The Cypher System Rules and Mechanics

Sam de Leve explores the basics of the Cypher System, how to apply effort and edge mechanics, and how to use skills, assets, and power shifts.
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[@RealAkerbos]

The fact alone that you can explain basically _all_ the mechanics in a 8min video, including examples and fluff, makes this one of my favorite systems.

[@ZachsMind]

Talking about game mechanics doesn't usually leave me with chills. That was very nicely done.

[@hezvandermeij]

4 years later and Montekook is coming out with The Magnus Archives rolyplaying game, on a slightly modified version of their Cypher System. I'm readily hyped for that, but honestly never even heard of this system before hehe. Y'alls video is the perfect bite-sized intro to how it works for me. Thanks guys!

[@Butonz1]

I'd put all my edge into edge so that I could be extra edgy.

[@niksatt4843]

Yo dog I heard you like to edge so I put an edge in your edge so you can edge while you edge

[@lensmith5221]

Literally "Edge Lord"

[@RPGmodsFan]

=D LOL at the t-shirt that says: Super Powers > Lab Safety

[@BrknSoul]

Super Powers* > Lab Safety *results not typical

[@Freelyx]

Any thought about maybe doing a character generation video? For us newbies that bought all the books, but learn better through seeing and doing than reading.

[@JamesCarpio]

This was SUPER helpful! Eight minutes and I now have a confident understanding of the basics. Thank you.

[@JustBarbarianThings]

This is the best short-format rules intro for Cypher that I’ve seen! Thanks and well done!

[@bark_madly]

Hello and thank you for this engaging introduction video! Your enthusiasm is infectious, and this is exactly the kind of "elevator pitch" video I will send to some friends to get interested in Cypher System :) One quick item of feedback: the Cypher System Rulebook says that "You can use Edge for a particular stat only once per action." So in the great example of decreasing Effort costs to jump across trains, I believe that Cass would decrease the Might cost by her Edge once, not twice--even though Effort was used twice. Thank you again for the great video! :)

[@RockingJDesign]

Love this. Just wish you'd have included visual references to the numbers/terms. Otherwise fantastic!

[@Kevin-Peter]

As a newbie to the Cypher system (and leaving WOTC D&D 5e based on their ridiculous OGL changes, and don't care they recently retracted it) this was a brilliant tutorial, and as more of a "storyteller" GM and fiction writer, the Cypher system has become my "go to" system going forward. Brilliant stuff guys, keep the amazing content coming!!

[@BruceRCordell]

A masterclass job explaining the Cypher System!

[@jaws78]

Wow! Great way to layer in the explanation!

[@CypherUnlimited]

Great Video!

[@AlanTwigg]

That's a great overview of the system. Thanks for taking the time to make and share it. I feel like I understand it now, but I don't think it's for me.

[@Jimersion]

"Quick! While the GM's not looking, let's decypher this system." Sam-level pun crit. 👏😂

[@MorriganJade]

Please also talk about Open Legends and Savage Worlds! :D

[@Waterflame]

As always, Sam is amazing! They lay out the rules in an easy to understand fashion, and they have fun while doing it!

[@garret1930]

Wouldn't it be "they has," since it's supposed to be a neuter singular pronoun?

[@Waterflame]

@@garret1930 No.

[@garret1930]

@@Waterflame Why not? Wouldn't that make it more consistent linguistically since we use the conjugation "has" for both masculine and feminine singular cases? (Not trying to be a shit disturber, I'm genuinely curious)

[@Waterflame]

@@garret1930 Even though it's a singular "they" you still use "they have" instead of "they has", just like you use "they are" instead of "they is", because grammar.

[@garret1930]

@@Waterflame ja, but I would think it would be more consistent to go with "they is" for the same reasons, it's supposed to be singular so why are we treating it like a plural? It only serves to confuse the object of the sentence.

[@alecmiller1748]

Can you please post the full show on KZbin.

[@RomanQrr]

So... Callisto 6 vods incoming?

[@lysander1]

one of these for storyteller system, please.

[@commandercaptain4664]

Thanks for this. I'm an admirer of universal RPGs, and this is right up my alley. The only downside so far are players, used to d20 GMs figuring everything out from them, who don't want to mitigate their success this much through Effort, Edges, Assets, Skills, and Powershifts, but I can see how they aid in roleplaying accurate results.

[@3rddegreekachow702]

Sam's excitement is crazy stupid adorable lol

[@Kalibby22]

same! i demand (nicely) a "Sam loses their shit" and/or "Sam is excited" rpg at some point! I KNOW THEY CAN MAKE THIS WORK!

[@SamBrockmann]

I actually really hate the lack of tactical qualities in D&D 5th Edition. But the Cipher system, while simplistic as it seems, actually has some depth to it. I like that. For example, do I spend my points pool now or later? Do I go all in?

[@i-am-your-conscience]

Yes. And the character types all have their specialities, and the fighter gets as much maneuvers and moves, as a spellcaster gets spells.. So in Numenera for example a fighter never felt less versatile than a spellcaster.. I did a fighting character the first time and I liked it. And yes, that the hitpoints come from the same pool as the points you can spend, makes it really interesting and tactical in a combat. Also, that the damage it is tripartite, either on Might, Speed or Intellect, is also quite interesting, yet easy to comprehend and also makes sense.

[@gcfournier3386]

Thanks

[@Skeloric]

Coming as I did from GURPS and similarly chunky point gen systems, I rather like how Cypher really can be explained on a napkin and played with a simple d20 pretty much anywhere. And that the GM side is static levels means less number crunching and randomizing to worry about in set up. Want a strong NPC king? Level 5 with a retinue of 4 level 4 knights. Just done. Simple. Notes of a game could cover a single page, and have. Played and ran this for going on 10 years now - going back all the way back to original edition Numenera. This game is made for busy lives.

[@am25deek]

I love it! How does combat work?

[@BrknSoul]

Pretty much the same. The foe you fight has a difficulty level. For initiative, you must beat this difficulty in order to take your turn before the foe. If you don't beat it, then you take your turn after the foe. When attacking you use your various reductions to beat the difficulty to land damage. Similarly when defending.

[@BrightFameTowers]

@@BrknSoul So does that mean when they attack your character you roll against their DC?

[@JesseFox]

@@BrightFameTowers Yes, your foe has a level they attack at, which works exactly like they explained in this video to figure out the target number you must roll. You simply roll (usually a speed) defense roll to succeed at avoiding the hit. Same modifiers apply, you can spend effort, apply skills, and have assets to defend. That's the basics of it, with some combat modifiers occasionally adjusting the difficulty level of avoiding the attack

[@ryanpavs7119]

Anyone else checking out old vids for a new system?

[@namenotdecided4214]

Pretty dam good at strong people stuff

[@AtaraxianWist]

Huh. That's actually a great candidate for my custom fantasy setting. A little concerned about the Cyphers themselves, as that kind of inconsistency is anathema to my worldbuilding, but I think it should work.

[@cassou124]

You can turn Cyphers into potions, and remove the random nature of PCs finding them by having them be like regular consumable items in D&D

[@bluespruce786]

People who make Numenera videos have the coolest shirts.

[@TheTYMONGER]

Why tell it is a level 2 then just tell them they have to roll a 6. Just tell them they need to roll a 6.

[@commandercaptain4664]

I'm just learning this now from the video, but between Effort, Edge, Assets, Skills, and Powershifts, Levels and Difficulties can each be mitigated differently.

[@originalulix]

It's done so the difficulty scales from 0 to 10, which is a way of applying scale to things most people intuitively understand, right away. Multiply the very intuitively defined difficulty by 3, and you get your target number. Everything in the system has a level between 0 and 10, basically. From enemies, to doors, to psychic fields, to anything you can imagine.

[@turtleandbear1179]

"but Cass isnt most characters"

[@brianmcguinness9642]

I have played AD&D 1e and 2e, D&D 4e and 5e, and GURPS 3e. Of these I like GURPS the best by far since it doesn't tie the player down with a lot of unnecessary, stupid rules like having to pick spells ahead of time (which I hate) or limiting certain skills to certain classes. I am curious about how Cypher compares to these systems. It sounds as if a GM can come up with an interesting challenge for the players, only to have the players reduce this to an automatic success with the right combination of skills, effort, and so on, leading to a major pain for the GM and a boring game for the players. Another thing that I am uneasy about is that apparently the players can spend points to prevent the GM from introducing an interesting challenge into the game. This sounds really bizarre; it would take the players out of the game with metagaming. I'm not sure that I would like the Cypher system.

[@ABleakFuture]

It's just like any other game. The GM should be creating encounters that provide a challenge, not something that can be reduced to an automatic success.

[@Three-Headed-Monkey]

True, but that was under the right circumstances. Cass may not be able to make a social or a intellectual challenge as easily. Also characters would be facing several of these challenges in a session, and they only have a limited pool of might, speed and intellect they can use before they have to rest. So spending them will reduce your options in future tasks. A good thing about this system is that no matter the character, combat and non-combat tasks will use the same resources. Spend all of your might jumping from train to train? Oops, not much left for that epic combat we've just fallen into...

[@ArcaneCowboy]

"... I like GURPS the best by far since it doesn't tie the player down with a lot of unnecessary, stupid rules..." I have no idea what version of GURPS you are playing that seems rules light.

[@ChaoticVampire]

@@ArcaneCowboy There's literally a free 30 pg. booklet called GURPS Lite with the bare minimum rules to get started.

[@VexxarAlHara]

@@ArcaneCowboy This is the biggest misconception people have about GURPS. Thinking that you *have* to use everything in the book. GURPS is a modular system that allows you to make your game as deep and complex as you wish, and to fit pretty much any genre and setting you desire. The biggest mistake someone can make is assume they're forced to go through the entire book and use everything there, in order to play the game. It's kind of a toolkit, rather than a set in stone system. You may start with something as basic as what's listed on GURPS Lite or even Ultra Lite, but as time goes you think: "Huh, I wish there was a way to make firearms more detailed and tactical". Well, go into the book and read the extra options for firearms, ranging from combat and weapon customization. And if it doesn't exists on the book, which is hard not to, you can easily create it, considering all the guidelines and examples you have. It's my favorite system of them all. The only one that really allowed me to make the giant mix of genres that is my original universe.

[@solus-dragon9729]

When are you come back

[@deejayjuicebox7623]

The only time being a zero = success

[@Aussietexian]

I would really love to watch this show, and was hoping now that season 2 started season 1 might appear here on YT since twitch interface is so terrible. Sadly no such luck they even removed season 1 from twitch.

[@ithalathegayguy]

I mean, explaining the rules is a good stepping stone

[@RealUnimportant]

They don't remove anything from Twitch, it's just buried. Next time you're on there, type !vodlist and use the spreadsheet that Nightbot links nstead of Twitch's awful archive system; I've literally watched the first season of this show just this week so I know for certain it's still there! This video was recorded during the first season, so I'd assume that it'll be coming to YT imminently, especially now they have a gap to fill.

[@SkyfederalDolphin]

To bad I don't have any friends

[@zeebzeebo]

Well, just use Roll20. And learn the difference between "to" and "too".

[@Mind_of_MATT]

Play solo.

[@trekadam30]

Until they actually start showing Callisto 6 on G&S, I don't really give a shit, but I got to see Sam, soooo...I'M EXCITED!

[@achalsinghal7115]

Is it just me or her facial expressions are weirdly uncommon on youtube guides

[@reezian8118]

Dude her looking at me unsettles me so much

[@orhansumen]

Why so much excitement lol

[@machinenoise9622]

WOW taking this jumping between a train example would play out over 20 mins for an average group of players. Are you kidding me?? 😂 Nice convoluted system you built there.

[@pigactor]

How long does it take to swing a golf club vs explaining how to swing a golf club? 🍎🍊

[@dminard1]

This seems like a lot of moving parts to do pretty low level feats.

[@ithalathegayguy]

It's really not.... it's basically a d20 roll with no pluses.... the difficulty of the challenge can be lowered by your skills giving you more chance to succeed..... so the example given (Challenge 7=need to roll 21) is literally impossible... you can't roll 21 on a 20 sided die.... but, if you've got enough things going to your advantage (equipment, friend to catch you, experience specifically in this action, and superpowers) you can lower that difficulty down to 0 by spending a few resources

[@dminard1]

@@ithalathegayguy subtracting from the DC is functionality the same as adding to your roll. This system has a lot of seperate ways to lower the DC which adds complexity but it a very humdrum way.

[@ithalathegayguy]

@@dminard1 congrats, you've learned the system, now explain to me how it's any more dull than adding to your roll?

[@raptoranonimo]

@@ithalathegayguy I dont know if it was HIS reasoning, but to me having to assess the situation, and going, -1 DC because X, -2 because Y, and arguing what counts where is boring, arguing and mathing on the roll halts the action, tension and pace, id rather just have a +something or advantage flat on rolls and just keep playing.

[@ithalathegayguy]

@@raptoranonimo except adding to rolls is exactly the same.... I can't tell you how many arguments I've seen of "well, that bonus wouldn't actually apply to this roll" "but it says right here blah blah blah" What it sounds like you're actually looking for is something that would just be a flat roll with no bonuses or minuses

[@thewhispererindarkness9117]

I like the presentation but I don't think this rpg would be for me.

[@darkheart333hotmail3]

Why not?

[@thewhispererindarkness9117]

@@darkheart333hotmail3 For one I'm not often a fan of systems that are meant to be genre agnostic, because it won't really be built for what you have in mind. It's also a pretty "light" system rules-wise, not necessarily bad but generally the ones I like best, such as the d100 Warhammer rpgs and Call of Cthulhu, are kind of medium in that regard. Though perhaps I would see it differently during actual play. I like Paranoia quite a bit, but that is a light system and out of context it sounds really weird.

[@darkheart333hotmail3]

@@thewhispererindarkness9117 They have creatures from call of cthulhu in the game.

[@thewhispererindarkness9117]

@@darkheart333hotmail3 Ah, I also forgot there is at least one unrelated Cthulhu game and I didn't specify. I'm talking about the rpg by Chaosium. It's a d100 skill based system. After you successfully use a skill, you put a check next to it. At the end of the scenario (or chapter of a long one) you roll to try to improve all checked skills. So skills improve by using them. I also like that you don't gain hit points, so you never become immune to a knife for example. It's a tie for my favorite between World of Darkness, Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu, and the d100 Warhammer games.

[@darkheart333hotmail3]

@@thewhispererindarkness9117 Never played world of darkness. But I have 4 of their novels and few of there starter books.

[@bluejaybeautie635]

Like the way this was shared however the system itself does not feel very attractive. There may have been an influx of many game systems, that does not make them all good, then again will you ever know unless you try?

[@jayexonauts5587]

I've played and run several Cypher games (going on about 2 dozen at this point all told) and it's a lot of fun. Very rules light, and esp. good for storytelling games. There's just a lot less focus on fiddly rules and more towards the creative aspects in play as well as in prepping to GM.

[@thewhispererindarkness9117]

I agree. I don't think it's because it is a lighter system necessarily; I really like World of Darkness (Storyteller system) and Paranoia, those are pretty light compared to D&D. Dresden Files (Fate system) also seems interesting, it's just that I only played one session and its character creation is unusual.

[@TheWindDemon]

Not going to lie, I've GM'd Cypher and its just...dull. Maybe for some groups it works, but as far as a generic system goes I would much rather see G&S cover Genesys.

[@LoadOfCrabby]

Systems are just systems, Cypher being so open-ended and generic means that a lot more is left up to the GM. For my campaigns Cypher worked just fine, but I had to do a lot of work to make the system work.

[@jayexonauts5587]

So have I and it offers a lot more freedom than other systems. There's plenty of cyphers (generic or Numenera/The Strange-based) to keep things interesting. But it is more of a "kit" system. So if you're someone who wants the publisher to do the work and don't like tinkering to make it your own, then it's likely not for you.

[@BalooSJ]

Cypher is a bit thin for my tastes, but it works great for a streaming show where the system's job is mostly to provide some structure to the improv acting anyway.

[@scholtzovsvet5724]

SOrry but multipliing number is not an elegant mechanic.

[@srevonniewolf6057]

Sam is pretty cute even with the buzzcut.

[@PapaBear_Gaming]

you mean especially with it

[@MilkyMonstrosity]

She seems way too wired and excited about this system, I'd it really that amazing? 😆

[@kimballinfidel6447]

Can we talk about how she looks super cool

[@kyleaegis5613]

4th... why do people do this? Lol Sounds like an interesting game

[@jakescheirer3022]

The system is flawed in that you have to take damage to try certain tasks and then still take MORE damage (from the same pool which you are not specialized in already) for not getting a 15+ on the die. Using Powers hurts you, and you're supposed to be finding constant heals but there's all this... junk... in the way like darts that make people angry, or bad drug capsules. Also, ~5:00, that's not how we interpreted Edge, I guess it's been clarified to be much less powerful. Sigh. I guess I should ask which of the half dozen versions you're using? (Where has power shift been since the introduction of Numenera? Seriously.) Meta-Rule of the game: Beg for assets, and leave if you're GM has a petty vendetta against you personally.

[@BoroMonokli]

Yes, precisely showcased in one of the tutorial tasks (The very first task, moving the bowl) in Torment Tides of Numenera. You can expend effort AND lose points. I can verify that by last year Power Shift, and the Crit mechanics (natural 17+) weren't in the rulebook. They are explicitly left to the GM's discretion to use (whether they want a more gradual success or how they want to handle natural 20s and 1s).

[@BrandonPaul]

I mean, in my experience with the system it's not really that big of a deal. I ran a pretty long numenera campaign and there was absolutely no point in it where one of my players' pools got completely depleted. There are very forgiving rules for recovery and even with bad rolls you can choose to hold off on using your resources. I love the way cypher handles resources because tying them to health is part of what makes them matter more (compared to something like spells or willpower in other games).

[@OtocinclusAffinis]

Naah. I prefer crunchiness of GURPS. To be perfectly honest, from listening to this explanation I deduce that GURPS is actually easier for GM.

[@dragonchr15]

The chick from 0:49 reminds me of the gender neutral character from Billions....

[@GT-tj1qg]

Hot damn this system is overcomplicated

[@originalulix]

So overcomplicated in fact, that all important rules can be explained in 8 minutes, with several examples given.

[@adambiro9889]

Quite an over-complicated system that outsources many GM tasks and codifies them at the same time, which on the other hand the GM could do herself without involving any mechanics, simply by using common sense/rational thinking.

[@jamierice9952]

2nd

[@Jimdlux]

Wow...looks like I wasted my money on this system...If a simple task of jumping from train car to train car is that much thinking involved...pass...

[@iota7037]

No, not really a waste of money. She really just had 3 examples explain a lot of rules in different cases. Its literally like any other RPG, GM decides a DC, and the player makes the pertinent roll to succeed. Edge is basically a proficiency level, and effort is you deciding to use that proficiency. Same as DnD, roll and then apply modifier (in this case effort). And with skills and assets its quite literally just counting up to 2, a single extra step IF it even applies

[@Jimdlux]

@@iota7037 Still don't agree...using D20 mechanics, if I want to jump from train to train, GM sets DC and single roll+added ability...that's it...No extra steps, no deciding to move extra points here and there...just done. If the character has added abilities, it's already tied into the 1 roll...no need to decide to move extra points. cWoD system you add attribute and ability vs. DC...that's it...nWoD system pretty much the same with just a higher chance of success (not a huge nWoD fan). Unisystem, a single d10 roll with ability and skill added versus the DC...heck Unisystem system has the option to add Karma or Endurance to the roll...It appears Edge system stops roleplaying to start a math experiment in the players head to decide whether or not to add certain numbers together to make the next action successful or not which would effect future rolls...the concept for roleplaying...is roleplaying.

[@mackerzz7147]

Third

[@zombietotseater3894]

meh

[@MikeDye86]

This system seems to give way, way too much power to the GM.

[@originalulix]

The way I see it, it gives a lot of power to the players as well. Since almost everything is very loosely defined (there are no pre-defined skills for example), heavy player input is encouraged right from character creation. Now of course it depends heavily on your group how it will play out, but in the few sessions I've played the amount of player input was high, because I encouraged it as GM. "You rolled a 20 for a major effect? Alright, Player, what could that major effect be in your opinion?" Then there's player intrusions as well, were players can take the narrative reins for a short while.

[@panthwolfy]

Well, this video saved me money. The leftist, all the PC's have to be lesbians even though we're talking about action adventure and rpg's which both have a huge majority of males as the demographic, turned me off. The system seems crappy and your cringy over reacting didn't help mind you.

[@georgemouzakitis1876]

Bad way of explanation and the woman acts very silly having an annoying voice.

[@nuculearbazooka]

your last name is stupid

[@marcusroele]

Grow your hair out and you might find a husband to take care of you and give you lots of babies to cook, clean and care for.

[@nuculearbazooka]

sad virgin detected

[@originalulix]

INCEL time.

[@turtleandbear1179]

"but Cass isnt most characters"