Risus

Character creation

Choose a name and add a description. Choose cliches, as many as you like. Make one the primary cliche, which is how the character sees themselves. Distribute 10 dice between them, up to 4 per cliche.

Powers, Tools, and Power Tools

Add equipment determined by your cliches. They're free, but can be lost or damaged, which will possibly limit the cliche and cause a half-dice penalty. Special equipment may be found while adventuring, which may alter game mechanics (add bonus dice, for instance).

The Game System

Roll dice for any action not deemed automatic. Dice roll must beat Target Number: 5 Easy 10 Professional 15 Heroic 20 Master 30 Superhuman TN depends on cliche. Any character can try anything.

Combat

Combat is whenever there is a contest, such as an argument, race, physical duel, magical duel, musical duel, seduction, legal battle, or fight with weapons. Choose the most appropriate cliche and roll against it, for PC and opponent, though different cliches can be used each round. Low roll loses one cliche die. Any cliche with 0 dice = defeat. Winner decides the fate of the loser. Lost dice are regained after combat, after an appropriate amount of time. Vehicles used in combat must be repaired. "Inappropriate" cliches for combat can be used if used creatively, and if it wins, opponent loses 3 dice. When in doubt, assume opponent determines type of combat. NPCs can form into Grunt Squads, and are treated as a single unit for combat. In the case of a sudden, quick contest (or Single Action Conflict), a single roll against a cliche for each combatant will settle it.

Advancement

Roll against each cliche challenged during play. If only even numbers are rolled, add one die to it. No cliche advances past 6.