THE TENSION SYSTEM SRD

THE TENSION SYSTEM features mechanics for resolving challenges quickly and dramatically while continually ramping up the pressure on players throughout the game. Although setting-agnostic, the system is most appropriate for fast-paced, intense adventures like those in 80s action movies, spy thrillers, and stories where the clock is ticking, the stakes continually rise, and the heroes are under unrelenting stress while in constant danger. However, the system is adaptable enough to accommodate other settings, including science fiction, dark fantasy, horror, and more.

The core of the system requires player characters (PCs) to manage a pool of resilience points (RP) and stress points (SP). When presented with a threat or challenge,  the game master (GM) sets a challenge rating (CR) that determines the type of die (d4, d6, d8, etc.) to roll for the test. A PC must decide how much RP to spend before making a roll; this sets the TENSION Level (TL). The PC must roll equal to or under the TL to overcome the challenge. Otherwise, the test fails, and the PC accumulates SP, which raises their overall stress level. When the PC’s current SP exceeds their current RP, then they are exhausted and can potentially die. 

Character creation in TENSION is simple. Each player selects an archetype for their character from a list of available archetypes dictated by the game setting. Archetypes provide a quick means for building characters and assembling teams. This allows players to jump right into the action and create new PCs on the fly should their current character be knocked out of the game.

You may use THE TENSION SYSTEM to create your own games and settings. The system is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.