Unofficial Glyos Roleplaying Game

NOTE: This game assumes you have some experience with roleplaying games and offers a basic framework for your own ideas. If you’ve never played a traditional roleplaying game I suggest checking your local hobby stores for groups and help.

Introduction

Welcome to the Unofficial Glyos Roleplaying Game, my simple RPG design that lets you use the Onell Design action figures and toys to play quick roleplaying adventures on your tabletop. You can play the game without any toys, going for an old school “use your imagination!”-type RPG session, but if you’re anything like me then you’ll want to play on the table and give all of your toys a chance to get into some action.

To play the game you’re going to need (besides toys):

• These rules. Either just read them on your screen — a tablet works great at the table — or print a copy of the page so everyone has the rules. But don’t worry, these rules are easy enough that you likely won’t need to read the document after fifteen minutes of playing.
  
• Dice! Each player needs one six-sided die. You can find dice almost anywhere (raiding old board games is always popular), but if you want to buy dice then I’ll suggest a dice brick* since that gets you some neat dice at a low price.
  
• Pencil and paper. But not a lot of paper. Trust me, character creation is quick and simple and doesn’t require much in the way of time.
  
• A ruler. You’ll use this when moving and attacking. And trust me, you’re gonna want to move and attack.
  
• Tokens. Every player needs a handful of tokes during the game. Glass stones work great.

Once you have all of that — and a few friends — then you’re all set to get started. Choose one player to be the gamemaster and everyone else needs to create a character. Then you can play!

Character Creation

Glyos System characters are defined by their Classification and Statistics. Players may choose from the following when creating a character:

Classifications

Each character must select only one of the three classifications shown here. Gamemasters may, if they wish, expand the classification options to include the Armorvor, Armodoc, and any other being that resides in the Glyos System.

• Traveler – The character is one of a special race of beings with the natural ability to manipulate “Phase Tech,” one of the three statistics (see below). Known Travelers in the Glyos System include Pheyden, Sarvos, Exellis, and Govurom.
  
• Gendrone – Mechanical, soulless beings with a strong “Dimension Build” statistic (see below). Known Gendrones include the ubiquitous Buildman as well as Phaseons and Gobons. The “robots” of the Glyos System.
  
• Glyan – The Glyans are the everymen of the Glyos System, armor-encased humanoids found in every corner of the system and possessing no special statistics . . . but capable of mastering all three known statistics!
  

Statistics

Each character possesses all three of the following statistics. Travelers and Gendrones, though, cannot select “Black Core” as a primary statistic and may never advance their “Black Core” statistic higher than a rating of 2.

At character creation players may assign a total of seven points into any or all of the three statistics. Travelers gain a +1 bonus to “Phase Tech” and Gendrones gain a +1 bonus to “Dimension Build.” Glyans gain no bonus, but they are also not restricted when assigning points.

• Black Core – An energy source found on Issaris, “Black Core” was the main power source of the Delphi and is an unlimited power that can only be activated by a conscious mind.
  
• Phase Tech – A powerful form of energy that taps into other dimensions and grants the wielder the ability to teleport, jump through dimensions, and absorb and reflect energy blasts. Those especially skilled at “Phase Tech” can manipulate dimensional energies to create laser-like attacks.
  
• Dimension Build – An inner ability to change your own form and to combine with others with the “Dimension Build” ability. Gendrones use this to reconfigure their arms into weapons, their legs into grappling arms, and to merge into powerful and larger units.

Character Creation Example

Character creation in the Glyos Roleplaying Game is as simple as it looks. Grab a scrap of paper and write down your character’s name, select one classification, and then jot done your three statistics and the associated ratings. A couple of quick examples:

• Neist – Gendrone: Buildman, Black Core: 1, Phase Tech: 3, Dimension Build: 4.
  
• Decker – Glyan, Black Core: 2, Phase Tech: 2, Dimension Build 3.
  
• Sinister Sarvos – Traveler: Sarvos, Black Core: 1, Phase Tech: 5, Dimension Build: 2.

Once you’ve got your character created then you’re all set to play. Yes, character creation in the Glyos Roleplaying Game really is this simple.

Playing the Game

The gamemaster decides on and describes a scene and then the other players react and act, interacting with the scene by moving their characters around on the table. That’s the most basic description of what’s happening here, but if you’ve never played a traditional roleplaying game before you may want to find someone who has or try reading on the subject of running games. Feel free to ask for suggestions if you need help finding advice on running games.

Turns

The game runs in turns, with every player acting and then the next and then the next, and so on. The gamemaster always goes first and then other players act one at a time in clockwise order from the gamemaster. This sequence can be changed if the gamemaster determines that they players’ characters have “surprised” the gamemaster’s characters.

The turn sequence is purposefully left nice and easy. Fast is fun!

An RPS-Like System

Remember the three statistics — Black Core, Phase Tech, and Dimension Build — that we used when creating our characters? Well, those three statistics operate a bit like the old Rock-Paper-Scissors game but:

So someone defending with “Black Core” against a “Dimension Build” attack is in trouble; Build beats Core. But things aren’t that simple; remember, we also assigned numbers to these three statistics and the players have dice. So how do the ratings and dice interact with the RPS-like system? That’s easy:

One side declares an action (usually an attack) and the other side declares an opposing action (usually a defense). Each side also specifies which of the three statistics is being used and then rolls one six-sided die and adds the statistic’s rating. The superior statistic — following the RPS-system — gains a +5 bonus to the rating. The lesser statistic gains no bonus. High roll wins; tie goes to the superior statistic. If both sides are using the exact same statistic then neither gains a bonus and a tied numerical result is rerolled.

• EXAMPLE: One player declares an attack using “Phase Tech” against an Armorvor which defends using “Black Core.” The player’s character has a “Phase Tech” rating of 5 and the Armovor has a “Black Core” rating of 3. The “Black Core” is the superior statistic so the Armorvor also gains a +5 bonus. This means the player character will end with a result of 6 to 11 (5 plus the random result of 1d6) while the Armorvor will end with a result of 9 to 14 (8 plus the random result of 1d6). There’s a chance the player will come out ahead, even against a superior statistic.

What Happens After Winner/Loser is Determined?

So the dice are rolled and someone came out ahead . . . now what? The loser gains a number of tokens equal to the difference between the two results.

• EXAMPLE: Continuing the previous example, if the player had a 9 result and the Armorvor a 12 result then the player would take 3 tokens. 12-9=3.

What Do the Tokens Do?

The tokens restrict future options. The next time a character attempts to use any statistic the rating of the chosen statistic is reduced by the number of tokens the character has gained. Any statistic that is reduced to a rating of 0 or less cannot be used until the character can remove the tokens from his current status.

Any character — including the gamemaster’s characters — that has all statistics reduced to 0 or less by tokens is killed and removed from the game.

Moving on the Table

You can always use terrain and scenery if you like — action figure playsets work great! — or just draw some stuff on paper. But no matter what you do when it’s time to move around grab your ruler and get to it! All characters created using this system (standard-sized Glyos System action figures) can move up to four inches in any direction once per turn.

A character may also take one token to activate a statistic and use that for movement, adding the chosen statistic’s rating to four for the total number of inches moved. By taking two tokens the character applies double the rating to four. A character may not take more than two tokens in one turn to amplify movement.

Recover

So what do you do about those pesky tokens? Well, a character may choose to “recover” on his turn, taking no other action (not even movement). To recover the player rolls one die and must roll equal to or higher than the number of tokens he has collected. If he succeeds then two tokens are removed, but if he fails he gains one more token. You want to recover early and often.

A character may also attempt to assist another character to recover. The two must be within six inches of each other on the table and both must roll one die and then add the results. If they are unsuccessful then both gain one token, but if they succeed then one of the two (designated before rolling) loses all gained tokens.

A Basic Game

As you can see, this Unofficial Glyos Roleplaying Game is more of a framework and starting point for adventure than it is an involved and complete game system. Gamemasters and players are encouraged to adapt and modify what is here to best suit their own needs; I suspect some of you will want to create special movement ratings for the various vinyl toys and maybe even construct your own roster of gamemaster characters and fodder.

Everything here is presented as suggestions and nothing is set in stone. As with the Glyos System toys themselves the game system offered is adaptable, customizable, and just waiting for your imagination to take charge and run with it.

Good luck, and be sure to have fun!