It's been a while. I have been doing a lot more reading than writing these days, and a LOT more of either than playing. One of the works I had the joy of reading was Meatheads, a charming elfgame where your only stat is Strength.

I like minimalism. It is the white whale that I will chase to the very ends of hypothetical seas of game design, all the while avoiding actually creating anything real. Reading Meatheads got me thinking about what can be done with a single-stat system that strays further from its WutC influence and the greater D&D milieu.

Another D6 Dice Pool

Roll 2d6 to determine your one and only Score (in this case, raw Strength):

2d6	Score	Title
2	2	Puny
3	2	Wiry
4	2	Weedy
5	2	Scrawny
6	2	Lanky
7	3	Toned
8	3	Athletic
9	3	Sculptural
10	4	Statuesque
11	4	Olympian
12	5	S.W.O.L.E.

Attempting a Feat

When you attempt something challenging, dice may be rolled.

The Challenge of your Feat determines your starting dice pool: the harder it is, the more dice you roll (from 2 to 6).

Roll your dice pool. If every die shows a number equal to or lower than your Score, it's a success. Otherwise, you might have to Push it...

Adds

Any situational advantage, or add, can give you extra dice without increasing your target.

E.g., you have one well-fed add and you attempt a feat of Challenge 3, so you roll 4d6, but only have to get three dice to roll under your Score.

Push

When you fail a check, you may push any failed dice.

For each die you push, mark a Wound on the corresponding slot of your Hit Track.

Hits and Wounds

You have six hit slots on your character sheet, numbered 1–6.

1	2	3	4	5	6
□	□	□	□	□	□

When you take damage, roll a number of d6s—the bigger the threat, the bigger the pool. Mark a wound in the corresponding slot for each die face.

If that slot is already wounded, move the wound down to the next empty slot.

E.g., if you push a 5, mark a wound on your 5 slot.

1	2	3	4	5	6
□	□	□	□	■	□

If there is no empty slot below it, you go Down.

Armor

Armor is piecemeal. Each piece protects a specific slot: a helmet might protect slot 6, a chestplate slot 5, a chainmail shirt slot 4, etc.

When armor protects a slot, that slot is only Wounded if two or more damage dice show its number.

E.g., you are hit in the face by a fireball and roll 4 dice of damage, getting 1–3–3–5. You are wearing plate on 5, a gambeson on 4, and greaves on 3, so you take a wound on 1 and 3, but not 5.

You can't Push a die whose face matches a piece of armor.

A Handful of Dice

Never roll more than 7d6 at a time.

If adds push you beyond that, subtract from the Challenge instead.

#rules