Cypher System notes

Unless otherwise noted, all Glimmers can also be used with Numenera and the
Strange.

BASIC SYSTEM (Rulebook p. 4-12)

Make a roll
- Roll d20 against task difficulty 0-10. Target roll is difficulty x3
- Can decrease difficulty through various means
- Skills decrease difficulty by 1 (trained) or 2 (specialized) levels
- Assets (equipment, help, etc.) can decrease difficulty by up to 2 levels
- Effort (see under character) can also decrease difficulty
- Difficulty 0 is automatic success
- Target Roll = (Difficulty - Skills - Assets - Effort)x3
- Special rolls
-- 1: FUMBLE! BAD!
-- 17/18: If on attack roll, +1/+2 damage
-- 19: Minor effect. Attack: +3 damage or special result (knockback, distract,
etc.). Out of combat: Do something with particular grace. A bit further than
success
-- 20: Major effect. Attack +4 damage or special result (knockdown, stun, extra
action). Out of combat: Major bonus, climb twice as fast, etc.

Experience Points (XP)

- Awarded by GM as rewards (for discoveries, finding artifacts, quest points, etc.)
- Spent on Character Advancement, or spend 1 XP on rerolling dice rolls and take
better result.
- GM Intrusion
-- Unexpected challenge issued by GM (you drop weapons, something makes it more
difficult, etc).
-- Gives 2 XP to rewarded player, player must give 1 of those 2 to another player
and justify the gift.
-- Intrusion can be denied at cost of 1 XP, and no XP reward.

Cyphers
- Special items. Should be used and found frequently.
- Varies a lot by setting.
- Almost always one use items.

Combat
- Enemies have levels, like difficulty. Roll against enemy typically at difficulty
level of enemy
- Player makes both attack and defense rolls
- Damage is flat numbers. Damage Taken = Attack Damage - Armor
- Weapon Types
-- Light (2 damage, difficulty -1 to hit)
-- Medium (4 damage, can be used in one hand)
-- Heavy (6 damage, needs two hands)
- Bonuses: Can rarely apply +1, etc. to a roll. If at +3, just reduce difficulty by
one
- Range
-- Immediate: Everyhing within 3 meters, get there immediately as part of action
-- Short: Anywhere within 15 meters, get there as full action
-- Long: Anything less than 30 meters, get as full action with right roll

CHARACTER (Rulebook page 14-21)

"I am a [fill in adjective here] [fill in a noun here] who [fill in a verb here]."
"I am a [descriptor] [type] who [focus]."
Type: Your class. Determines abilities and starting stats, among other things. Four
types: Warrior, Adept, Explorer, Speaker. See more in Character Type notes, or
rulebook page 22.
Descriptor: Defines character. Adds one time stat pool boosts, skills, special
abilities, equipment and/or inabilities to a character. See more in Rulebook page
64. At least fifty descriptors in the book, not gonna detail them all here.
Focus: Gives special abilities, with new ones being available at each character
tier. See more in Rulebook page 90. Oh god so many, look in the book. Not all might
be allowed.

3 stats:
- Might (Strength, health, physical strength and punishment)
- Speed (Speed, agility, swiftness, reflexes)
- Intellect (Intelligence, charisma, wisdom)

Pool, Edge, Effort

- Each stat has Pool and Edge
- Pool is the points in the stat.
-- Can be drained through attacks, Effort, or other effects (e.g. special abilities
from Type and Focus, such as a mental blast drains Intellect pool)
-- Can be restored through rest. Roll 1d6+Tier for each recovery roll. Split result
as wanted between drained pools.
-- One action rest for 1st roll (mid combat, too), ten minutes rest for second
roll, one hour for third roll, ten hours for 4th roll.
-- Start over after that
- Edge reduces cost of spending cost from a stat. Can make spending free. Edge at 3
means one level of Effort for free for that stat.
- Effort costs 3 points from Stat pool for starting char. Lowers difficulty by one
step.
-- Effort can be used multiple times, to reduce difficulty further. Costs only 2
points beyond first.
-- Effort score indicates max number of Efforts on each action.
-- Effort total cost as Edge subtracted. E.g. Edge 1, uses Effort for two levels.
Cost = 3+2-1 = 4
-- Effort can be affected by special equipment and abilities
-- Effort can, in battle, either be used to hit easier (might or speed for melee,
speed for range), dodge easier (speed) or do more damage.
-- Effort deal 3 extra damage/effort level normally, 2 extra damage/effort level
for Area Attacks and always deal at least 1 damage.

Skills
- No set list. See example list on Rulebook page 20.
- Trained: Lower difficulty by 1. Specialized: Lower difficulty by 2.
- Skill can even be in char's special ability, making them better. Choose specific
Ability, not general.
- Can come with buying Benefits (see character tier), from Focus or other sources.
- Skills stack, but can never lower difficulty more than 2. E.g. Trained in Lying
and Social Interactions could cont as Specialized in Lying.
- Only skills gained through Type abilities allow you to to get attack or defense
skills.

Abilities
- May drain a stat pool when used. Has a set cost, affected by Edge.
- If Effort is used, Edge is subtracted from total. Cost = Ability Cost + Effort
Used - Edge
- Can allow for new actions you couldn't normally take, keyword 'Action'
- Can boost other actions, such as attacks or wearing armor, keyword 'Enabler'
Character Tier
- Tier 1 to 6
- Start at Tier 1. Tier increase when 4 Benefits have been purchased with XP.
-- Each Benefit cost 4 XP
-- Can be purchased in any order, but must buy 1 of each kind to advance tier
before you can buy the same again
-- Benefits:
--- Increase capabilities: 4 points to split on stat pools
--- Moving Toward Perfection: Add 1 to 1 stat edge
--- Extra Effort: Increase Effort score by 1/
--- Skills
---- You become Trained in a skill of your choice.
---- You become Specialized in a skill you are Trained in.
--- You gain a Special Option (counts as the Skill benefit needed to advance tier)
---- Reduce cost of wearing armor (might cost -1, speed reduction -1)
---- Add 2 to recovery rolls
---- Select a new type-based ability from your tier or a lower tier.
- Gain new abilities at each tier. Can usually choose between 2 and 4 abilities per
tier from Type, while gaining specific abilities from Focus.
- Can always choose an ability at a lower tier as one of the chosen abilities.
- At each Tier increase, you can choose ONE ability that you can substitute for
another ability at a lower tier (e.g., no reason for an ability that lets you use 3
cyphers and one that let you use 4 cyphers, if they don't stack)