Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine

by Jason Durall

Create. Explore. Play. Basic Roleplaying (BRP) is a system of core rules for tabletop roleplaying. Whether you’re a seasoned roleplaying veteran or new to the hobby, Basic Roleplaying has everything you need for years of entertainment. What's Inside Basic Universal Game Engine is the complete guide to BRP―the same system that powers Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, Pendragon, Rivers of London, and countless others. BRP’s Universal Game Engine is available royalty-free for personal and commercial use under the ORC license. Use these rules, and focus on creating your worlds, scenarios and even books to sell! This book contains the core system rules, as well as character creation, advancement, monsters and antagonists, as well as GameMaster advice. A Seamless Core Mechanic In BRP, success and failure are always determined by the roll of a D100. Comparing that roll to the relevant Skill, Characteristic, Ability, or Power, you succeed if you roll under the target number. This means every stat on your character sheet clearly indicates to you the likelihood of success. Natural Character Growth Characters in a BRP game evolve based on what they do in-game. If you fire a gun, that skill may increase. If you want your character to learn magic, get better at driving cars, lassoing horses, or even repairing a spaceship, then your character will do so by using those skills! Deadly & Tactical Combat The core BRP rules present easy-to-learn and equally easy-to-teach combat mechanics that allow players to react to attacks―you don’t just have to wait for your turn in order to have an impact on combat! Conflict in BRP can be deadly, and every roll (attacking, fighting back, dodging or otherwise) is integral. This makes for a thrilling, high-octane experience with a system that does not slowdown the overall flow of play. Build The Game You Want With mechanics for magic, psychic powers, mutations, superpowers, weapons, equipment, and vehicles applicable to any setting and genre, Basic Universal Game Engine is adaptable to any world of your choosing―either previously established, or created from scratch.

Genres: Games, Role Playing Games

264 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2023

Reviews

[Matthew J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I biased? Sure. I got my start with Basic Roleplaying through the old boxed set Worlds of Wonder. This book is basically an evolution of that game. The core rules of Basic Roleplaying are fairly simple and fairly intuitive. I've thought about this several times over the years, but I wonder how many people bounce off the hobby because D&D is their first exposure, and D&D isn't, I think, a very good intro game. D&D features a lot of rules and functions that are rooted in its wargame/miniatures origin. It reminds me a bit of learning the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) in accounting, when you find out that many of the things that are done are done that way because "that's the way we do it."
Anyway. What do you get in this book? Well, you get the core Basic Roleplaying rules, which can be summed up in just a few pages. Most of the book is taken up with modular elements you can choose to plug into your game, to make it do what you need. Do you want detailed, swashbuckling sword combat? Do you want to have your characters ruled by their passions? Do you want super powers or magic? The rules for those things are in this book, ready for you to use or not. Part of me wants to print out the PDF and organize each rules section into a little booklet, then add together the booklets I want to use for each game. Though, truth be told, I'm mostly a fan of the system stripped down pretty close to its basics.
Now, is this book in particular great for a new GM? Maybe not. Someone who picks this book up and thinks they've got to know all the rules and use them all in their game is going to be overwhelmed and doomed to fail. You're likely going to want to go in with an opinion on what kind of game you're going to run or play. Talk it over with your players. And then assemble the version of BRP that's going to work for your game.
One more thing I want to address. The new subtitle is "Universal Game Engine," and I often say that I don't believe in a universal system. That remains true. This is, however, one of the most versatile. Can you run any type of game with it? No. But it would work for a lot of different games. A LOT. Things I don't think it would work for? D&D style, ultra-heroic high fantasy. BRP isn't a game where you're going to wade through hoards of goblins without worrying about getting killed. You're not likely to be fist-fighting gods. But most other styles, especially grounded fantasy (still with plenty of magic), horror, science fiction, historic, or what have you, would work great. When I look at some games that have settings I like, but where the system leaves a lot to be desired, I often fall back on BRP. Fading Suns, Space 1889, Skyrealms of Jorune, 2300AD, etc. And some media settings that don't have RPGs, like Mortal Engines, Snow Piercer, or Riddick.
Anyway. Great stuff. A fantastic resource for a GM, and I'd ague a must for your collection.