Most people reading this will already have some idea of what a roleplaying game (RPG) is. But it’s worth asking: what parts are truly essential?
This system is designed to be modular. That means as a game master or group, you can curate your version of the game—deciding which rules and tools to include, and which to leave out. To support that flexibility, we’ve taken a close look at what really makes a roleplaying game work.
This page explains the core components every RPG needs in order to be playable and enjoyable. You don’t need to use every part of the system we offer—many features (like Species, Body Types, Communities, and Backgrounds) are optional. But some elements are foundational. If you remove or change them, your version may no longer function as a true game.
If you're interested in how to curate or build your own version, see Customizing Options and Rules later in the handbook.
Whether you're using this system as-is or crafting your own variant, a viable RPG needs the following:
At the heart of any RPG is a way to answer the question: “Does this action succeed or fail?”
This is where dice, tokens, or other randomizers come in. They give weight to player choices and resolve uncertainty.
Imagine a group of kids playing “Cops and Robbers.” One shouts, “Bang! You're dead!” And the other yells back, “Nuh uh! I was behind a wall!”
Without a shared rule for deciding what actually happens, it quickly devolves into arguing. There's no resolution—just competing claims.
An RPG needs a system to settle disputes, introduce risk, and enable suspense. It doesn't matter whether it’s dice, cards, a Jenga tower, or coin flips—but something must be there.
Every player needs a character with a clear identity—both narratively and mechanically. At minimum, each character should have:
This could be a full build with multiple modular components (Domains, Species, etc.), or something much simpler—but characters must have mechanical differentiation.
In most RPGs, one person (the Game Master) describes the world, plays non-player characters, and decides when to call for rolls.
Even in systems without a GM, someone must:
Without a clear source of narrative authority, the story can't move forward in a consistent way.
A functioning RPG needs shared expectations about the world:
The rules don’t have to provide a fully detailed setting. But players and the GM need a framework to make decisions and interpret events.
Interesting choices require trade-offs. Whether it's:
…players need to manage limited resources. These constraints make decisions meaningful, encourage teamwork, and allow for both tension and triumph.
Many of this system’s features are useful but not essential. You can safely leave them out, especially if your setting or play style makes them unnecessary:
Other features are essential to play, but can be replaced with alternatives:
At its core, an RPG is a structured conversation about imagined events. Players describe what their characters do. The GM (or rules) respond. Dice (or other tools) introduce uncertainty.
This structure only works when there’s a shared understanding of how to make decisions, resolve actions, and move forward together.
So curate boldly—but don’t forget the pillars that hold the system up.