Non-UK Customers, The CORE RPG is available from Drive-Thru Here:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/317008/GMD-CORE-RPG

Enjoy exciting tales of heroic action. Swords clashing above the sound of crashing waves, as boats ram each other during a raging sea battle. Within a war-torn world where gods walk among man, casting lightning bolts at titanic beings. Or dodging laser bolts whilst racing towards your starship to escape from a cruiser that is engaged in an intergalactic space battle. Exchanging turbo cannon fire with other capital ships whilst starfighters weave in an intricate dance of death among the stars. Or being punched through walls by a Mutated Super Being whilst your armour’s systems are rerouting power from thrusters and shields to hand blasters, and your super team are engaging a megalomaniac murder bot attempting to destroy the world. Fighting against time as a bomb is ticking away that will end countless lives, with an army between you and the death of millions. Or whatever your imagination conjures. A set of rules carefully crafted to allow you to become the hero you were born to be…

The GMD CORE RPG Book

The book itself is planned to be around 184 pages packed with high-quality full-colour artwork throughout by Martin Harper and Joseph Knight.

The rules will be presented in an easy to read format with process charts and visual examples. The intention is to produce a set of rules that are easy and quick to learn while being visually satisfying to read. This will have the Games Master and Players ready to play in no time.

With your support, I will be able to afford the artwork required and produce high quality and professional-looking set of game rules in a Hard Back format.

What type of Roleplaying Game is GMD CORE RPG?

The CORE RPG is a universal cinematic roleplaying game. It can be used for any genre and any style of roleplaying game. The rules are ideal for a dungeon crawling hack and slash, or an intense drama filled roleplay story. Or even a mix of everything. It has rules for combat with all technological levels of weapons, from swords and bows to laser pistols and energy swords. The rules also cover different types of Powers from arcane energies of a wizard, faithful prayers of a cleric or even fantastic superpowers of a superhero.

There are rules to cover different types of scenes including fast action-packed combat scenes and deep drama scenes that require a battle of words rather than swords.

This ruleset allows you to forge incredible stories and legends, design exciting characters and villains – both as Players or as the Games Story Teller, (Games Master).

Although careful consideration has been made so that the GMD CORE RPG has been designed as a universal set of rules for any genre and any given situation, in certain sections explanation have been given where rules may differ according to Genre.

 Game Mechanics 

Each character is given 10 Statistics to perform a variety of tasks. The odds can be swayed in the player’s favour by use of specialisations. There are 72 Specialisations to choose from! But any character that does not have a specialisation to perform a task can resort to raw potential by rolling just their Statistic appropriate to the task at hand…

No need to have lots of Specialisations, a Character can perform most of them just by using the associated Statistic!

Statistics and Specialisations are measured in Dice Types ranging from D4 to D12 and are open-ended. This means if the dice rolls it’s maximum it keeps rolling!

The Highest wins, The game is an opposed gaming system which means that the player and the GM are involved in the game at all times.

Also, Characters gain Perks, which they can activate to gain the Perks benefits.

Play the Odds…

All players have multiple ways to influence the chance of success for themselves or allies by way of Perks, Specialisations, Momentum, or using extra effort known as energy.

Beautiful Artwork: 

Throughout the book, we have beautiful artwork created by GMD Online Artists Joseph Knight & Martin Harper. Not only are the rules easy to read they are visually compelling too.

Easy Read no-nonsense format:

Careful consideration has been given to the way the rules have been laid out. Every effort has been given to provide an easy to read format utilising process charts as examples and for quick reference.

We believe more emphasis on playing the game rather than spending days learning the rules would be a more fun way to experience RPGs.

Or for use with up and coming CORE Worlds

Not only can the GMD CORE RPG be used with any existing setting or adventure module we also plan to release our up and coming campaign setting specially designed for the GMD CORE RPG. But using our conversion process you will be able to use our settings with your favourite RPG rules systems.

Character Roles

In CORE RPG characters decide what role they will play within the party. Once that Role has been chosen they are free to customise their character to reflect any proffession they choose. Wizard, Thief, Police Officer, Gangster, Marine, Star Ship Captain, of course bearing in mind the setting!

A party of wizards is possible each with a diffrent role. Or several characters of the same role, which would strengthen the part in one field of expertise while weakining it in others.

In CORE RPG there are 6 Roles a character can choose to play.

  • Agitator – Distracts the enemy, providing penalties and sowing confusion among their ranks.
  • Defender – Specialises in defending their companions and the ability to withstand damage.
  • Enhancer – Provides support to the party, in the way of Bonus Dice, Healing and other Effects.
  • Ranged – Damage Dealers who deal damage from a ranged, where they are safe from retaliation.
  • Scrapper – A hand to hand damage dealer which lacks the protection of a Defender.
  • Tactician – Keeps the party moving fast in a battle and provides bonuses to Initiative and provides Momentum.

Each role has a unique Perk that only they can obtain at character generation. Each role is capable of obtaining the specialisations and statistics of other Roles, but the unique Perk gies them the edge in he role they have chosen.

Powers (Magic, Super Powers, Abilities etc)

Our Power system (Magic) system is fully customisable, which allows you to recreate your favourite heroes or abilities.

Any Role can use Powers. Depending on the character build, which will dictate how many and how often powers can be used.

Powers are purchased like specialisations (Skills) and there are 80 base Powers to choose from. We are also working on an expansion to increase this considerably, although the powers provided can replicate most spells and superpowers out there, but not all… That will require a dedicated book which we are working on with the help of my Patreon supporters.

There are Specialisations that allow characters access to multiple Powers, very much like a spell list, but only when they have a Particular Perk activated which must also be purchased as a requirement.

CORE RPG also uses Power Source, this is a type of energy/matter that forms the power. Each source has a specific game effect adding more dimension to the power. There are currently 34 Power Sources available to choose from.

Each Power in GMD CORE RPG has been outlined in a universal way that it doesn’t matter which setting you use. The rules are exactly the same. What matters is how it is applied and if any Enhancements of Universal Enhancements are used. We will use the example card above:

Fantasy

In a Fantasy setting, Entangle could be an arcane spell of conjured ropes or chains that shoot forward from the hands of the caster to wrap themselves about the target. Or it could be a Prayer that ensnares the target with celestial bonds.

Sci-Fi

In a Sci-Fi setting, Entangle could be a Psionic force that holds the Target fast.  Or a Technical Device that shoots solidifying foam onto the target.

Superheroes

In a Supers Setting, It could be a web shooter, spraying web fluid about the target. Or energy whips that wrap about the arms and legs of the target.

What the Power looks like doesn’t really matter. The rules would be exactly the same. The Visual is for cinematic effect.

Rules

How the Power would work is that the character would use a Hard Action during the characters initiative turn to attempt to use entangle the Target.

The Character would reduce their NRG (energy) value by 3, which is the cost to activate Entangle. This NRG will not regenerate unless the power fails to ensnare or the caster cancels the power.

The Character would then Roll their Focus stat and either Entangle Power Specialisation or a Source Power Such as Cryomancy (If you was using ice to ensnare the target!)

The Target would Roll their Agility Dice.

  • If the Power using Character rolls the highest then the Target is entangled and a level of Grapple is applied to the target.
  • If the Target rolls the highest or draws, then the Target avoids the Power.

As simple as that.

Of Course, these Dice Pools can be increased by way of Bonus Dice and opposition Hindrance Dice, by way of Perks, Momentum or using NRG.

At any time the hero/villain may opt to change the way the power works by spending more NRG to add Effects. Effects provide new rules to the Power. There are 16 Universal Effects and Powers also have their own Available Effects too.

Power Energy

In the GMD CORE RPG, all Powers are activated using Energy (NRG). Power regenerates at a rate of 1 per turn, but a large variety of powers do not regenerate immediately. There are three types:

  • Instant powers which are fire and forget powers such as energy blasts, regenerate immediately.
  • Active power stay activated until the caster decides to cancel the power or falls asleep or takes damage and fails a Focus Check. Once the power is deactivated then the NRG regenerates.
  • Permanent Powers Which are reserved for Super Settings are powers that are Permanently active. The NRG is Permanently removed from the character NRG reserve.

This is just one Power of over 80 detailed powers! As well as a host of universal enhancements that can help you shape the powers to reflect your favourite spells or superpowers from comic books.

Combat:

The GMD CORE RPG has an in-depth but fast-paced combat system.

The cinematic pace of the GMD CORE RPG Initiative system allows combatants to have the chance to take multiple actions in a turn on a lucky roll. This represents the scenes camera following a combatant as they charge through enemy lines striking at multiple foes as they go. Imagine scenes from a film as the hero rushes forward and the camera watches as the hero strikes again and again. Or the pages of a comic book where the hero takes multiple actions.

During each turn, combatants get to choose what actions they may perform in the way of HARD and SOFT actions. Combatants are left with plenty of choices to keep the combat exciting, tense, and dynamic.

The Dynamic style of the GMD CORE RPG combat system keeps the combatants moving about the battlefield. The use of our knockback and defence rules allows characters to move about the battlefield to outmanoeuvre the enemy.

Environment and Effects:

The GM has the option to use our Environmental rules to add even more excitement to the scene. Depending on where the scene takes place, rules have been developed to bring the environment to life and provide bonus and hindrance dice to participants.

The GMD CORE RPG uses effects that can be applied by way of Specialisations, Perks, Environment and Powers.

Also, our Environmental Surface and Cloud rules allow for some clever tactics with elements when certain elements are applied to each other. This brings a completely different dynamic to the game.

CORE RPG XP

XP in CORE RPG is called CDP Character Development Points, CDP can be used when a character is in a safe location such as a camp, Inn, Hotel, their home etc… Characters use the points to purchase upgrades to various parts of their character which they see fit. There are a lot of options and it is up to the Player how they develop their character. This allows them to grow organically with the story.

How you earn CDP is by completing the objectives the GM has created within scenes.

The GM section goes into detail how to set your scenes up and provided rules for 6 types of scenes. (More to follow in future productions). There are also rule for rewarding players for roleplaying their characters and what type of roleplaying would earn extra CDP. Characters are rewarded CDP throughout the game and get the opportunity to spend it while playing too.

The Games Master Section:

In the Games Masters section, there are rules that help new and experienced GM’s run the GMD CORE RPG.

Equipment List:

The GMD CORE RPG Equipment List is extensive and spans a variety of genres.

Bestiary:

With over 30+ Encounters, the GMD CORE RPG has a variety of opponents for all genres. Most encounters can be used in different genres by changing a specialisation or two.

Vehicles & Mounts:

We have included basic Vehicle and Mount rules, But have developed a whole new Guide Book that goes into more detail.

For a more comprehensive Guide to Vehicles & Mounts see our Vehicles & Mounts Guide Book in our Store.

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