Monte Cook, a prominent figure in the role playing game industry and designer of popular games such as Dungeons & Dragons, launched a future fantasy RPG called Numenera in 2015 which became a success story on Kickstarter. This success allowed him to found Monte Cook Games, which primarily uses the Cypher System in their games. The Cypher System, which debuted in Numenera, uses a familiar mechanic of rolling a d20 to meet or exceed a target number, with players having pools of points to influence difficulty. Characters are created by choosing an adjective, noun, and verb to describe them, determining their abilities, connections, and involvement in the adventure.
The Cypher System Rulebook provides Game Masters with the tools to build their own worlds and discusses various genres, offering robust discussions on character arcs and story-based XP. Players can utilize XP for advancement or to influence dice rolls, with GMs able to offer more XP for plot twists. The system also offers decks for use in play, including decks for NPCs, XP, and GM intrusion ideas. Print and play decks are available for those looking to build their own cards using card sleeves and old common cards.
Several settings powered by the Cypher System, such as Numenera, The Strange, and Old Gods of Appalachia RPG, offer unique and engaging gameplay experiences. Not included in the Humble Bundle, these games are worth checking out for fans of the Cypher System. Predation, a setting included in the bundle, stands out with its themes of time travel and players having pet dinosaurs played by other players. Sourcebooks are available for GMs looking for a deeper dive into genres like superheroes and horror, offering new mechanical ideas and campaign hooks.
For fans looking to tailor the Cypher System to their desires, the Cypher System Cypher Tools is a free online toolset that allows players and GMs to create characters and find creatures for encounters. The toolset also includes a Character Builder and Setting Finder to help determine which books may be needed to play. The Cypher System Humble Bundle is currently set to end on June 1st, 2024, offering a collection of Cypher System books to help Game Masters build unique worlds using simple mechanics and engaging storytelling elements.
