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Adventure System

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Limitless adventure awaits! 
The Adventure System core rules allow you to breathe life into any campaign you can imagine for a roleplaying game and are suitable for any genre including alternate history, cyberpunk, fantasy, and science fiction. The core rules include everything you need. You don't have to wait to buy any supplements. In fact, you won't ever have to buy any supplements unless you want to...

Core Concept
The Adventure System uses simple dice mechanics to resolve conflict so you can drive the story and action. You roll a die and take the result at face value without adding or subtracting any modifiers from that value. This simple, but critical concept, removes almost all calculations from game play.

Classless
Character concept, creation, and development is free form and there are no classes in the Adventure System. This is evident in the character creation system that is no more than half page at the end of Chapter 1. You define your character by the statistics, skills, and talents that you select.

Fate & Destiny
The Adventure System uses a unique Fate & Destiny system. Characters are awarded Fate each game session that can be used in play to increase or re-roll checks or converted to Destiny to purchase character advancements. Typically, a character can afford a new advancement after every game session.

Compass
The Adventure System uses a unique system to track a character's honor, morality, and sanity called the Compass. Each typically starts at a rating of zero and is then adjusted in play based on your character's actions and experiences. When the character's honor, morality, or sanity crosses a certain threshold, they receive adjustments that impact the character in play.

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Reviews (3)
Discussions (9)
Customer avatar
A D December 20, 2021 7:53 pm UTC
PURCHASER
If your dice step is already a d12 and you get a +1 bonus, what happens? (I may have missed this on first read through the rules).
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Customer avatar
Philip A December 21, 2021 2:37 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
AD:

At the referee's discretion, you can move to a d12+ which is a d12 with Advantage. This is discussed in the FAQ: http://adventure-system.com/faq/

In the Outland setting, only a character with a +1 step bonus from their racial background can advance to a d12+. This is described in Chapter 3 (page 48) under Exceptional Statistics & Skills.

Supers allows for Super Statistics; see core rules appendix (page 212).

Happy Holidays!
Customer avatar
Nicholas C December 24, 2020 7:51 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I have a question about damage. Where you roll more than one damage die (eg the example Longsword damage of d8 + Strength) do you total the numbers on the dice and compare to Toughness, or do you take the single highest roll? Or something else??
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Customer avatar
Philip A December 26, 2020 1:47 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Nicholas:

The dice are added together. There is an example, including a max die, in the sidebar on page 41.

Happy Holidays!
Customer avatar
Philip A July 04, 2020 4:07 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Check out a review of the Adventure System here: https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/rpg-adventure-system-core-rules-reviewed-by-sabermane-4-4.859409/
Customer avatar
Shamus N December 06, 2019 10:49 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I just bought this, but I can't download it! It says "Requested source code not found". Why?
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Customer avatar
Philip A December 06, 2019 10:58 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Shamus:

I just uploaded v2.0. Please try again and confirm that you are able to download.

Thanks
Customer avatar
Nicholas B December 06, 2019 5:33 am UTC
The sample pages look very similar to Savage Worlds. How does this system compare (similarities/differences) w/SW?
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Customer avatar
Philip A December 06, 2019 3:46 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Nicholas:

They are similar in their use of polyhedral dice for statistics and skills. They diverge from there. We have an article on the History & Design of the Adventure System that explains the "why" in more detail if you are interested: http://adventure-system.com/history-design

In short, however, the main differences are as follows:

1. No modifiers; the Adventure System uses all dice mechanics
2. Unified Fate & Destiny system for experience, advancement, and affecting outcomes in-game
3. The Compass system that tracks a character's Honor, Morality, and Sanity based upon their actions and experiences in-game
4. The powers are not generic; there are full sections for elemental magic, sorcery (four schools), divinity, and mentalism
5. IMHO, more complete... To run fantasy, science fiction, or cyber punk or derivatives thereof, you do not need any supplements (please note, this comment is based on the prior version of SW; I do not...See more
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Customer avatar
Nicholas B December 07, 2019 10:34 pm UTC
Thank you for the overview and link! I am intrigued to check this out now.
Customer avatar
James C November 26, 2019 1:16 pm UTC
PURCHASER
This is turning out to be a favorite of mine. I was coming here to ask a question, but it seems Rick H has beat me to it -- I am very glad to hear that a PoD version is immanent.
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Customer avatar
Philip A November 26, 2019 3:26 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
James:

Your feedback is much appreciated. I just uploaded the fully polished v1.8 for POD. If things move quickly, it will clear premedia by Friday and I can order the final proof to review. Perfect world, it will be available late next week. The Referee Screen inserts are due to me on Friday and should be available around the same time as the POD version of the Core Rules.

A rating and brief review would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
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Customer avatar
Philip A December 13, 2019 10:19 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
James:

The print-on demand version of the Adventure System was released this week. If you previously purchased the PDF, you should have received an email with a discount code for the hardcover. If you didn't get it, please email me at scribe@adventure-system.com and I will send you a code.

Thanks
Customer avatar
Rick H November 07, 2019 1:00 am UTC
PURCHASER
Will a Print on Demand version be forthcoming, and if so, can you provide an ETA? Thx -
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Customer avatar
Philip A November 07, 2019 11:45 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Rick:

Next week, we will be finalizing the print-on-demand submission. It typically takes 30 to 60 days before it is available for sale. We hope to have the print-on-demand option available before the end of the year. That bundle will include the PDF. Anyone who has purchased the PDF, will receive a discount code of $9.99 towards the purchase of the bundle to ensure they receive the full value of the bundle.

PLease let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thanks

Phil
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Customer avatar
Philip A November 23, 2019 4:04 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Rick:

I wanted to let you know the print-on-demand version is imminent. I am holding the proof in my hands and, in my humble opinion, it turned out great. There were a few minor fixes, so we are just waiting for the revised file to clear premedia and then the book will be released.

Thanks
Reply
Customer avatar
Philip A December 13, 2019 10:19 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Rick:

The print-on demand version of the Adventure System was released this week. If you previously purchased the PDF, you should have received an email with a discount code for the hardcover. If you didn't get it, please email me at scribe@adventure-system.com and I will send you a code.

Thanks
Customer avatar
Philip A November 06, 2019 8:32 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Greetings,

For all skill checks, they are not combined. If you have a Stealth d6, you simply roll a d6. Each skill is linked to a statistic and this governs how expensive it is to improve. On damage checks, you roll both the linked statistic and the weapon damage die. For example, if you hit with a longsword, you inflict Strength +d8. We just posted an article on the History & Design of the Adventure System yesterday and it explains the "why" in more detail if you are interested: http://adventure-system.com/history-design/

Thanks

Phil
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Customer avatar
Marinos L November 09, 2019 10:34 am UTC
Thank you for your reply.

How about if a character does not have a skill. What does she roll?
Also, are there rules for the Superhero genre?

Thank you,
Marinos
Reply
Customer avatar
Philip A November 09, 2019 12:31 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Good Morning Marinos,

A driving element of the dice mechanics in the Adventure System is the use of Advantage & Disadvantage. This allows the modifiers to be removed from the game. The game uses the die type d2 as shorthand for a d4 with Disadvantage. A character can use a skill untrained at a d2. As a hero (or villain if you will), the use of Fate will still allow the character to succeed if they need/want to unless they get a Critical Failure on the d2. It is important to note, the rules specifically suggest only making a check in stressful and contested situations. The excerpt below uses Drive as an example.

"For example, in a modern setting just about everyone can drive a car. Does this mean that everyone has the Drive skill? It does not; it means that the typical person an operate a car under normal circumstances without needing to make a check and all is well. Turn left, no problem. But, when you have to turn at high speed pursued by gangers shooting at you, a check is...See more
Customer avatar
Marinos L November 06, 2019 8:02 pm UTC
Could you tell me how Statistics and/or Skills are combined in rolls?
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Electrum seller
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220
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File Last Updated:
October 13, 2022
This title was added to our catalog on November 06, 2019.