Dimensions RPG

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Dimensions, 06 Jul 2015 1

IMENSIONs

A Laid-Back Role-Playing System

Table of ontents

How Dimensions Is Different.........................................2For Experienced Role-Players:The System In Under 200 Words....................................2Making a Character.......................................................2The Hero Dimension................................................3

The Game's Story..........................................................3Conflicts........................................................................3What Happens When You Win (Or Lose)?.................3What's a Condition?.................................................4Invoking a Dimension for Fun and Profit ................4Blow-by-Blow Conflicts............................................4Prerequisites for Combat.........................................5

Character Progression...................................................5Converting From Other, Less Enlightened Systems........5What About Race?....................................................5What About Skills?...................................................5What About Gear?....................................................5

Helpful Term Examples for Different Genres..................6Gritty Film Noir........................................................6

Space Opera............................................................6Traditional Epic Fantasy with Elves and Stuff...........6Cyberpunk...............................................................6Superheroes in Spandex..........................................7Common In Most Universes.....................................7

Suggestions for Players.................................................7Suggestions for Game Masters......................................7Starting A Game.......................................................7Building Scenarios...................................................8Baddies...................................................................8

Every RPG Has to Have a Magic System, So Here AreFour Of Them................................................................8High Magic...............................................................9Middle of the Road..................................................9Low Magic...............................................................9Really Low Magic.....................................................9But I Really Want to Use Dice with Magic................9

Credits..........................................................................9A Blank Character Sheet.........................................10




This is a guide for running a rules-light role-playing game onsomething like Google Hangouts.

!o" imensions Is iffe#ent

• Players don't need to stat out their characters beforeplay.

• Dice and other randomizers can be introduced slowly.

• The system is friendly to new role-players.

$o# E%&e#ienced Role-Playe#s'

T(e System In )nde# *++ ,o#ds

Each character is made up of Dimensions (a catchphraseencapsulating an important facet of the character). EachDimension has 1 to 3 points; total of 7.

In a conflict, define the conflict's type and stakes. Choose aDimension that fits the conflict. Each participant rolls Fudge diceand adds them to the appropriate Dimension (if no Dimension isappropriate, add zero). The highest result wins; ties are won bythe player's character.

A conflict's winner achieves his or her stakes, while the losertakes a negative ongoing condition (likehurt). Win by 3 or moreand take a positive condition (likescary).

For blow-by-blow conflicts, do the same every round for eachcombattant. If you lose a round, remove one point from thatDimension for the rest of the conflict. If a Dimension drops to

zero points, you lose the conflict.

Invoke a Dimension to immediately win a conflict and take apositive condition. You can invoke a Dimension once per pointper session.

Great playing earns a bennie, which can be spent to re-rollFudge dice.

Making a (a#acte#

When a player introduces a character, the player needs only todescribe the character'sgeneral physical appearance andname.

The name might even not be the character's real name.Each character is made up ofDimensions, which arecatchphrases or short sentences that sum up an importantaspect of that character. These Dimensions can be defined whileplaying.

Each Dimension has 1 to 3 points, and each player has a total of7 points to distribute among all of his or her character'sDimensions. A Dimension with 3 points would be the first thingthat the character's best friend thinks of when remembering thatcharacter.

If you've played RPGs before, you probably want aquick overview of the system and its mechanics.Look here.

E%am&le

The GM starts the story in a loud nightclub. Sheasks one player, Sue, to describe her character.Sue says that her character is named Maki, iswearing baggy clothes, and is standing nervously

in a corner. The GM smells a Dimension and asksifFish out of water describes Maki in general, or ifthis is a situational problem. Sue says it's commonfor Maki, makingFish out of water one of Maki'sDimensions.

E%am&le

Now that everyone knows that Maki is aFish outof water, the GM asks Sue to rank Maki's generalsocial discomfort from 1 to 3. Sue figures thatMaki has only moderate problems talking topeople, so she gives Maki a 2 in that Dimension.




If a player has trouble thinking in these abstract terms, just askthe player to rank a newly-thought-up Dimension on a scalefrom 1 to 3 (1 being mild and 3 being strongly tied to thatcharacter).

T(e !e#o DimensionThere's also a special Dimension: the Hero Dimension, whichstarts at 0.

The GM rewards players whodo great things—clever solutions,awesome descriptions, deep play of a character—by giving thema point in their Hero Dimension.

The Hero Dimension can be used just ilke a regular Dimension,and can also be invoked to re-roll a Fudge die roll (re-rolling allfour dice).

There is no point maximum for the Hero Dimension.

T(e ame.s Sto#y

The game's story is divided intosessions (which almost alwayscorrespond to one night of gaming), and three to five sessionswill make achapter. Five to ten chapters make atale.

Each session is an attempt to accomplish a short-term goal (Finda spaceship captain who'll take us to Alderaan), while eachchapter is an attempt to achieve a medium-term goal (Get thesedroids to Alderaan). The tale told over all the chapters involves along-term goal, which may not be clear until the end of the tale(Destroy the Death Star).

onflicts

Conflicts in this system are handled differently than in mostrole-playing systems.

First, a conflict inDimensions is astruggle between twoindividuals. It's not aDungeons & DragonsTM-style encounter,with many individuals fighting in a scrum. Each session ofDimension will see many conflicts.

Every conflict begins with the players and GM agreeing to theconflict'stype (which should be pretty obvious, like a brawl orswordplay or a verbal argument) and itsstakes. What will eachcharacter in the conflict gain by winning or lose by losing?

Each combattant then chooses an appropriate Dimension for theconflict.

Each combattant then rolls Fudge dice and adds the points inthe appropriate Dimension. Whoever has the higher total wins.Player-characters win ties.

If a combattant has no appropriate Dimension, then just rollFudge dice for that combattant (in other words, assume a

S/e.s (a#acte# S(eet fo# Maki0So $a#

Character Name:Maki

Player Name: Sue

Dimension Points (Max)

Fish out of water 2 (2 )

( )

( )

( )

Hero 0

Conditions: _____________________

You can define stakes however you want,including positive results for you or negativeresults for your opponent. Or evenvice versa.

,(at A#e $/dge Dice1

In case you're not familiar with Fudge dice:imagine four dice, each six-sided. Two sides arelabeled +1, two are labeled -1, and two are labeled0. Rolling Fudge dice means rolling all four dice,and adding the result. Rolling +1, +1, -1, and 0means a total of +1 added to whatever you're




Dimension with 0 points).

,(at !a&&ens ,(en 2o/ ,in 3O# Lose41

Thewinner of each conflict accomplishes his or her stakes, and

theloser takes an ongoingnegative Condition appropriate to thesituation. If the winner wins by three or more points (rolling,say, +5 versus another character's +2), the winner takes anongoingpositive Condition.

,(at.s a ondition1

A negative Condition is some debilitating state likescared,sick,ormild concussion. For frail characters in high-stakes physicalfights, a negative Condition could bedead.

A positive Condition grants the character some advantage, likeinvisible,scary, orlucky streak.

Conditions end when appropriate to the Condition itself.Mildconcussion might end in a few minutes;drunk by the nextmorning (though possibly followed by a different negativeCondition,hung over).

In5oking a Dimension fo# $/n and P#ofit

A player can choose toinvoke an appropriate Dimension toimmediatelywin a conflict spectacularly (regardless of thenumber of points in the other character's appropriateDimension). Doing this also gives the invoking player's characteran ongoing positive Condition appropriate to the situation.

Invoking a Dimension removes one point from that Dimension. ADimension with zero points cannot be invoked. All Dimensionsare returned to full points at the beginning of each chapter (notscene!).

At any time, a player caninvoke an appropriate Dimension toend an ongoing Condition. It's bad form to do this immediatelyafter taking the Condition, unless there's a really good storyreason.

Blo"-by-Blo" onflicts

For a detailed conflict, divide the conflict intoturns. Action

proceeds clockwise around the table.

During a character's turn, he or she may attack anothercharacter, which starts anexchange. Run through the exchangeas if it were a full conflict above, except that the winner gainsnothing and the losertemporarily removes one point from theDimension used in that exchange. When a character is reducedto 0 points in any Dimension, the character loses the conflict.

Once the conflict is over, all points lost during that conflict arerestored.

trying to modify.

And that's right; if a player-character and amonster are tied, the player-character wins. Aren'tI nice?

E%am&le of A Standa#d onflict

Taliesin needs to get information from a streeturchin. Taliesin's stakes: get the information. Theurchin's stakes: scam Taliesin out of money. Theurchin has 3Street smarts, while Taliesin has 3Commanding presence. The GM rolls Fudge dice forthe urchin, rolling +1, -1, 0, 0,. Taliesin's playerrolls +1, +1, -1, 0, for a total of 4. Taliesin gets his

information, and keeps his pocket change. Theurchin takes the Condition ofcowed.

E%am&le of In5oking a Dimension

Bob's character Kenji has aCrazy Kung Fu of 3.Kenji needs to enter a nightclub, which is guardedby a huge bouncer. Bob's pretty sure the bouncer'smore powerful than Kenji, so Bob invokesCrazyKung Fu to lay waste to the bouncer. The bouncernow has the Conditionknocked out, and Kenji has2 points inCrazy Kung Fu.

Later, Kenji faces a couple of henchmen as heattempts to get revenge on Don Carlos. Bob optsfor a regular conflict against the first opponent,using his 2 inCrazy Kung Fu. Turns out thesehenchmen are stronger than most; they each have3 inFanatical Devotion To Don Carlos. They attackas one. Bob and the GM roll Fudge dice, and Kenjigets an extra point for a total of +3, but thehenchmen end up with +5. Kenji isbeaten up andthe henchmen achieve their stakes: Kenji is tossedback out into the foyer. He'll have to approach DonCarlos another way.

When the group searches for and finds a secretdoor leading to Don Carlos's hiding place, Bob

decides to invoke Kenji'sCrazy Kung Fu to recoverhis strength and end thebeaten up Condition, butnow he's down to 1 point inCrazy Kung Fu.




A Dimension with 1 or more point can still be invoked at anytime to win the conflict.

Note that invoking a Dimension reduces the number of pointsavailable for it in future conflicts.

P#e#e6/isites fo# ombat

Just like you don't want to bring a knife to a gunfight, you'llsometimes face conflicts in which you'll need some piece ofequipment or knowledge, or you can't hope to win. No rule cancover this. Use common sense in these circumstances todetermine how to proceed. The player-characters may need toretreat.

(a#acte# P#og#ession

Each tale taxes its characters and makes them grow. After each

tale, each playergains 1 to 3 points to incorporate into new orexisting Dimensions. Players can even subtract points fromexisting Dimensions and use the points on other Dimensions.

Note that eachplayer decides how many new points his or hercharacter deserves. A character that stayed the same throughoutthe tale deserves fewer points than a buffeted and blasted one.

on5e#ting $#om Ot(e#0 Less

Enlig(tened Systems

Dimensions stand for the major elements of your character that

make him, her, or it different from all the other characters in theuniverse.

But you're not limited to Dimensions. You can make up all sortsof things about your character that are as real as any Dimension.Heck, work up your character's stats in any given RPG system.

Your character sheet can (and should) track your character'sphysical appearance, likes, dislikes, skills, and history. They justcan't be invoked or directly used in conflicts. (However, theymay suggest changes to your Dimensions.)

,(at Abo/t Race1

Race depends on setting. If you play in a world where racedoesn't matter much (like standard D&D), then race cancertainly be a part of your character, but not a Dimension.

If race does matter, make it a Dimension.

,(at Abo/t Skills1

Skills should be part of Dimensions. For example, a characterwith theThief Dimension will certainly be able to sneak around,

By the way, yes, you absolutely can have a 10-point character with 10 Dimensions, with only 1

point In each of them.

In practice, all those Dimensions are reallyD&D-orGURPS-style skills, and you'll win very fewconflicts. But if you want to play that way, itworks.




pick locks, and case a joint.

Feel free to list specific skills in detail on your character sheet.

,(at Abo/t ea#1

There are four kinds of gear:

1.Everyday stuff that you use to do everyday things.Assume your character carries the kinds of thingsnormally carried by people.

2.Normal, recognizable objects that are used for specificwork, like wrenches, laptops, specific keys, and knives.Keep track of these, but you don't need to do anythingspecial with them.

3.Specialized equipment needed for a character'sprofession. If you have a Dimension ofInternational

Jewel Thief, assume you have lockpicks on you at all

times.

4.Big Freaking Guns, any physical objects or altered statesthat are a) rare, b) powerful, and c) awesome. These areConditions.

5.Special items, from your father's sword to theNecronomicon. These are Dimensions. (Actually, theNecronomicon might be a Condition.)

Obviously, some objects will belong more in one category thananother in some genres and for some characters.

!el&f/l Te#m E%am&les fo#

iffe#ent en#es

#itty $ilm Noi#

Dimensions:Handy with a gun, You'll never make me talk, Fiststhe size of hams, Insatiable curiousity

Conditions:Tight-lipped, drunk, in control, infatuated, shot,silent

S&ace O&e#aDimensions:Spaceship captain, Blue laser sword, Wings,

Retractable Claws, Telepathic

Conditions:Electro-shocked, jailed, space sickness

T#aditional E&ic $antasy "it( El5es andSt/ff

Everyday stuff: pens, cups, paper, hats, andhamburgers.

Pocket stuff: keys, wallet, makeup, scraps ofpaper, a lighter for someone who smokes,etc.

Taliesin is touched by the legendary telepathAllora. He now has a Condition:temporarytelepathy. No conflict required. (Bonus: thisCondition is not explicitly positive or negative; it justis.)

Indiana Jones's whip is at least specializedequipment; maybe a special item. For anyoneelse, it's a normal object. Life's weird that way.

One good way of soaking into a setting is tobrainstorm, as a group, cool Dimensions andConditions for the setting. Some you may neveruse, but they'll clear a path to follow.




Dimensions:Communes with nature, Terisian Noble Elder, Goblin

Conditions:In a trap, poisoned, berserker rage, giant-sized,freezing

ybe#&/nk

Dimensions:Brain hacker, Weapons dealer, Black-market legs,Crazy jumps

Conditions:Brainjacked, drugged up, stimulated, wanted bythe cops, wanted by a syndicate

S/&e#(e#oes in S&ande%

Dimensions:Laser Eyes, Telekenesis, Flight

Conditions: Tied up, weakened, befuddled

ommon In Most )ni5e#ses

Dimensions:Tough, Sneaky, Good with animals, Outsider, Easyto talk to

Conditions:Lucky, immobilized, jailed, restrained, knocked out,confused

S/ggestions fo# Playe#s

• Each Dimension should be something catchy, like:

◦ A catchphrase (Never tell me the odds; Youwouldn't like me when I'm angry)

◦ A cliché (Femme fatale; Absent-minded professor)

◦ A profession (Starship captain; Evil cultist)

◦ A weird physical or pseudo-magical ability (Lasereyes; Short-distance teleportation; Telekenesis)

• Distributing Dimension points 3-2-1-1 works very well.

• Don't be a dick. This system assumes you're trying to

tell the group's story. You won't win every conflict. Makethat an interesting part of the story. Luke Skywalkerlosing to Darth Vader was the most crucial (andmemorable) moment ofThe Empire Strikes Back.

S/ggestions fo# ame Maste#s

Sta#ting A ame

a.k.a. Wheaton's Law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil_Wheaton#Wheaton.27s_Law






Choose a player who will incite the first scene. Ask that playerwho or what her character's running from, and what thecharacter is hiding.

Start the game one of two ways:

1.All the other characters are in a regular, privatehangout, and the inciting character finds them and asksfor help.

2.All the other characters are in a public place, and theinciting character stumbles in, pursued by enemies.

Use the first scene to learn one Dimension for each character,and to introduce the conflict rules.

By the end of the first chapter, the players should have all theirDimensions defined.

B/ilding Scena#ios

Scenarios for this system are better when they're not based onsimple success or failure. “Make sure the president is shotbefore he makes his 3:00 speech” relies on specific skills. “Yourco-workers were all murdered last night. Who's responsible?” ismore interesting.

Start general. Describe environments for at most 15 seconds at atime.

Baddies

There are three kinds of baddies:

• Mooks are cannon fodder, and usually appear in pulpstories only. They should have 2 to 3 points in only oneDimension.

◦ Treat a group of mooks as one mook, mechanically.

• Lieutenants are a challenge, and have two Dimensions.A typical lieutenant will have 3 points in one Dimensionand 1 or 2 in another. They will also take one Conditionbefore being knocked out.

• Villains are serious business, with a total of 8 to 10points in at least three Dimensions. Villains can alsohave up to 4 points in their Dimensions, and can take

several Conditions before losing.

E5e#y RP !as to !a5e a Magic

System0 So !e#e A#e $o/# Of

T(em

If you want a magic system, here are options.

One of your Dimensions must correspond to the type of magic

I know this looks too prescriptive. You don't haveto follow this section exactly, or at all.

But this works.

“You all have amnesia” sounds trite, but it can bea great place to start a story.

I'm only half-joking.




you cast (such asPyromancer orEarth Shaman).

Within this document, “spells” refer to memorized incantations,rituals, written invocations, and magical powers kindled with athought. Any magical effect is a spell.

Depending on your world, spells can require preparation orcomponents. Spells may be available equally to all spellcasters,or each spell may only be available to specific types ofspellcasters. Spells can have set power levels (so thatfireball isalways a level 2 spell), or may be powered up or down at will.

!ig( Magic

With this system, magic is common and easy for spellcasters.Example: Harry Potter.

Your character has a separate pool of mana, which is equal to 10times the points in the character's magical Dimension. Spells

have a power level from 1 to 15. Each time you cast a spell, youdeplete points from your mana pool equal to the power level ofthe spell. The mana pool regains 5 points at the beginning ofevery conflict, up to its original maximum.

A level 1 spell might cast a dim light ten yards in everydirection; a level 15 spell might rain down fire from the heavens.

Middle of t(e Road

With this system, magic is uncommon but accessible to many.Example:Dungeons & Dragons.

Your character has a separate pool of mana, which is equal to 5

times the points in the magical Dimension. Spells have a powerlevel from 1 to 5. Each time you cast a spell, you deplete pointsfrom your mana pool equal to the power level of the spell. Themana pool regains 5 points at the beginning of every session, upto its original maximum.

Lo" Magic

With this system, magic is rare and powerful.Example:Earthsea.

Your character can cast spells of different levels of power from 1to 3. Each time you cast a spell, you deplete as many pointsfrom your magical Dimension as levels of power in the spell.

However, you regain one point in the magical Dimension at thebeginning of each conflict.

Really Lo" Magic

With this system, spellcasters are very rare and powerful.Example:The Lord of the Rings.

Each spell is a Dimension. Invoke the Dimension to cast thespell. That's it. However, one spell can take out a bunch of

A Sam&le Magic System

Let's make up a magic system based on the fiveelements of fire, water, earth, air, and metal. Eachrequires a separate Dimension (Fire Wizard, AirWizard,etc.). Components are only required forspells level 11 or higher. All spells have a standardversion, a big version, and a quiet version.

We'll use the High Magic variant, so eachcharacter's mana is equal to 10 times the points intheir magical Dimension.

Lightning Strike is a level 5 spell that strikes onetarget up to 20 feet away. The big version is level8 and hits up to 3 targets. The quiet version is alevel 3 spell that stuns one creature unconsciousby touch.




average enemies at once.

B/t I Really ,ant to )se Dice "it( Magic

In that case, every time you cast a spell, roll Fudge dice, and

add the result to determine the actual power level of the spellas cast. If the result is 0, the spell fizzles with no effect; if theresult is less than 0, the spell backfires on the caster.

#edits

Dimensions was designed and developed byBrent P. Newhall,based on a concept by Quinn Murphy.

Thanks to Brian Kelsay, Joshua Roehm, and Richard Ashley forinvaluable playtesting advice.

This is the first release ofDimensions.

A Blank (a#acte# S(eet

Character Name:

Player Name:

Dimension Points (Max)

( )

( )

( )

( )

( )

Conditions: _____________________

Notes:

http://brentnewhall.com/

http://brentnewhall.com/

Dimensions RPG

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