Less is More SRD

Less is More is a light, fast paced ttrpg that combines a lot of what makes the OSR tick with modern twists. Eschewing classes, ancestries, and levels for a series of backgrounds and keywords that define what the character can do, Less is More uses a simple d20 roll-under mechanic for its core. Deeply inspired by the Black Hack and Knave, Less is More also looks to games like Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, and Mage: the Awakening for inspiration, making it easy to adapt to any setting and get a game going in just a few minutes.

Released under Creative Commons, Less is More is hopefully a great game that suits your group, or a great place to steal some ideas for your own game!

Note: Updated to 23.7.3, after some playtests. Various rough edges sanded down, and a Stress-Free version, which uses a Fatigue roll instead of Stress, for a more heroic, high fantasy vibe.

To see it in action, check out Chronicles of the Cursed Island and Under a Blood-Red Sun, two full games that use Less is More under the hood!

For more information on the design process, check out my blog post about it!

https://tothedicecave.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/lets-design-a-new-system/

This work was made by humans. No AI or Machine Generated works are included in this project. Supporting this project means you are supporting real human beings who have dreams, passions, & bills. Thank You.