One-Toss: The Basic Mechanic
One-Toss: The Basic Mechanic
One-Toss: The Basic Mechanic
One-Toss is a generic game system with minimal yet intuitive rules that work well with improvisation.
The Basic Mechanic
The basic purpose of the One-Toss system is to accomplish all necessary game actions using a single roll
mechanic with a single type of die. All actions with a chance of failure are decided with a 10-sided die.
On a character's end the result of this 1d10 roll is modified by summing some combination of three
factors: Traits (Physical/Mental Prowess), Quirks (Knacks and Flaws), and Skills (Learned Techniques)
which are expressed as a number 1-6. This result may be further modified by the Game Master with a
situational bonus or penalty of +6 to -12 depending on difficulty of the task. Challenging tasks are the
norm and occur at no penalty of bonus, Average tasks receive a +1 or +2 bonus, Simple tasks receive a +3
or +4 bonus, and Easy tasks get a +5 to +6. Difficult tasks receive a -1 through -4, Improbable tasks
receive a -5 through -8, and near impossible tasks revive a -9 through -12. These situational modifiers are
entirely left to the Game Master, but good role-playing and relevant description can affect the judgment.
After the roll is made and all values are summed the target number is 9 to achieve a success. Now is the
time to introduce the success level mechanic, because game outcomes are improved by higher rolls.
These levels of success go in increments of 3, they proceed as follows:
Level 1: 9-11 Adequate, Lengthy Endeavor Accomplished In Maximum Time
Level 2: 12-14 Decent, Lengthy Endeavor Accomplished in 4/5th Max Time, +1 Damage Multiplier
Level 3: 15-17 Good, Lengthy Endeavor Accomplished in 3/5th Max Time, +2 Damage Multiplier
Level 4: 18-20 Excellent, Lengthy Endeavor Accomplished in 2/5th Max Time, +3 Damage Multiplier
Level 5: 21+ Extraordinary, Lengthy Endeavor Accomplished in 1/5th Max Time, +4 Damage Multiplier
Damage bonuses start at Success Level 2, damage for weapons in One-Toss is calculated by taking a base
value and then multiplying it by a modifier. For melee combat and bows the modifier is Brawn (and
Brawn+1 for 2 handed melee weapons). For guns and crossbows the modifier is a set value. All weapons
receive bonuses to their damage modifier at Success Level 2 and above when attacking. For example, the
base value for punching is 2, so character of Brawn 3 does 2*3=6 damage with a punch that hits (9+). On
a roll to hit (Finesse+Brawling) that adds up to 12 through 14 (Success Level 2) he does 2*(3+1)=8
damage instead. Hence variable damage is achieved with only one roll that determines hit and damage.
The success level determines the degree of accomplishment. When engaging in craftsmanship it will
affect the quality of a finished product, while playing music it will reflect the precision of a performance,
and in social situations a good display of charisma might earn favorable responses and bonuses later.
Complex encounters are individual or group challenges for difficult events that take place over multiple
rolls. The GM and players can be creative here, for instance a GM might first declare a task to build an
escape raft to require 6 success levels gathering as an Easy Test (d10+Trait+Trait). The players could spin
this roll to involve Agility (covering ground) or Intuition (searching technique). 4 more successes would
then be required with a Hard Test (d10+Trait) of Mind (planning), Brawn (placing large pieces), or
Finesse (nimble hands for knots). Any failures that occur during the whole process represent mistakes in
the construction, when the pilot fails an Agility+Driving:Watercraft task the GM rolls a d10, if it is less
than the number of flaws the raft loses integrity, it can take as many hits as the success levels put into it
before breaking. Moving a heavy boulder could have a Threshold of 6 success levels between all party
members in a single set of Brawn tests just to budge. A Delicate negotiation might allow a limited number
of failures. Robbing a bank might take 10 success levels and the cops show up after 11 rolls. Various
permutations are possible, but some combination of Complexity (required total success levels), Threshold
(raised success baseline, Level 2 on a Threshold 2 task gives 1 success), time/resource Limitations
(maximum number of attempts), and Delicacy (limited number of failures) will yield a good encounter.
Character Creation
A character consists of four total features-
Traits: Raw physical and mental ability
Knacks: Character traits and affinities
Flaws: Optional penalties, gives points to spend elsewhere
Skills: Learned techniques and talents
The costs for all features of a character increase as the value rises. Rank 1 costs a single point, Rank 2
costs an additional 2 points, Rank 3 costs an additional 3 points, etc. The total number of points required
to get to a particular Rank is as such: 1=1, 2=3, 3=6, 4=10, 5=15. This system applies to all but Knacks
and Flaws, which have their own simple system. This is to reduce power gaming and encourage more
balanced characters. All unspent points from a previous part of character creation will spill down to the
lower stages (except for Flaw points), the player may for instance choose not to spend some Trait or
Knack points in return for more Knack or skill points. In role-playing terms this accounts for the fact that
those that are lacking in certain core capacities tend to compensate in periphery abilities.
Although 5 is as high as an Trait can be developed at character creation, they can go higher.
Traits: 1=Mediocre, 2=Average, 3=Developed, 4=Great, 5=Amazing, 6=Unnatural
Skills: 1=Novice, 2=Competent, 3=Proficient, 4=Adept, 5=Master, 6=Grandmaster
Reservoir Traits
Life: [(Brawn+Health)*4]+25 Capability to sustain harm
Vitality: [(Brawn+Health+Nerve)*3]+10 Capability to sustain effort
Psyche: [(Mind+Sense+Nerve)*3]+5 Capability to sustain morale and mana
Premade Knacks
Acute Sense (Type): Functional +1 per point to sense relevant tasks
Ambidextrous: Functional +1 per point to reducing off hand penalty, 2 points eliminates penalty
Animal Companion: Heroic, +1 to +3 depending on size of pet, +1 cost for unusually smart animal
Artistic Knack: Functional, +1 per point to rolls involving the arts.
Attractiveness: Functional +1 per point to rolls in situations where looks are important
Awareness: Heroic +1 to rolls to perceive changes in one's surroundings per point
Butcher: Heroic +1 per point to reducing penalty of melee called shots (grants a +1 to torso shots at 2 points)
Crack Shot: Heroic +1 per point to reducing penalty of ranged called shots (grants a +1 to torso shots at 2 points)
Detective: Heroic +1 per point to Hard Intuition
Fast Reflexes: Heroic +1 per point to Hard Reaction
Flexible: Functional +1 per point when a wide range of motion is useful
Fortitude: Heroic +1 per point to Hard Endurance
Healthy: Heroic +1 to +3, +4 health per point
Pain Tolerance: Heroic +1 per point to resist being stunned from damage
Presence. +1 per point to Hard Demeanor
Jury Rigger: Heroic +1 per point to improvised construction rolls
Quick-Cast:+1 per point to reducing multiple action penalty for unleashing an innate spell in the same turn it was raised.
Recall: Functional +1 per point to memory related rolls
Resistance (Type): Functional +1 per point to resisting type of non-damage condition
Speedy: Heroic +1 to Hard Agility and MPH/YPS per point
Spirited: Heroic +1 to +3, +3 Psyche per point
True Grit: Heroic +1 per point to Hard Toughness
Premade Flaws
Addiction (Type): Severe -1 to -3 penalty to mental rolls when substance has not been used for 24 hours (drop 1 when clean).
Aloof: Severe -1 per point to Easy Sense tests
Badly Behaved: Moderate -1 per point to rolls in situations requiring social tact
Clumsy: Severe -1 per point to Easy Reaction tests
Dense: Severe -1 per point to Easy Intuition tests
Fragile: Severe -1 per point to Easy Toughness tests
Honorable: Moderate -1 per point to rolls involving cheating, lying, and betrayal
Impaired Sense (Type): Moderate -1 per point to rolls involving the relevant sense
Lazy: Severe -1 per point to Easy Endurance rolls
Obsessed: Moderate -1 per point to rolls to maintain control while obsession is present
Paranoid: Severe -1 per point to rolls for social dealings with strangers
Phobia (Type): Moderate -1 per point to rolls in of phobia
Disability (Type): Severe -2 per point for rolls involving injured part of body
Reckless: Moderate -1 per point to rolls for acting cautiously while the action is hot
Ugly: Moderate -1 per point to rolls where looks are important
Unimpressive: Severe -1 per point to Easy Demeanor tests
Scatterbrained: Moderate -1 to simple mind rolls per point
Slow: Severe -1 to Easy Agility rolls and MPH per point
Vulnerability (Type): Moderate -1 per point to rolls involving type of condition
Skills (70 Points)
Skills are everything that one must learn to do that is not innate to being a socialized member of society.
Specialty: 3 points nets a character +1 to a skill subset (ex. Intimidation +Interrogation or +Extortion)
Difficult Skills: Very technical skills cost twice as many points to learn, these are marked by !!
!!Acrobatics [Agility=Leaping, Finesse=Flipping]
Acting [Mind=Script, Demeanor=Performance]
Agriculture [Endurance=Work Fields, Intuition=Plant Care]
Animal Handling [Intuition=Read Cues, Demeanor=Keep Control]
Animal Riding [Reaction=Tricky Riding, Endurance=Long Riding]
Archery [Finesse=Shoot, Sense=Aim]
Artistry [Finesse=Drawing, Intuition=Analysis]
Barter [Intuition=Appraise, Demeanor=Haggle]
Beautician [Finesse=Application, Intuition=Styling]
Boating [Agility=Rowing/Deck-work, Demeanor=Command]
Brawling [Brawn=Grappling, Finesse=Strike/Block]
Bureaucracy [Mind=Creating/Altering, Demeanor=Cutting Red Tape]
Camerawork [Finesse=Recording, Intuition=Directing/Editing]
Climbing [Agility=Scaling, Endurance=Long Climbs]
Computers [Mind=Operation, Intuition=Diagnosis, Demeanor=Hacking]
Cooking [Finesse=Preparation, Mind=Recipes]
Craft: Blacksmith, Brewing, Carpentry, Forgery, Gunsmith, Locksmith, Tailoring, Etc. [Finesse=Assemble, Mind=Plan]
Dancing [Agility=Difficult Moves, Endurance=Sustained]
Deception [Intuition=Misdirect, Demeanor=Bluff]
Demolitions [Mind=Construct, Intuition=Plant/Disarm]
Disguise [Mind=Costume, Demeanor=Pose]
Driving: Aircraft, Automobile, Carriage, Light Vehicle, Tracked Vehicle [Reaction=Handling, Intuition=Trailing]
Electronics [Finesse=Repair, Mind=Create/Diagnosis]
!!Engineer: Aircraft, Architecture, Biological, Excavation, Mechanical, Robotic [Finesse=Construct, Mind=Blueprint]
Escapism [Finesse=Get Free, Intuition=Detect Opportunity]
Etiquette: Type [Intuition=Decode Behavior, Demeanor=Fit In]
First Aid [Finesse=Bandage, Mind=Home Remedy]
Gambling [Intuition=Hustle, Demeanor=Bluff]
Hand Weapons : Axe, Chain, Club, Knife, Shield, Spear, Staff, Sword [Finesse=Strike, Reaction=Parry]
Guns: Assault Rifle, Handgun, Heavy Arms, Long Gun, Stationary [Finesse=Fire/Maintenance, Sense=Aim]
Humanities: Archeology, Anthropology, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy, Pol Sci, Psychology, Etc. [Mind=Recall, Demeanor=Inform]
Instruction [Mind=Present Information, Intuition=Measure Student]
Intimidation [Demeanor=Coerce, Intuition=Interrogate]
Language [Intuition=Translate, Demeanor=Communicate]
Leadership [Mind=Planning, Demeanor=Directing]
Lock Picking [Finesse=Picking, Intuition=Safe Cracking]
!!Magic: Alchemy, Alteration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy [Mind=Learned, Nerve=Innate]
!!Martial Arts (+1 to final hand to hand damage per point) [Finesse=Strike/Technique, Reaction=Block]
Mechanic [Mind=Modify/Repair, Intuition=Diagnose]
!!Medicine: Diagnosis, General Medicine, Surgery [Finesse=Surgery, Intuition=Diagnostics]
Navigation [Mind=Plot Course, Intuition=Determine Location]
Play Instrument: Type [Finesse=Fast Playing, Demeanor=Soulful Playing]
Research/Investigation [Mind=Look Up, Intuition=Find Detail]
Running: Marathon (+1 to MPH per success level), Dash (+1 to YPS per success level) [Agility=Sprint, Endurance=Marathon]
Sciences: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Meteorology, Physics [Mind=Recall, Demeanor=Inform]
Singing [Intuition=Harmonize, Demeanor=Performance]
Sleight of Hand [Finesse=Pocket, Reaction=Conceal/Reveal]
Smooth Talking: Diplomacy, Promotion, Seduction [Intuition=Read Favor, Demeanor=Influence]
Sport (Type) [Brawn=Power, Agility=Motion]
Stealth [Finesse=Sneak, Intuition=Find Hideout]
Storytelling [Intuition=Read Crowd, Demeanor=Present Story]
Streetwise [Intuition=Street Smarts, Demeanor=Street Dealings]
Surveillance [Sense=Identifying, Intuition=Trailing]
Survival: Arctic, Desert, Forest, Jungle, Urban [Mind=Survival Knowledge, Intuition=Scavenging/Tracking]
Swimming [Agility=Stroking, Endurance=Treading]
Throwing: Axe, Ball, Knife, Rope, Spear [Agility=Tossing, Reaction=Catching]
!!Trance [Intuition=Visualize, Demeanor=Meditate]
Traps [Mind=Construction, Intuition=Plant/Disarm]
Weight Lifting (+1 per success level to effective Brawn for lifting purposes) [Strength=Lifting, Endurance=Holding]
Writing [Mind=Composition, Intuition=Proofreading]
Basic Rules
The Rule of 10 and Rule of 1
On a roll of 10, roll again. If the second roll is 1-5 add that much, if it is 6-10 the final roll stays 10.
On a roll of 1, roll again, each consecutive 1 incurs an error of increasing severity. (GM's discretion)
Basic Resolution
1:Player declares intent and applicable Quirks, game master declares applicable Traits and/or Skills.
2:Player rolls, game master adds or subtracts situational modifiers and informs player of the outcome
Unskilled Attempts
Attempting a Task without any levels in the proper skill means a -2 penalty to the roll for being clueless
on the subject. When attempting a Task for a skill that is generally known, but not of the right type (such
as firing a shotgun when one is only trained in Guns:Pistol) one may use the skill type they do know at a
-1 penalty. This second rule does not apply to types in Craft, Humanities, Magic, or Science.
Synergistic Skills
Sometimes a skill can help another skill, this works as a complimentary task that gives a bonus to the
main roll equal to the complimentary success level. For example a disguise task could be aided with a
Finesse+Beautician roll, all disguise-related tests thereafter would receive a bonus equal to the success
level of the Beautician task. This can be a self-directed or two person event, depending on circumstance.
Contested Checks
When a contested check arises one's roll must not only succeed, but also surpass an opponent's roll. This
mainly happens in combat for attack/defense checks. If the roll result is less than 9 it automatically fails,
if it is over 9 it must also be higher than the opponent's result to succeed. Derived Traits are often used in
contested checks, for example Easy Intuition contests Demeanor+Deception checks to bluff.
Vitality Points
Lose 1 Vitality point every roll one makes (exception for multiple rolls made during a combat turn).
Characters need at least 1 hour of sleep for every 4 awake or they lose 1 point of Vitality for every hour
they miss that will not return until they make up the sleep, they also lose 1 Vitality every hour after
they've been awake after a full 24. Characters recover 1 point of Vitality per Health per half hour of sleep,
or the same amount for every hour of rest. A light snack restores 2 Vitality and a full meal restores 3, up
to a maximum of 9 points a day, characters lose 1 vitality per day they go without food, and 3 vitality per
day without water. Stimulants restore 2 points per dose up to a maximum of 8 Vitality points per day.
Initiative
Everyone declares their intentions at the beginning of a turn before any rolls. Combat is resolved in
isolated pockets of action and initiative is looked at from a common sense perspective. A man with a
cocked gun or notched arrow will roll before a man running at him with a sword. In situations where who
strikes first is not so clear (such as when entering melee combat on equal terms) a contested Easy Finesse
test decides the outcome. These tests are isolated between individual pockets of combat, only those
confronting roll. In the middle of combat first strike of a turn goes to whoever got the last successful hit
in, a new Easy Finesse check will be required if the opponents disengage and go back at each other.
Damage Rules
Bludgeoning and Slashing damage is applied to both Health and Vitality on living targets, Bludgeoning is
instant on both while Slashing applies a bleed effect that drains 1 extra Vitality per action until it stops or
the target passes out, then all damage applies to Health. Falling inflicts 3 Health and Vitality damage for
every 1 yard of uncontrolled drop, a Hard Finesse Test may reduce the damage by 2*Success Levels.
High heat does 2 damage a turn, being exposed to flame does 3 a turn, and being engulfed does 4 a turn.
If one doesn't target a specific area and the hit is successful the Game Master rolls a D10 as a hit chart:
1=Head, 2=Neck, 3=Chest, 4=Right Arm, 5=Left Arm, 6=Right Hand
7=Left Hand, 8=Stomach, 9=Right Leg, 10=Left Leg
Effects of injury
Any attack that does more than 15 damage requires an Easy Toughness check to act the next turn. Any
attack that does more than 20 damage requires a Hard Toughness to act the next turn. Being hurt incurs no
penalty to normal actions until 5 Life, which starts a -1 penalty that goes up by 1 every five Life lost after
that. At 0 through -9 Life the character is in danger of becoming incapacitated. An easy Toughness test
penalized by the amount of health under 0 is necessary to stay in the action.
Dying
At -10 Life and below a character must pass a survival check or die. This is an Easy Toughness test with a
-1 penalty for every 10 Life below 0 the character is. Every hour spent without medical help requires a
new test with a new -1 penalty. The character can be stabilized with a successful medical or first aid task.
After being stabilized an Easy Toughness Test with a penalty equal to the amount of Life below zero is
made to stay conscious or gain consciousness. They wake up regardless when their Life goes above -10.
Awarding Experience
Experience is given for good role-playing, acting in character, progressing the story, and heroic efforts.
A session may yield between 1-10 points per player based on contribution and progression.
(+1): Usable with one hand, +1 damage multiplier bonus for using with two hands
(Two Hand Only): The +1 multiplier is already calculated into the damage
Using two close weapons that have no bonus for two-handed use reduces the second attack penalty to -1
****The Long Sword is compatible with the reduced -1 penalty only when used main handed
Projectile Combat Attack Table
Weapon Range Damage
Thrown Pebble 3/5/8/12/20 1*Brawn Bludgeoning
Thrown Stone 2/4/7/10/15 2*Brawn Bludgeoning
Thrown Brick 2/3/5/7/10 3*Brawn Bludgeoning
Small Knife/Darts 3/5/8/12/20 2*Brawn Slashing
Large Knife/Spear 4/6/10/20/30 2*Brawn+1 Slashing
Short Bow 5/12/40/65/120 3*Brawn Slashing
Long Bow 10/30/50/100/200 3*Brawn+1 Slashing
Hand Cross Bow 5/20/40/70/120 3*3 Slashing
Repeating Cross Bow 6/30/50/125/200 3*4 Slashing
Cross Bow 7/40/65/150/250 4*3 Slashing
Smoothbore Flintlock Pistol 4/8/20/40/100 4*4 Slashing
Rifled Flintlock Pistol 5/10/30/60/140 3*5 Slashing
Blunderbuss 10/20/40/60/90 4*5 Slashing +1 to hit
Smoothbore Musket 5/15/40/80/160 5*4 Slashing
Rifled Musket 10/30/80/120/250 4*5 Slashing
Light Rounds 5/10/40/80/160
.22 Short 4*2 Slashing
.22 Long 3*3 Slashing
.32 ACP 3*4 Slashing
9mm Parabellum 4*3 Slashing
.38 Special 5*3 Slashing
.45 ACP 4*4 Slashing
Magnum (Heavy Recoil) 8/15/60/100/200
.357 Magnum 5*4 Slashing
.44 Magnum 4*6 Slashing
Shotgun (Heavy Recoil)
Birdshot 10/30/50/75/100 4*4 Slashing +2 Hit
Buckshot 10/30/50/100/200 5*4 Slashing +1 Hit
Slug 5/50/100/200/300 5*5 Slashing
High Velocity Rounds 10/50/150/300/800
.223 Remington 5*3 Slashing
5.56x44mm 4*4 Slashing
7.62x39mm 3*6 Slashing
7.62x51mm 4*5 Slashing
.338 Lapua Magnum 4*6 Slashing
.50 Caliber 5*6 Slashing
Explosives
Agility+Throwing (Sphere) for hand explosives, Finesse+Guns (Heavy Weapons) for rocket launcher
Level 2 Success to hit Ground Zero, Level 1 for General Effect, No Damage Modifiers for High Rolls
Weapon Range Ground Zero General Effect
Grenade 3/7/10/13/20 3 Yards 5*8 9 Yards 4*6
Pipe Bomb 2/5/8/10/15 5 Yards 5*10 15 Yards 3*8
Molotov Cocktail 2/5/8/10/15 1 Yard 4/Turn 2 Yards 3/Turn
Rocket Launcher 10/20/40/75/120 2 Yard 5*8 6 Yards 3*8
Body Armor Table
Type Armor Value Encumbrance
Leather Jacket 1 None
Leather Armor 3 None
Chain Mail 6 -1
Banded Mail 9 -2
Plate Armor 12 -3
Class I Kevlar 10 None
Class II Kevlar 15 -1
Class III Kevlar 20 -2
Class IV Kevlar 25 -3
Riot Shield 20 -2
Shield Table
Shield Type Armor Value Encumbrance Block
Chair 5 -1 +1
Small Shield 7 None +1
Medium Shield 9 -1 +2
Large Shield 11 -2 +3
Destructible Environments
Object Armor Value Damage Capacity
Wine Glass 0 1
Glass Bottle 1 4
Window 1 8
Furniture 3-8 25-40
Door 5 30
Door Lock 10 20
Reinforced Door 15 50
Reinforced Lock 20 40
Wood Wall 5+1/Inch 15/Inch
Brick Wall 9+2/Inch 30/Inch
Concrete Wall 15+3/Inch 50/Inch
Steel Wall 20+5/Inch 100/Inch
Armor Value: How much damage it absorbs from an attack or projectile (the latter might penetrate)
Encumbrance: Incurs a -1 penalty to mobility related actions per degree
Damage Capacity: How much damage (after armor value is applied) it can take before breaking
Block: Bonus to Finesse+Hand Weapons:Shield (or Finesse+Hand Weapons-2 for the chair) task