When your character attempts something challenging, here’s how to handle it step by step:

Rolling Dice

You roll a number of dice equal to your trait rating. If you have a trait rated at 3 (Competent), you roll three dice. The more dice you roll, the higher your potential total, increasing your chances of success.

The gamemaster rolls a number of dice equal to the difficulty rating of the task. If it’s a Competent Task (3), the gamemaster rolls three dice as well, representing the challenge your character is up against.

Totaling Dice

After rolling, both you and the gamemaster add up the numbers on your dice. Your goal is to have a higher total than the gamemaster, which means your character succeeds at the task.

Success

If your total is higher than the gamemaster’s, you succeed! Your character overcomes the challenge, and the story moves forward in your favor.

Breaking a Code: Your Expert (4) cryptographer rolls four dice and totals 18, while the gamemaster rolls 15 for an Expert Task (4). You successfully decode the enemy’s secret message, gaining critical information.

Crossing a Chasm: Your Competent (3) climber rolls three dice and totals 13, while the gamemaster rolls 11 for a Competent Task (3). You successfully swing across the chasm using a rope, reaching the other side safely.

Finding a Hidden Door: Your Novice (2) thief rolls two dice and totals 8, while the gamemaster rolls 7 for a Novice Task (2). You manage to discover the hidden door in the dark alley, revealing a secret passage.

Negotiating a Deal: Your Authority (5) diplomat rolls five dice and totals 23, while the gamemaster rolls 19 for an Authority Task (5). You secure a favorable trade agreement, benefiting your faction greatly.

Performing a Spell: Your Competent (3) wizard rolls three dice and totals 12, while the gamemaster rolls 10 for a Competent Task (3). You successfully cast the spell, creating a protective barrier around your allies.

Failure

If the gamemaster’s total is higher, your character fails. This doesn’t mean the story stops—instead, it takes a new direction, with added complications or consequences.

Breaking a Code: The gamemaster rolls 20, and you roll 16 for the same Expert Task (4). You fail to decode the message in time, leaving your group unaware of the enemy’s plans.

Crossing a Chasm: The gamemaster rolls 14, and you roll 12 for the same Competent Task (3). Unfortunately, you lose your grip and fall, leaving you dangling precariously on the edge.

Finding a Hidden Door: The gamemaster rolls 9, and you roll 6 for the same Novice Task (2). You fail to find the hidden door, missing out on a critical shortcut.

Negotiating a Deal: The gamemaster rolls 24, and you roll 20 for the same Authority Task (5). The negotiations fall through, straining relations between the factions.

Performing a Spell: The gamemaster rolls 13, and you roll 11 for the same Competent Task (3). The spell fizzles out, leaving you vulnerable to an incoming attack.

Success and failure are more than just binary outcomes. They’re narrative beats that propel the story forward, revealing new possibilities, challenges, and opportunities for character growth. Each result adds depth to the story, allowing the narrative to evolve in unexpected and exciting ways.

The Lightspress Handbook isn’t just another rulebook. This is a reimagining of what roleplaying can be, challenging the norms and redefining how we think about storytelling in games. Forget the flashy mechanics designed to impress; this book strips things down to what truly matters: playing your characters and crafting their stories. Whether you’re exploring the intricate landscapes of traditional fantasy, venturing into the unknown in space opera, uncovering secrets in a gritty crime drama, or getting lost in the cozy charm of cottagecore fantasy, The Lightspress Handbook offers a universal, adaptable approach that fits almost any genre. It’s especially designed for those who are eager to dive into genres left in the shadows, like dark academia and magical realism.