Playing the game

Are you ready to dive into the exciting experience of playing TTRPGs with the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System?

Below, you'll find a completely free and comprehensive guide to the game's basic rules. This section is designed to be a straightforward and accessible way for newcomers to learn how to play; whether you're just starting your journey into the world of TTRPGs or a veteran looking for an alternative to the world's 'most known' roleplaying game, our step-by-step instruction guides and easy-to-follow tutorials will help you understand the core mechanics and unique features of the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System with ease.

Explore the rules, master the gameplay, and embark on epic adventures in no time.

The 3 different modes of play

The gameplay experience in the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System consists of three distinct modes of play, each influenced by the decisions made by the player characters. All of these game modes adhere to the foundational structure of play outlined in the Basics of playing TTRPGs section of the system overview page, while also introducing their own unique characteristics and specific rules:

• • Exploration mode. Is the most prevalent mode of gameplay, occurring whenever the Player Characters engage in activities such as exploring a location or interacting with other characters, creatures, or objects outside of combat. In this mode, the Scribe can adjust the passage of in-game time to fit the situation, deciding whether actions take place over a few seconds or extend to minutes, hours, or even days.  PCs have the freedom to act in any order they choose and can take as many actions as necessary to navigate the situations they encounter while the Scribe shares information and asks for dice rolls if the need arises. The exploration mode allows for flexibility and imagination, enabling the players to delve deep into the world and immerse themselves in it.

  • Encounter mode. This game mode is perhaps, the most structured, and happens when the PCs engage in either a skill-based or combat-based interaction with other creatures or non-player characters. During an encounter, all participant creatures and characters should take turns to resolve their actions, even when in reality all actions are happening at more or less the same time. In this mode, time is measured in rounds, each representing a span of just a few seconds, and in which participants can only take a limited amount of actions per turn. All of this is explained in more detail in The combat round section further ahead.

  • Downtime mode. This mode usually serves to set the stage for what happens during periods of rest between adventures or to describe overland travel. In this game mode, the passage of in-game time spans larger periods, such as weeks, months, or even years. While in downtime, player characters can practice a profession to earn money, use Experience Points to become more powerful and hone their skill, or just experience life outside the perilous enterprise of adventuring.

At first glance, it may sound daunting to navigate between each of these modes but as you engage in gameplay you will quickly realize that the shared three-step structure outlined in the Basics of playing TTRPGs section facilitates a seamless and dynamic transition between them.

Switching between different modes on the fly may seem daunting at first, but you'll quickly realize that their shared three-part structure facilitates a seamless transition, ensuring a dynamic narrative experience for both the Player Characters and the Scribe alike.

Understanding the game dice

The Realms Untold™ TTRPG System utilizes a set of polyhedral dice to determine the outcome of the actions taken by both player and non-player characters. This assortment includes dice with a distinct number of sides, these are identified as: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and d100.  In this notation, the letter 'd' indicates that we are referring to a die and the following number denotes the number of sides that die has. This applies to all dice except the d100, which is also called the Percentile Die. The d100 is unique in its operation and its use will be explained further down.  The image below shows a typical 7-piece dice set along their visual representations.

While hundred-sided dice do exist, when it comes to generating random numbers between 1 and 100 using a standard 7-piece dice set, the task is commonly achieved by using the two d10s contained in the set in tandem. One die is used for the unit place, while the other is used for the tens place. Most commercially available 7-piece dice sets include a d10 marked in tens (10, 20, 30, etc.) for this specific purpose.

For example, rolling a 3 on the units die and a 40 on the tens die results in 43, as shown below. Rolling a 1 on the units die and 00 on the tens produces a result of 1, while rolling 0 on the units and 00 on the tens produces a result of 100. If you don’t have a specially marked 'tens' die, you may still use two traditional d10s or roll a d10 twice; you may arbitrarily designate one of them as the tens digit before rolling and then combine their values accordingly afterward.

If you are ever instructed to roll multiple dice the rules will often specify the number and type of dice to roll along with any modifiers to apply to the result, if any. The notation used for these instructions will be as follows: '3d8 + 5'; this indicates that you must roll either three eight-sided dice alongside one another, or a single eight-sided die three times and then sum the results, once you've done that add 5 to the total. 

The 6 core attributes

Within the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System, six attributes are used to describe a creature's distinct physical build, mental capabilities, and overall presence. These attributes not only allow everyone to quantify traits that are usually subjective, such as a creature's overall physical strength, problem-solving skills, or social acumen; but also shape how the character or creature interacts with the game system. A creature’s competence for each attribute is represented by a dice value that can range from a lowly d4 to an impressive d12. The larger the die, the greater the creature's chances of succeeding in performing certain tasks.

For Player Characters, these attributes become crucial since they embody different aspects of their character's being. Ask yourself, is your character known for their wit and willpower? Or, do they rather excel in strength and charm? Perhaps they are swift and nimble but somewhat lacking on the intellectual side. These attributes collectively shape a character’s capabilities, defining their strengths, weaknesses, and overall persona, influencing their abilities, and shaping their role within the group.

The six core attributes for the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System are :

• Dexterity. This attribute reflects a creature's control over the movement of its own body. It measures agility, coordination, and reflexes. A creature with high dexterity is nimble and quick, able to react swiftly and perform intricate maneuvers with ease.

• Physique. Represents a creature's hardiness, body mass, and overall constitution. It measures physical strength and resilience. A creature with a high physique possesses robust health, fortitude, and the ability to perform athletic feats others couldn't.

• Intellect. This attribute represents a creature's capacity for critical thinking, problem-solving, and mental acuity. It measures reasoning, memory, and analytical skills. A creature with high intellect is sharp-minded and capable of processing complex information or finding creative solutions to the problems it encounters.

• Wisdom. Measures a creature's ability to perceive and understand the world around it. It encompasses intuition, insight, and practical knowledge. A creature with high wisdom possesses keen senses, sound judgment, and a deep understanding of the environment surrounding it, as well as of the perils it supposes.

• Charisma. Measures a creature's ability to communicate effectively and exert its will upon others. It represents charm, persuasiveness, and social grace. A creature with high charisma may have a magnetic personality, captivating others with their presence and influencing outcomes through diplomacy or force of personality.

• Willpower. This last attribute reflects a creature's determination, force of will, and spiritual strength. It measures the creature’s affinity with magic and resistance to external influences. A creature with a high willpower die possesses unwavering resolve, spiritual fortitude, and a stronger connection to the Aethereum, the magical energies that envelop the physical world.

Many of the dice rolls you’ll make while playing the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System will directly relate to the core attributes of a Player Character or a creature, whether by rolling an attribute die by itself in a single die check, or rolling it alongside the action die (the d20) to determine the outcome of an action die check. There will be times in which you may encounter the term "MDV", which stands for Maximum Die Value. This term refers to the highest number printed on a specific die, for example, the MDV for a d8 is 8.

Luck

Luck is an additional attribute that only player characters possess and that represents a measure of the character’s seemingly innate ability to attract good fortune towards themselves. A character’s luck stat is always a number between 2 and 7 that's generated during a character's creation by rolling '1d6 + 1'.

When playing, the luck stat can be used in two different ways: 

• Once per day (of in-game time) a character can add its luck number as a bonus to any action die check they make during that same day.

• Whenever a player’s luck number appears on the action die (d20) as a result of any action die check they make, such result has the same treatment as if the player had rolled a natural 20 on the action die, while still maintaining its printed value, 3 for example, for purposes related to solving edge or hindrance dice (explained further down).

A character with a higher luck stat may benefit more from using it as a fixed bonus for action die checks, while a character with a lower luck stat has a greater chance to achieve critical success when affected by one or more hindrance dice. 

Dice rolls

Dice rolls play a crucial role in the game mechanics of the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System as they introduce an element of chance into the narrative that’s being created. Whenever a character or creature attempts a task where success is uncertain, the scribe may call for a dice check utilizing one of the various dice roll mechanics presented below. The scribe then compares the numerical result of the dice roll against a target number to determine if the outcome of the check is favorable or unfavorable.

Usually, if the result of the dice roll is equal to or higher than the set difficulty, the character or creature that made the check successfully completes the task that triggered it. Conversely, if the result is lower than the check's difficulty, the character or creature fails and may suffer an unexpected consequence as a result.

There are three different kinds of dice rolls you will be making while playing:

• Single die rolls. As the name implies, this kind of roll uses a single die often specified by the dice roll itself, to produce a result. Defense rolls, initiative rolls, and recovery rolls are all single die rolls. When resolving a single die roll, roll the indicated die and then add the associated bonuses or penalties, if any.  

• Action die checks. As its name suggests, this kind of roll happens when a character attempts to perform any actions, and makes use of both the action die (d20) as well as an attribute die dictated by either the rules-as-written or by the scribe, to produce a result. Attack rolls, skill checks, contested checks, and saving throws are all examples of action die checks. When resolving an action die check, roll both the action die and the specified attribute die, sum the result of both dice, and then add all associated bonuses or penalties, if any. The resulting number will then be compared to a target difficulty to determine success or failure.

• Probability checks. These checks use the d100, also known as the percentile die, to produce a result and usually happen whenever the scribe needs to solve a variable unrelated to any of the six core attributes. When resolving a probability check, roll '2d10' using one for units and the other for tens as specified in the 'Understanding the Game Dice' section of this page, and sum the result of both dice to obtain a number between 1 and 100; which will be then compared to an arbitrary value stated by the scribe to define an outcome.

Bonuses & penalties

Are small, fixed numbers that modify a dice roll either by adding to or subtracting from the result, these modifiers are typically applied under specific circumstances related to a given roll. For example, a character's skills, talents, and perks, as well as certain condition effects can either grant bonuses or impose penalties on specific rolls. The scribe also has the authority to apply arbitrary bonuses or penalties based on external conditions, such as bad weather or complicated terrain.

Contested checks

Contested checks in the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System portray competitions of strength, wit, or otherwise, between two or more idividuals. These are always action die checks that occur whenever a creature attempts to directly overcome another in a contest, such as when it attempts to execute a combat maneuver like grappling or shoving an opponent, or engaging in skill-based competitions such as arm wrestling, drinking contests, cup shuffling. or other strength or intelligence-based games. In this case, the scribe may allow participant creatures to benefit from skill bonuses for each of their rolls.

Unlike other kinds of action die checks, contested checks are solved by comparing the results of the opposing dice rolls against each other, rather than against a target difficulty. Each participant rolls both the action die and their respective attribute die, which may be the same or different for each creature; any relevant bonuses or penalties are then added to the result. The participant with the highest combined result emerges as the successful contender, while the others fail in the task at hand.

Edge & hindrance dice

Similar to the previously discussed topic, edge and hindrance dice introduce a mechanic that reflects favorable or unfavorable conditions impacting any dice roll. However, unlike bonuses and penalties that adjust the final result of a dice roll through fixed numbers, edge and hindrance dice affect the odds of rolling a higher or lower outcome in the action die. When conducting an action die check with edge dice or hindrance dice, the character or creature rolls an additional action die for each edge or hindrance die awarded. So, for example, a character that receives 1 edge die for an attack roll, rolls either 2d20s or two times the same die.

If the creature has an edge, it takes the highest result in all the d20s used for the roll. Conversely, when the creature is affected by a hindrance, it uses the lowest number as a result. It's worth noting that edge and hindrance dice can accumulate or negate each other. For instance, if a creature has 2 edge dice and 1 hindrance die for the same roll, it makes its action die roll using only 1 edge die.

Exceeding and fumbling

Sometimes, action die checks can yield exceptional results both fortuitous and disastrous. Whenever a character or creature obtains the highest possible value for both dice when rolling an action die check, the roll is labeled as an ‘exceed,’ and signifies a triumph beyond the ordinary. Conversely, rolling the minimum possible value on both dice results becomes a 'fumble,' marking a critical failure.

An exceeding roll always succeeds in the attempted action with an outcome that surpasses expectations, regardless of whether the final number reached the target difficulty or not. It is up to the scribe to establish what exceptional results an exceeding roll might produce. For example, an attack roll may impose a status condition or induce a lingering injury, a skill check may produce additional benefits or insights, and a saving throw might grant a morale bonus to the creature or its allies, etc.

On the flip side, a fumbled roll not only guarantees failure but it is also accompanied by dire repercussions. The scribe should determine the nature of these consequences. For instance, an attack roll may result in the loss or destruction of one’s weapon, a skill check might end up causing an accident that deals damage to the creature or others nearby, and a failed saving throw may exacerbate the situation with further detrimental effects, etc.

Skills

Skills in the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System represent the specific competencies, expertise, or knowledge that a character or creature can possess related to various areas. Each skill is always associated with one of the six core attributes and grants a fixed numeric bonus to action die checks. For example, the 'Mechanics' skill is linked to the Intellect attribute, while the 'Nature' skill is linked to the Wisdom attribute.

When a character or creature attempts an action where specialized knowledge or particular competence could be beneficial, they perform a skill check. In this case, they may benefit from that skill's training or specialization bonus, which adds to the result of their dice roll. For instance, a character trying to fix the broken engine of a vehicle would benefit from having knowledge in mechanics. Although lacking this knowledge does not prevent the attempt, having it improves the chances of success. Since 'Mechanics' is tied to the Intellect attribute, the player should roll an action die check using Intellect as their attribute die, and depending on their level of training in the Mechanics skill, they could receive a bonus to their check.

Skill proficiency is categorized into three levels: untrained, trained, and specialized. Untrained skills do not provide any bonuses or modify the result of any dice check beyond determining the attribute used for the skill check. Trained skills offer a +4 bonus to the result of the check, while specialized skills provide an additional +2 bonus on top of the trained bonus, resulting in a total of +6 for applicable checks.

At level 1, a character receives training in a set of skills based on their background and selected class but they can further specialize in these skills or gain training in new ones via the character development process. While the specific skills listed on a character sheet may vary depending on the game's setting—ranging from animal handling to understanding quantum physics—the underlying mechanics governing skills remain consistent across all settings in the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System.

Perks

Perks exemplify the unique knacks that a character acquires over a lifetime, these can be shaped by their upbringing, education, particular interests, or past experiences. These distinct 'advantages' not only contribute to a character's uniqueness but also influence how they approach certain situations or interact with the game world. Some perks can grant additional bonuses when specific conditions are met, such as the 'Quick reflexes' perk, which provides an initiative bonus at the start of each combat. While others modify game mechanics, like the 'Fleet of foot' perk, which increases a character's base speed.

Much like skills, a level 1 character gains certain perks due to their ancestry, race, background, and other factors. As the game progresses, characters can expand their repertoire by allocating experience points (XP) earned through their adventures.

Proficiencies

Proficiencies denote a character's know-how in the proper usage of various items as well as their fluency in different languages. This encompasses a broad range of elements and indicates the foundational knowledge a character must have to utilize them effectively, from weapon groups and tools, to steeds and vehicles.

While the absence of proficiency in a language or item doesn't prevent a character from attempting to communicate or perform tasks with the item, it does introduce a challenge. A character or creature lacking a required item or language proficiency will incur a penalty, receiving 1 hindrance die on all action die checks related to these endeavors. Artifacts, tools, vehicles, or steeds that require proficiency to be effectively used are marked as such in their descriptions and the accompanying tables. 

Interacting with the game world

In the diverse narrative worlds of the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System, characters engage with their surroundings pretty much like humans do in reality, utilizing their bodies, senses, and voices to interact with others. Characters are expected to don wearable items such as clothing or armor over their skin and around their body for protection and style, employ their hands for manipulating items, weapons, or machinery; and rely on their senses of sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste to navigate and perceive the world around them. Of course, depending on the specifics of the setting, the dynamics of those interactions may change but in that case, just use common sense.

Holding and using items

Characters and creatures inside the game world use their hands to hold, carry, and manipulate items. While it is, in fact, possible to carry multiple items at once using both hands, the effective use of utility items such as tools, weapons, gadgets, and artifacts often requires dedicating a specific number of hands to the task. This requirement is typically outlined in the item's description, providing players with clear guidance on how their characters can wield and operate the equipment they encounter.

Wearing items

In the game world, creatures can equip themselves with various garments and accessories, such as clothing, armor, headgear, bracelets, gloves, boots, necklaces, and more. These items may be worn over different parts of the body, offering continuous protection and other benefits. While the ultimate discretion for how, when, and where a creature can wear these items ultimately rests upon the scribe's ruling, all players are encouraged to use common sense when making such decisions.

A practical guideline is that layering multiple pieces of the same type of item, such as clothing or armor, can quickly become impractical or cumbersome. For example, wearing two sets of gloves one over the other, would not only be awkward but also undoubtedly unwieldy and therefore, deemed unreasonable by most standards. You can apply this logic to most other cases.

Ambient lighting

Different ambient lighting conditions can significantly affect any creature that relies heavily on its sense of sight to navigate and understand its surroundings. In conditions that are either too dark or excessively bright, these creatures may suffer penalties on their checks. The table below outlines the effects that various lighting levels may have on sight-dependent creatures.

It is important to note, that some creatures may possess alternative means of perceiving their environment such as heightened senses of smell, touch, or hearing, which makes them immune to the effects of changes in the ambient lighting conditions and allows them to function normally regardless of visual challenges.

Taking actions

If you already reviewed the Basics of Playing TTRPGs section in the Realms Untold™ system overview, you may already be familiar with how players interact with the game world through their characters' actions. Actions can be categorized into four distinct types: conscious actions, swift actions, reactions, and focus actions, each with its own unique characteristics.

• • Conscious actions. These actions require deliberate concentration or effort from the character to be successfully performed and often involve a dice roll to determine their success or failure. Examples of a conscious action may include making an attack using a weapon, searching for a hidden object or creature, discerning another creature's intentions, manipulating a mechanical device, or attempting to hide from view.

  • Swift actions. Unlike conscious actions, these can be performed almost instinctively and require minimal thought, rarely calling for a dice roll to be resolved. Drawing a weapon, dropping an item, uttering a sentence, or activating a lever are all examples of swift actions.

  • Reactions. As the name implies, reactions occur in response to a specific triggering event within the game. A reaction can only be taken when its triggering conditions are met and is performed immediately after such an event takes place, even if this happens outside the acting creature's turn.

  • Focus Actions: These actions are so demanding by nature that they require a creature to use both its conscious and swift actions consecutively to be performed. A creature cannot take a focus action if it has already taken either of those actions during that same turn, its movement and reactions however, remain unaffected and can still be performed during that same turn or round. Examples of focus actions include ending some status effects affecting a creature or casting specific spells.

Please note that, during downtime and exploration modes, keeping track of the number and types of actions taken by each character or creature, is generally unnecessary due to the freeform nature of these game modes. However, during encounter mode, tracking actions becomes crucial, as the concept of 'action economy' plays a significant role in determining the flow and outcome of each encounter.

Movement

Inside the worlds of the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System, creatures tend to be dynamic beings capable of moving through their environments in multiple ways, including walking, flying, swimming, climbing, burrowing, and crawling. Movement is governed by a creature's Speed score, which determines how far it can travel during a single combat round (approximately 5 seconds of in-game time) using a specific movement type.

Moving is not considered an action, which allows characters and creatures to divide their movement into multiple segments during their turn, as long as the total distance traveled does not exceed their Speed score. When reading a Character Sheet or a creature's Stat Block, the 'base speed' will always represent a walking speed, which is the single most common form of locomotion. However, some characters and creatures may also have additional movement types, such as flying or swimming; or a single non-walking speed, like burrowing. These additional speeds are typically listed in the traits section of the associated Character Sheet or Creature Stat Block.

Characters and creatures with multiple speeds can switch between them during their turn, provided that the distance traveled using each speed does not exceed the limit for that movement type and the total movement remains within the bounds of their highest Speed score. For example, a creature with a walking speed of 15 ft. (4.5 m) and a flying speed of 40 ft. (12 m) can walk 10 ft. (3 m) and then fly up to 30 ft. (9 m) in the same turn.

Flying, swimming, and burrowing speeds are tied to specific terrain types such as air, bodies of water, or granular materials like dirt or sand, respectively. If a creature has only one of these terrain-specific speeds, it will only be able to move through that terrain type. Most creatures without specific climbing, swimming, or walking speeds can attempt to navigate these terrains, but they treat such terrains as difficult terrain unless the Scribe rules otherwise.

Difficult terrain

Difficult terrain includes any environmental feature that hinders normal movement, such as rough ground, dense vegetation, muddy waters, or unstable surfaces. Moving through a space designated as difficult terrain costs double the normal amount of movement. For example, traveling across 10 ft. (3 m) of difficult terrain requires 20 ft. (6 m) of movement. If any of a creature’s speeds are reduced by an external effect, such as a spell or a status condition, the reduction always precedes the penalty for traversing through difficult terrain.

The Combat round

In the unpredictable chaos of battle, events rarely unfold in a structured sequence. However, directly translating this disorder into gameplay would create many unnecessary complications. To maintain both tactical depth and ease of play, combat in the Realms Untold™ TTRPG System is structured into clearly defined rounds. When a group of creatures engages in combat, all participants follow this sequence:

1. Roll for initiative! At the start of every combat encounter, each participant rolls their initiative die, with participants acting in descending order from highest to lowest result. 

2. Take turns. Throughout the encounter, participants take their turns in order of initiative. At the start of their turn and before taking any actions, the participant resolves any ongoing effects from Status Conditions they may be affected by. The participant may then move according to the rules outlined in the Movement section and take up to one Conscious Action and one Swift Action, or a single Focus Action. At the end of their turn, the participant can make any necessary Saving Throws to attempt to end any ongoing effects that allow for a saving throw in their description.

3. Resolve reactions. Participants may take up to one Reaction per round when its triggering conditions are met, regardless of whether that happens in or out of their turn.

4. Repeat the cycle. Once all participants have taken their respective turns, the round ends and a new one begins using the same initiative order. Repeat steps 2 through 4 until the combat ends.

5. Combat ends. A combat encounter concludes when the opposing side is defeated, flees, or concedes.

Remember that while this structure provides clarity for gameplay purposes, narratively, combat actions are more or less occurring almost at the same time. Each combat round represents approximately 5 seconds of in-game time, so consider this when a creature uses a talent or item with a set duration in its description.

The initiative roll

Combat initiative represents a creature's ability to react quickly to danger and is directly tied to its Dexterity attribute. At the start of a combat encounter, each participant rolls their initiative die, a single die roll that does not include the action die (d20). Relevant bonuses or penalties are applied to determine the final result. Participants then take their turns in descending order, from the highest to the lowest result.

If a tie occurs between creatures on opposing sides, such as a Player Character and an enemy creature controlled by the Scribe, the Scribe-controlled creature always acts first. If the tie occurs between participants on the same side, such as two or more Player Characters or enemy creatures, they may decide among themselves who acts first. Once the initiative order has been set, it remains unchanged for the duration of the encounter.

Latest update on 02/16/2025. More content coming up soon.