Playing The Game: The Narrative Flow
Six Sided Adventures is a descriptive narrative game. While figurines and grid maps can be fun, they are entirely optional. The game lives in the "Theater of the Mind."
The DM sets the stage—a smoky high-fantasy tavern, a neon-drenched cyberpunk nightclub, or a sterile space-station bar—and the players describe how they interact with that world.
⚔️ Encounters & Initiative
When the tension breaks and action begins, the DM calls for Initiative.
The Standard Roll: Each player rolls . The DM rolls for each enemy.
The Turn Order: Compare the averages. The side with the higher average generally acts first, though the DM may use a custom system (like fixed turn order based on Wits).
⚡Grit and Resolve
Like many other tabletop role playing games Six Sided Adventures provides a mechanic that can turn the tide for the whole party or an individual character. But watch out because this mechanic rewards the DM as much as it rewards the players. Typically the players start with at least one point of grit and resolve. When the party or a player uses either a grit or a resolve that point now goes to the DM to be used with similar effects. The amount of grit and resolve increases as the party's experience increases.
Grit Points: Grit usually affects dice rolls. Automatically succeeding on a roll after failing even including a heightened TN. Making an enemy miss an attack after they succeeded. Grit is also used to recover from status conditions (poisoned, stunned, etc).
Resolve Points: These are used to over come narrative challenges. Getting more information out of an NPC during interrogation. Passing a deceptive check in a conversation. If a DM gives the party a group check for a group challenge the party can use a resolve to automatically succeed.
🔄 Actions & Reactions (The "Engagement" Rule)
In SSA, the round is fluid. Actions trigger reactions when they directly involve another character.
Direct Involvement: If Player A attacks an NPC, that NPC is now "engaged" and can immediately take an action if the DM chooses.
Support Actions: If Player B buffs an ally, it is a "quiet" action and does not typically trigger an enemy reaction.
Hostile Actions: If Player B debuffs an enemy, that enemy is now "provoked" and may react immediately.
Strategy: If you spend your whole turn building a barricade to boost your DTN, you are preparing for the enemy's reaction. Be careful—some powerful boss enemies can take two or even three actions per round!
🎲 The Golden Formula: Rolling Dice
When asked for a roll you always keep the highest numbers. A 3k2 might yield a 1, 4, 5; total is 9. The formula is:
Might: How many dice you throw.
Wits: How many dice you keep.
Guile: Lowers the TN (Meets it, beats it!).
Exploding 6s: If you roll a , it "explodes." Roll it again and add it to the total.
Note: This only helps if you are keeping () more than 1 die. On a 2k1, a 6 is just a 6. On a 2k2, a 6 that explodes into another 6 your roll that again.
📈 Bartering: Raising the Stakes
Before you roll, you can "Barter" with the DM to increase the impact of your success. This is called Raising the TN.
By voluntarily increasing the TN by +4, you increase the Effect of the roll:
Combat: Deal 2 Damage instead of 1.
Perception: Instead of just seeing "a ship," you see "a pirate ship in pursuit of the merchant vessel you're hunting."
Social: Instead of just getting a "yes," the NPC offers you a discount or a secret piece of intel.
🎭 Roleplay: Your Skills are Your Voice
Your list of Skills and Talents isn't just a list of numbers—it's a guide for how you tell the story.
A DM should only ask for a roll when the stakes are high.
Join the Story: Don't wait for a prompt. If you have the "Perceptive" skill, describe how your character is constantly scanning the shadows. If you have "Charisma," describe your character's disarming smile as they walk into the bar.
Use your strengths to drive the narrative forward. The dice are there to resolve conflict; you are there to create the adventure.