One-Roll Engine
Encyclopedia
The One-Roll Engine is a generic role-playing game system
developed by Greg Stolze
for the alternate history superhero
roleplaying game Godlike
. The system was expanded upon in the modern-day sequel, Wild Talents
, as well as the heroic fantasy game Reign and the free horror game Nemesis
. A simpler version was used for Monsters and Other Childish Things
. The One-Roll Engine is notable for its unique dice rolling system in which matched values on ten-sided dice (d10s) determine all variables of a check in a single roll. This eliminates, for example, the separate initiative, hit location and damage rolls common during combat in other systems.
of d10s equal to the character's Stat
and Skill similar to that used by Storyteller system. Since the dice are always d10s, a pool is written as the number of dice followed by a "d"; for example, a pool of six dice would be written "6d".
While most dice pool systems count the number of dice which roll above a certain number to determine success, the O.R.E. system instead depends on matching dice, such as a pair of dice showing 8 or three dice showing 2. Matching dice are called a "set"; the number of matching dice in a set is called the "Width", while the face up number on the dice is the set's "Height". Shorthand notation for writing results is Width x Height, so a pair of 8s would be written 2x8 and three 2s would be written 3x2.
A roll may have more than one set; the player can usually choose which one to use. If there are no matches, then the player may select a single die to act as a set with a Width of 1. In general, a set's Width determines the speed of an action, while the Height determines how successful the action was. In combat, Width and Height also determine the damage and hit location.
Powers, such as those possessed by superhuman Talents in Godlike, are modeled with special dice. "Hard Dice" are considered to always have a value of 10, while "Wiggle Dice" have a value assigned by the player after the rest of the pool is rolled. The shorthand notation for Hard Dice is hd and Wiggle Dice is wd, so a Dice pool of six regular dice, two Hard Dice and one Wiggle Die would be noted 6d+2hd+1wd.
NEMESIS
introduces "Expert Dice", which may be used as normal dice, or the player can select their value before the roll, but no two Expert Dice can be selected to have the same value. Expert Dice are also used as buffer against die penalties, where each Expert Die counteracts one die penalty, but then must be rolled as a normal die. NEMESIS also uses Wiggle Dice, but renames them "Trump Dice". The shorthand notation for Expert Dice is ed and Trump Dice is td.
Reign also uses "Wiggle Dice", but uses the name "Master Dice" (shorthand notation "md"). In this setting any dice pool just could contain one special die ("md" or "ed") and can never roll more than ten dice at once. (Excess allows offsetting penalties while still resulting in an effective pool of ten.)
The simplified O.R.E. used in Monsters and Other Childish Things only uses special dice for monsters. Normal dice in a monsters' pools may be sacrificed during character creation for special qualities, one of which, "Awesome", grants a die that works like an Expert die in NEMESIS. Taking the Awesome quality a second time makes the die function like a Wiggle Die. Monsters does not use Hard Dice, but other special qualities modify rolls in specific, more limited ways. For example "Gnarly" adds one to damage in combat rolls, while "Wicked Fast" adds one to Width for the purposes of determining speed.
Generic role-playing game system
A generic role-playing game system or universal role-playing game system is a role-playing game system designed to be independent of setting and genre...
developed by Greg Stolze
Greg Stolze
Greg Stolze is an American novelist and writer, whose work has mainly focused on properties derived from role-playing games.Stolze has contributed to numerous role-playing game books for White Wolf Game Studio and Atlas Games, including Demon: the Fallen...
for the alternate history superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
roleplaying game Godlike
Godlike (role-playing game)
Godlike: Superhero Roleplaying in a World on Fire, 1936-1946 is an alternate history World War II era Superhero role-playing game, created by Dennis Detwiller and Greg Stolze. Godlike was originally produced by Dennis Detwiller and John Tynes of Pagan Publishing , and published by Hawthorn...
. The system was expanded upon in the modern-day sequel, Wild Talents
Wild Talents (role-playing game)
Wild Talents is a superhero role-playing game published by Arc Dream Publishing and written by Dennis Detwiller, with Greg Stolze, Kenneth Hite, and Shane Ivey, with illustrations by Christopher Shy, Sam Araya, and Todd Shearer...
, as well as the heroic fantasy game Reign and the free horror game Nemesis
NEMESIS (role-playing game)
Nemesis is a supernatural horror role-playing game, created by Dennis Detwiller, Greg Stolze and Shane Ivey, with game mechanics by Greg Stolze. The game is available electronically for free. Nemesis uses the One-Roll Engine gaming system, a dice pool system where matched die results determine...
. A simpler version was used for Monsters and Other Childish Things
Monsters and Other Childish Things
Monsters and Other Childish Things is a comedy horror role-playing game about small children with horrible pet monsters. It is published by Arc Dream Publishing and written by Benjamin Baugh, with illustrations by Rebecca Ivey and Rob Mansperger. Initially available as a 52 page expansion of the...
. The One-Roll Engine is notable for its unique dice rolling system in which matched values on ten-sided dice (d10s) determine all variables of a check in a single roll. This eliminates, for example, the separate initiative, hit location and damage rolls common during combat in other systems.
Mechanics
The One-Roll Engine uses a dice poolDice pool
In some role-playing game systems, the dice pool is the number of dice that a player is allowed to roll when attempting to perform a certain action.-Mechanics:In most RPG systems, most non-trivial actions require dice rolls...
of d10s equal to the character's Stat
Attribute (role-playing games)
An attribute is a piece of data that describes to what extent a fictional character in a role-playing game possesses a specific natural, in-born characteristic common to all characters in the game. That piece of data is usually an abstract number or, in some cases, a set of dice...
and Skill similar to that used by Storyteller system. Since the dice are always d10s, a pool is written as the number of dice followed by a "d"; for example, a pool of six dice would be written "6d".
While most dice pool systems count the number of dice which roll above a certain number to determine success, the O.R.E. system instead depends on matching dice, such as a pair of dice showing 8 or three dice showing 2. Matching dice are called a "set"; the number of matching dice in a set is called the "Width", while the face up number on the dice is the set's "Height". Shorthand notation for writing results is Width x Height, so a pair of 8s would be written 2x8 and three 2s would be written 3x2.
A roll may have more than one set; the player can usually choose which one to use. If there are no matches, then the player may select a single die to act as a set with a Width of 1. In general, a set's Width determines the speed of an action, while the Height determines how successful the action was. In combat, Width and Height also determine the damage and hit location.
Powers, such as those possessed by superhuman Talents in Godlike, are modeled with special dice. "Hard Dice" are considered to always have a value of 10, while "Wiggle Dice" have a value assigned by the player after the rest of the pool is rolled. The shorthand notation for Hard Dice is hd and Wiggle Dice is wd, so a Dice pool of six regular dice, two Hard Dice and one Wiggle Die would be noted 6d+2hd+1wd.
NEMESIS
NEMESIS (role-playing game)
Nemesis is a supernatural horror role-playing game, created by Dennis Detwiller, Greg Stolze and Shane Ivey, with game mechanics by Greg Stolze. The game is available electronically for free. Nemesis uses the One-Roll Engine gaming system, a dice pool system where matched die results determine...
introduces "Expert Dice", which may be used as normal dice, or the player can select their value before the roll, but no two Expert Dice can be selected to have the same value. Expert Dice are also used as buffer against die penalties, where each Expert Die counteracts one die penalty, but then must be rolled as a normal die. NEMESIS also uses Wiggle Dice, but renames them "Trump Dice". The shorthand notation for Expert Dice is ed and Trump Dice is td.
Reign also uses "Wiggle Dice", but uses the name "Master Dice" (shorthand notation "md"). In this setting any dice pool just could contain one special die ("md" or "ed") and can never roll more than ten dice at once. (Excess allows offsetting penalties while still resulting in an effective pool of ten.)
The simplified O.R.E. used in Monsters and Other Childish Things only uses special dice for monsters. Normal dice in a monsters' pools may be sacrificed during character creation for special qualities, one of which, "Awesome", grants a die that works like an Expert die in NEMESIS. Taking the Awesome quality a second time makes the die function like a Wiggle Die. Monsters does not use Hard Dice, but other special qualities modify rolls in specific, more limited ways. For example "Gnarly" adds one to damage in combat rolls, while "Wicked Fast" adds one to Width for the purposes of determining speed.
External links
- Quick Start Rules for Godlike.
- Learn to play Wild Talents.
- Nemesis rules.
- Quick-Play Guide for Monsters and Other Childish Things.