Advanced Option: Lucky Shots Double-Pump Clichés: If permitting pumps, the GM might

also allow double-pump Clichés, which take only “half

This option allows players to spend some of their 10 starting damage” from pumping. Thus, a Sorcerer [5] could roll
dice on something other than Clichés. A single Cliché-die eleven dice for a single combat round (six extra dice!) but
can, instead, buy three Lucky Shots (spend two dice for take only three dice of loss from the extra effort. Double-
six Lucky Shots, and so on). Using a Lucky Shot boosts any pump Clichés cost twice as many dice to buy during
Cliché roll by a single die, for a single die-roll. Lucky Shots character creation, and are especially appropriate for
“reset” between game-sessions. Lucky Shots can represent Clichés representing supernatural abilities (in fact, some
random good luck, the favor of a deity, a streak of Game Masters may require that supernatural Clichés be
resourcefulness, etc. purchased this way). The use of [square brackets] instead Welcome to Risus: The Anything RPG, a complete pen- climber, a runner, and all-night reveler. He probably owns at
and-paper roleplaying game! For some, Risus is a handy least one sturdy hand-weapon and (hopefully, mercifully)
Advanced of (parentheses) indicates a double-pump Cliché.
“emergency” RPG for spur-of-the-moment one-shots and a complete loincloth. If you’re playing a Psychic Schoolgirl
Option: Hooks Advanced Option: rapid character creation. For others, it’s a reliable cam- (3), you probably have the power to sense (and be freaked-
& Tales Character Advancement paign system supporting years of play. For others still, it’s out by) the psychometric residue lingering at a murder
a strange little pamphlet with stick figures. For me, it’s all scene, and might own a cute plushy backpack filled with
With this Advanced Option, At the end of each adventure, each player rolls against three, and with this edition, Risus celebrates not only two school supplies. If you’re playing a Roguish Space
players can bargain for ex- each Cliché challenged during the course of play (ignore decades of existence, but two decades of life, bolstered by Pirate (3), you can do all kinds of piratey roguey
tra character-creation dice by lingering “injuries” for this purpose; roll as if the Cliché were an enthusiastic global community devoted to expanding it, space-things, and you probably own a
giving their character a Hook and/or a Tale. A Hook is whole). If the dice land showing only even numbers, the celebrating it, sharing it, and gaming with it. raygun, and maybe a secondhand
some significant character flaw – a curse, an obsession, Cliché advances by a single die (increasing it perma- star freighter. When there’s any
a weakness, a sworn vow, a permanently crippling injury nently). No Cliché advances past Cliché (6). Character Creation doubt about your character’s
– that the GM agrees is so juicy that he can use it to make A Midgame Leaps: Anytime you do something really, The character Cliché is the heart of Risus. abilities or “Tools of the Trade,”
the character’s life more interesting (which usually means really, really spectacularly entertaining that wows the Clichés are shorthand for a kind of person, discuss it with your GM.
less pleasant). A character with a Hook gets an extra die whole table, the GM may allow you to roll instantly (in implying their skills, background, social role Tools of the Trade come “free” as
to play with. the middle of the game) for possible advancement, in and more. The “character classes” of the oldest part of each Cliché, but they’re
A Tale is a written “biography” of the character describing addition to the roll(s) at the end of the adventure. RPGs are enduring Clichés: Wizard, Detective, vulnerable to loss or damage,
his life before the events of the game. The Tale needn’t Starpilot, Superspy. You can choose Clichés which can (sometimes) cripple
be long (a page or two is plenty); it just needs to tell the like those for your character, or devise some- or limit the power of the Cliché. A
reader where the character is coming from, what he thing more outré, like Ghostly Pirate Cook, Roguish Space Pirate, stripped of his star
likes and dislikes, how he became who he is, what his Fairy Godmother, Bruce Lee (for a character freighter, loses all ability to haul booty to distant suns
motives are. Some Tales are best written from the player’s who does Bruce Lee stuff) or Giant Monster Who … while a Psychic Schoolgirl loses none of her ability
omniscient perspective; others are more fun if written as Just Wants To Be Loved For His Macrame – anything to be freaked out by murder scenes if her plushy
excerpts from the character’s own diary. A character with you can talk your GM into. With a very permissive GM, backpack is stolen. A Hirsute Barbarian (3), forced
a Tale provided before gameplay begins gets an extra you could be all these at once. Each Cliché has a rating into a pit-fight without his trusty blade, can still rely
die to play with. in dice (the ordinary six-sided kind). When your character’s on his bare hands, but he’ll operate at half-dice – a
prowess as a Wizard, Starpilot or Bruce Lee is challenged, mere Hirsute Barbarian (2) – until he’s once again properly
Advanced roll dice equal to the rating. Three dice is “professional.” armed. The backpack-deprived Schoolgirl might face
Option: Pumps A Adding New Clichés: There may come a time when
a character has grown and matured enough to justify
One die is a putz. Six dice is ultimate mastery. A complete
Risus character looks like this:
similar penalties when it’s time to do her homework.
In the course of adventuring life, lucky explorers may
Character s may pump their adding an entirely new Cliché to his character sheet. If discover enchanted and/or cutting-edge and/or otherwise
Clichés, expending extra effort the player and GM agree this is the case, and agree on
Grolfnar Vainsson the Viking
special equipment. The most basic sort is called Bonus-Dice
at the cost of certain injury (loss what the new Cliché is, the player rolls for advancement Description: Tall, blond, and grinning. Likes to drink and Gear (such items let you roll an extra die, or more, when
of dice). A pumped Cliché re- as usual, but new dice earned for that adventure may fight and drink and chase Viking women and fight and using them) but there are other kinds of “special” to be
ceives a dice-boost lasting a be put toward the new Cliché instead of the ones that sail the high seas and raid. Wants to write great sagas found, in the form of alternate game mechanics (“With
single round of combat (or earned them. This can also be applied to “in-game” about himself. this experimental piloting software, you can reroll any
single significant roll, other- improvements, if the situation warrants it! Clichés: Viking (4), Gambler (3), Womanizer (2), Poet (1) 1s”), in-world powers (“Only a Stradivarius can be used
wise). After that round or roll
A Long-Haul Variant: Instead of rolling against every to seduce a Vampire Prince”) or even mixed benefits
is resolved, the Cliché returns To create Grolfnar, all we had to do was name him, describe
challenged Cliché, roll against a single Cliché of and restrictions (“While wielding the Sword of Mercy, you
to normal, then suffers immediate him, and assign his Clichés. You get 10 dice to spend on
your choice. always roll dice at least equal to your foe, but you must
dice-loss equal to the boost. Such loss is Clichés, distributed however you like, on as many or few
Clichés as you decide (but more than 10 would be odd, spare his life if you win.”)
comparable to combat losses, and must heal.
Example: Rudolph the Ninja (3) is attacked by a Monster Credit Where It’s Due
considering). The first Cliché listed for your character
(“Viking,” in Grolfnar’s case) is his Primary Cliché – the
The Game System
(6)! Rudy doesn’t have much of a chance against such Whenever anybody wants to do anything, and nobody’s
a powerful foe, so he opts for a tricky tactic: since the Risus grew from inspirations provided by the sadly out-of- Cliché that most clearly expresses how your character
print classic, Ghostbusters (1st Edition, West End Games), sees himself. In general, new characters may not have actively opposing it, and the GM doesn’t think success
Monster is attacking physically, Rudolph decides his would be automatic, the player rolls dice. If the total rolled
first-round response will use his skills as a Cajun Chef sparked against an idea from Mayfair’s DC Heroes. Other Clichés rated higher than 4 dice, so Grolfnar’s “Viking” is
noteworthy influences have included GURPS, TWERPS, maxed out for a beginning PC. Your GM might choose to beats (equals or exceeds) the Target Number set by the GM,
(3) – a decidedly Inappropriate choice! He also opts success! If not, failure! Target numbers follow this scale:
to pump it by two dice to Cajun Chef (5), putting his all Fudge, Tunnels & Trolls, Over the Edge, and DragonQuest. expand, relax, or otherwise transmogrify such parameters
into his cooking! The list of people on whom Risus depends is too long to for his game (ask if you’re not sure). 5: A cinch. A challenge for a schmuck. Routine for a pro.
even contemplate in a space so tiny, but I’d be remiss if
On round one, the Monster rolls six dice, and Rudy (quickly
I didn’t mention a few of them: Guy Hoyle, Dan “Moose” Powers, 10: A challenge for a professional.
15: An Heroic challenge. For really inventive or tricky stunts.
whipping up a tempting Gumbo spiked with Ninja sleep-
ing drug and offering it to the Monster) rolls five. If the
Jasman, Spike Y. Jones, Frank J. Perricone, Jason Puckett, Tools, and 20: A challenge for a Master. Nearly superhuman difficulty.
Ninja loses, he’s instantly defeated: his Cajun Chef Cliché
David Pulver, Sean “Dr. Kromm” Punch, Liz Rich, Dan Suptic,
Brent Wolke, René Vernon, and the thousands of cool
Power Tools 30: You’ve GOT to be kidding. Actual superhuman difficulty.
would drop to Cajun Chef (1) for the pump, then to Cajun Each Cliché implies a lot
gamers, old and new, who’ve populated and enlivened The Target Number depends on the Cliché, and anyone
Chef (zero) for losing the round. The Monster would eat about a character, most
the Risus community. can try anything. Crossing a chasm by swinging on a rope
Rudolph instead of the Gumbo. If the Ninja wins, however, crucially including his likely
Risus was created, written and illustrated by S. John Ross. or vine would be child’s play (automatic success!) for a
the Monster (6) drops to Monster (3), and Rudy’s Cajun abilities and equipment. If
Risus: The Anything RPG is Dave LeCompte’s Swashbuckler or a Lord of the Jungle, easy (Target 5) for a
Chef (3) drops to Cajun Chef (1). In round two, Rudolph you’re playing a Hirsute
trademark for his Anything RPG. This is Risus Version Pulp Archaeologist, and challenging but definitely doable
can switch back to Ninja (3), where he’ll be on equal Barbarian (3), we can as-
2.02, Copyright ©1993-2013,2021 by Dave LeCompte, (Target 10) for a Gymnast, Barbarian, or Cat-Burglar. Even a
footing with the groggy, well-fed Monster. All Rights Reserved. Permission granted to make sume your character is Wheelchair-Bound Eccentric Occultist could try it (Difficulty
Pumps are legal for any kind of Cliché roll, provided the unlimited copies for private, non-commercial use, comfortable with blades 15, but the wheelchair is lost unless the roll beats a 30)!
and remember: There’s No Wrong Way To Play! and battle. He’s probably a
GM agrees that “pushing it” fits the action involved.
The Combat System In a Seduction, the loser gets either a cold shower or
a warm evening, depending. While the GM will
Teaming Up
In Risus,“combat” is any contest in which reject combat outcomes that make no sense in Two or more characters may form a team in combat. For
opponents jockey for position, make context (if you beat someone at tennis, you aren’t the duration of the team (usually the entire fight), they battle
attacks, bring defenses to bear, and normally allowed to decapitate them and drag as a single unit, and may only be attacked as a single foe.
wear down their opponent to achieve their corpse through the city square), the There are two kinds of team: full-on Character Teams (for
victory. Literally or metaphorically. spoils of victory are otherwise down to PCs, and sufficiently interesting NPCs) and Grunt-Squads
Examples of “combat” include: the choice of the victor. (for nameless NPC hordes).
A Arguments: Combatants wielding You needn’t use the same Cliché every Grunt-Squads: This is just special effects. When a horde
logic, stubbornness and cheap rhe- round. If a Viking/Swashbuckler wants of 700 rat-skeletons attacks the PCs within the lair of the
torical tricks to make their point. to lop heads one round, and switch to Wicked Necromancer (5), the GM probably won’t feel like
A Horse-Racing: People on horses swinging on chandeliers the next, that’s groovy, keeping track of 700 tiny skeletal sets of dice. Instead, he
running around a dirty track, trying too. However, anytime a character has a Cliché can declare them a Grunt Squad, fighting as a single foe:
to get nowhere first. worn down to zero dice in combat, he’s been a Skeletal Rat-Horde (7). Mechanically, the Rat-Horde is the
A Dogfights: Pilots in airplanes or defeated, even if he has other Clichés left to same as any single foe – except it sometimes has more
A Lost Leader: If the Team Leader ever leaves the team
spaceships trying to blow each play with. dice (as many as the GM cares to assign it). Grunt-Squads
for any reason (either by dropping out or having his
other out of the sky. stick together as a team until they’re defeated, at which
Dice lost in combat are regained when the own Cliché dropped to zero), the team must disband
A Astral/Psychic Duels: Mystics/psionics point some survivors may scatter (though at least one will
combat ends, at a healing rate determined by the GM immediately, with consequences as above. They may
looking bored or sleepy, but trying to rip each other’s always remain to suffer whatever fate the victor decides).
(based on the nature of the attacks involved). If the combat immediately opt to reform as a new team (with a new
ego apart in the Otherworld. Taken to logical (or whimsical) extremes, an entire ship’s
was in vehicles (space fighters, mecha, wooden sailing leader) however, and if the old leader was removed
A Wizards’ Duels: Sorcerers using strange magics, trying crew, or even whole forests, dungeons, cities or nations
ships) then the vehicles themselves are likely damaged, by having volunteered for personal damage, the new
to outdo one another. might be represented by a single Cliché.
too, and must be repaired. Sometimes, healing takes not Team Leader gets the double-roll vengeance bonus
A Dueling Banjos: Banjo players using strange melodies, only time, but conditions specified by the GM (“now that Character Teams: When PCs (and/or NPCs worth the to avenge his predecessor!
trying to outdo one another. you’ve been soundly defeated, you can’t even look at your attention) form a team, the Team Leader is the character
A Seduction: One (or more) characters trying to score banjo until your girlfriend assuages your ego”). with the highest-ranking applicable Cliché (if there’s a Single-Action Conflicts
with one (or more) other character(s) who is(are) tie, the team must designate a Team Leader). Everybody
There’s no standard time or distance scale in Risus; every- “Combat” depends on multi-round jockeying and wearing
trying to resist. rolls dice, but only the Team Leader’s dice completely
thing depends on context. In a physical brawl, each round each other down … but many conflicts are too sudden to
A Courtroom Antics: Prosecution vs. Defense. The goal count. Other team-members contribute only their sixes,
might represent just a few seconds … while in a long-term be played that way (two characters grabbing for the same
is victory. Justice is incidental. when they roll any.
fight between a married couple, each round might repre- gun, for example). Such “Single-Action Conflicts” (SACs)
A Actual Regular Combat: People trying to injure or sent an entire day (Day One: Husband “accidentally” burns Clichés joined in a team need not be identical, and are settled with a single roll against appropriate Clichés
kill each other. Wife’s favorite dress in the oven, Wife “accidentally” feeds (provided the GM can be convinced) they can even be (or inappropriate Clichés, with good roleplaying). High
The GM decides when a combat has begun. At that point, Drano to Husband’s prize goldfish, and so on) a mix of “appropriate” and “inappropriate” for the fight (a roll wins. Note that, in nearly any case, the Game Master
go around the table in rounds, and let each combatant group of warriors might be aided by their able minstrel, for may jump between the three resolution methods (Target
make an attack in turn. What constitutes an “attack” example). However, they don’t triple enemy dice-loss unless Number, Combat, Single-Action Conflict) to suit the pacing
depends on the nature of the fight, but it should always Inappropriate Clichés the entire team is equally inappropriate (which means the
players get to explain to the GM exactly how a Hairdresser,
and mood. Sometimes, an arm-wrestling match works best
as a combat … sometimes it works best as a Single-Action
be roleplayed (if dialogue is involved) or described in
entertaining detail (if it’s physical and/or dangerous As stated above, the GM determines what sort of a Parakeet Trainer, and a Life Coach are coordinating their Conflict, and sometimes (preferably if it’s against some
and/or does/should involve contraceptives). The GM Clichés are appropriate for the fight. Any Clichés talents to take Darth Viraxis to the mat)! kind of coin-operated arm-wrestling machine) even as a
will determine what type of Cliché is appropriate for left over are inappropriate. In a physical fight, simple Target Number.
Whenever a team loses a round of combat, a single team-
Hairdresser is inappropriate. In a magical duel,
the fight. In a straightforward physical brawl, Clichés like
Viking, Soldier, Swashbuckler, and Ernest Hemingway are Barbarian is inappropriate.
member’s Cliché is reduced. Any team-member (Team
Leader included) may “step forward” and voluntarily suffer
When Somebody
equally appropriate, while Clichés like Hairdresser and Inappropriate Clichés aren’t forbidden from the fight. this loss. If so, the noble volunteer is reduced by twice the Can’t Participate
Latin Lover are not. They can still be used to make attacks, provided normal amount (either two dice or six, depending), but the Sometimes, characters find them-
Attacks must be directed at an opponent. Both parties in the player roleplays or describes it in a really, Team Leader gets to roll twice as many dice on his next selves facing a Combat or Single-
the attack (attacker and defender) roll against their chosen really, really entertaining manner. Furthermore, the attack, a temporary boost as the team avenges their heroic Action Conflict where they
Cliché. Low roll loses. Specifically, the low roller loses one attack must be plausible within the context of the comrade. If no volunteer steps forward, the Team Leader simply have no applicable
of his Cliché dice for the remainder of the fight – he’s been combat, and the genre and tone that the GM has must assign the (undoubled) hit to a team-member, and Cliché, even by stretching
weakened, worn down, demoralized or otherwise pushed set for the game (making this kind of attack more there is no “vengeance” bonus. the imagination. Perhaps one
one step towards defeat. often useful in very pulpy/swashbuckly games, or character in the party enters
A Victory & Defeat: With teams as with individuals, the
very silly ones). a pie-eating contest with his
Eventually, one side will be left standing, and another will victor determines the fate of the loser … but when the
All combat rules apply normally, with one exception: loser is part of a team, his fate is generally reserved until Disgusting Glutton (2) Cliché,
be left without dice. At this point, the winners decide the fate
if an inappropriate Cliché wins a combat round the end of the team’s existence (even if he’s defeated but the rest of the characters are astronauts or accountants,
of the losers. In a physical fight or magical duel, the losers
versus an appropriate one, the losing player loses while the fight rages on). So, if his team wins, his team neither of whom traditionally engorge themselves on pie. In
might be killed (or mercifully spared). In Courtroom Antics,
three dice, rather than one, from his Cliché! The – not their opponent – gets to decide. There are some situations like this, the GM might grant everybody two free
the loser is sentenced by the judge, or fails to prosecute.
“inappropriate” player takes no such risk, and loses fights where this won’t be so, where the PCs are under “brevet dice” to play with for the duration of the conflict. This
only one die if he loses the round. Thus, a creative such precarious circumstance that their fates must be means the Disgusting Glutton (2)
hairdresser is dangerous when cornered and at- resolved immediately. But, in most cases, being part would become, temporarily, a
tacked unfairly. Beware. of a team – especially a winning team – is excellent Disgusting Glutton (4), while ev-
insurance. eryone else would get a Regular
When in doubt, assume the aggressor determines Person Talked Into a Pie-Eating
the type of combat. If a wizard attacks a barbarian A Disbanding: A team may voluntarily disband at
any time between die-rolls. When disbanding, each Contest (2) Cliché “on loan” until
with magic, then it’s a magical duel! If the barbarian the last crumb burps forth. The
attacks the mage with his sword, then it’s physical team-member instantly loses a single die from the
Cliché they’d been contributing to the team (equal Glutton, naturally, retains his win-
combat! If the defender can come up with an ning edge, but everyone else can
entertaining use of his skills, he’ll have the edge. It to “damage” suffered in the fight itself). Disbanded
team-members may freely form new teams, pro- still bury their noses in pie. This rule
pays in many genres to be the defender! But … if applies only to Combats and SACs,
the wizard and barbarian both obviously want to vided the die-loss from disbanding doesn’t defeat
them. Individuals may also drop out of a team, but never to rolls against Target Numbers
fight, then both are aggressors, and it’s “fantasy (since, with Target Numbers, the TN itself
combat,” where both swords and sorcery have this reduces them to zero dice immediately as they
scamper for the rear. Their fates rest on the mercy of simply moves wherever it needs to, for any
equal footing. Cliché attempting any action).
whoever wins the fight!