Cypher at a Glance
Four ideas carry most of the game. Each part of the guide builds on them.
One Roll
Every task has a difficulty from 0 to 10. Roll a d20 and meet or beat difficulty × 3. The GM never rolls.
Ease It
Skills, assets and Effort each lower the difficulty a step. Ease it to 0 and you don't need to roll at all.
Pools Are Health
Might, Speed and Intellect fuel Effort and soak damage, so every point you spend is a risk you choose.
Intrusions & Cyphers
The GM offers XP for complications; players carry one-use cyphers that are meant to be used, not hoarded.
The 13 Parts
Read in order for the full picture, or jump to what you need.
Learn the Rules
Introduction
What makes the Cypher System different, and the ideas behind it.
Core Mechanics
The d20 task roll, the difficulty ladder, easing and hindering, and special rolls.
Stat Pools & Effort
Might, Speed and Intellect, Edge, Effort costs, recovery and the damage track.
Build Your Character
Character Creation
"I am a [descriptor] [type] who [focuses]": building a hero in one sentence.
Character Creation Deep Dive
A step-by-step walkthrough from concept to finished character sheet.
The Magic of Cyphers
One-use abilities, cypher limits, artifacts, and why you should use them freely.
Play the Game
Combat Fundamentals
Initiative, attacks and defenses, ranges, weapons, armor and damage.
Combat & Action Scenes
Tactics, special actions, non-lethal conflict and cinematic fights.
GM Intrusions & XP
Complications that pay XP, player intrusions, and how experience flows.
Character Advancement
Spending 4 XP per advance and climbing the tiers from 1 to 6.
Run the Game
Running Your First Game
Setting difficulties, NPC levels and pacing for your first session as GM.
GM & Worldbuilding
Building settings and campaigns, and adapting the system to any genre.
Playing Cypher Solo
Be your own GM: a d20 oracle with exact odds, scene checks, self-intrusions and NPCs that never roll.
Tools
Keep these open at the table.
Digital Toolkit
A task roller with easing, Effort costs and exact odds, plus intrusion, NPC and cypher generators and a session tracker.
Character Sheets
A fillable sheet for core or Numenera characters: Pools, Edge, Effort costs, recovery, damage track and cyphers, with save, print, export and one-click sample characters.
Character Library
96 ready-to-play fantasy and science fiction characters, solo and in parties of two to six, every build checked, with a random generator and a file for the character sheets.
Settings
Worlds built on the Cypher System. They use the rules above and cover only what each setting adds.