About the Core2D6 Roleplaying Game: “Swords & Swagger”

The fantasy version of the Core2D6 RPG  “Swords & Swagger” is currently (March 2025) in the editing & proofreading stage of its fifth major draft (Version 0.5 or ZeroPointFive) following extensive playtesting. Version 0.5 – the Essentials Rulebook Playtesting version + the 0.5 Character Creation Book – are being edited and prepared for release at the end of March 2025.

The 0.5 release should include everything needed to play and run a game of Swords & Swagger, including pre-gen characters and a couple of scenarios for Pick up & Play games, as well as all the rules (including character creation) needed to run a game or write your own scenarios – however, scenarios may now (March 2025) not start getting released until End April 2025 as editing has taken longer than hoped for.

Design Goals

• A clear and simple set of rules that rewards player creativity within a solid structure, using 2 six sided dice (2D6) as the only roll. It is (very) beginner friendly but should also appeal to experienced gamers.
• Player’s imaginations take priority over rules. This is built into the game mechanics with Luck and Fate points.
• Encourages player creativity within the basic rules & limits. Bending the rules if it fits the narrative matters more than sticking exactly to the rules.
• Involve player contribution and input to the world building and scenarios, making player led adventures and campaigns as their character’s quests and stories become the focus.
• Empower players to create exactly the character they want to play right from the start. Also give players final say over if/when their character dies.
• By reducing rules checking, minimise friction between the mechanics & immersion in the game.
• Allow mixed level play. Low level characters and high level characters should be able to play side by side and complement each other. This will also create a wider range of narrative possibilities (For example, Where would Frodo have been without Gandalf? Or vice versa?)
• Reward player collaboration with co-operation bonuses via skill checks
• A rapid combat system that isn’t slowed down by multiple dice rolls. Every time dice are rolled, something happens.
• Be a genre flexible system.
• Be suitable for 3-4 hour Pick up and Play one shot games with pre-generated characters or campaign/multi-session style play
• No Game Master (GM) manual needed: Everyone should be able to run a game of Core2D6 without referring to an extra massive tome of rules. The Essentials Rules Booklet + a scenario (and some friends to play with) should be all anyone needs to run a game of Core2D6.

An example:

Probably the mechanic that I’m happiest with is that one roll in combat (made by the players) determines both who won that turn AND how much damage the losing side takes. It’s quick, clean and means you aren’t wasting time rolling for initiative, then to see if you hit, then for damage if you did, then your enemies roll to see if they hit, then for damage if they did etc etc. One dice roll covers all of that, with the players activating special moves and powers and teaming up (and using maybe a bit of luck) to stack things in their favour before the roll.

Moving Forwards

I intend to release one scenario/module every month as PDFs and A5 booklets, although at my current pace it is more likely to be once every two months.

(End March 2025) You may be able to support my efforts via Patreon on a per release basis – I’m still working that side out tbh. As well as a login to this site, patreon supporters receive advance access to new scenarios and the warm fuzzy feeling of helping an over the hill indie game designer keep working on this. Note there is a free option on the Patreon page, so joining is entirely free. The support is (very much) appreciated, but optional.

The Core2D6 system has been mainly inspired & influenced by:

Tunnels and Trolls, Risus, The Index Card RPG, Mothership, Powered by the Apocalypse games, Fate, Labyrinth the Adventure Game, Grant Howitt’s one page games, GMless games and (of course) Dungeons and Dragons. But honestly? Mostly by Tunnels and Trolls (Hey, it was the first RPG I ever played at the age of 7…)

I’m also working on adding a collaborative worldbuilding aspect (recap of a session of that here:world building session recap)along with modules that go beyond the standard fantasy set up. Core2D6 is adaptable to different genres, but in designing it I began with the fantasy genre as that is the most common RPG setting.

Huge Thanks to

The following good folks for playing gametests:

Core2D6 v 0.3 to 0.4 Adam, Dion, Oliver, Angela, Jay
Core2D6 v 0.2 Dion, Zsanna, Rich, James
Core2D6 v 0.1 (Boardgame version aka “9 Card Dungeon”) Dion, Steve

Also special thanks (always)to  Steve (StevenJGuscott, website here) for all his support and generally being amazing (plus for putting up with my shenanigans as an incompetent Teifling Paladin. I still say getting kids to carry molotov cocktails into battle was a sound strategy…)