAMAGE
Cold 1 point per round (ambient damage) Below freezing temperatures
Lasting damage does not heal normally, so
the points lost cannot be regained by making Severe cold 3 points per round (ambient damage) Liquid nitrogen
recovery rolls. Instead, they return at a rate of Shock 1 point per round (ambient damage) Often involves losing next action
1 point per day of complete rest (or 1 point Electrocution 6 points per round (ambient damage Often involves losing next action
per three days of regular activity). Until the Crush 3 points Object or creature falls on character
points are restored, the damage has a
Huge crush 6 points Roof collapse; cave-in
secondary effect.
Collision 6 points Large, fast object strikes character