TSRPG Basic Rules Challenges are also contextual (e.g.

, breathing can
TSRPG (Travel-Sized Role Playing Game) is an improv suddenly become a Challenge if a character is very sick
storytelling game played through a series of Challenges, or underwater).
and the consequences of these — whether good or bad
— determine the 昀氀ow of a shared narrative. In keeping How Challenges Work
with tradition, a storyteller serves as the narrator and To adjudicate a Challenge, the storyteller picks a random
adjudicator of outcomes, and one or more players number within a di昀케culty range and communicates it
assume the roles of protagonist characters in the story. to the players. The size of this range determines how
di昀케cult the Challenge is (e.g., 1-5 is very easy, 1-15
Player Characters is average, 1-30 is extremely hard). These may be
Characters are the players’ in-story representatives and easily described as a “5-point Challenge,” a “15-point
have individual names and concepts associated with Challenge,” etc.
them. Each has two stats, Physical and Mental, and in The player whose character is trying to overcome a
a typical game has 5 points to distribute between them. Challenge must attempt to guess the storyteller’s number
Physical, or “hard stuff,” is anything that uses the and, if they guess it +/- the stat associated with it, they
character’s body. succeed (e.g., a Physical stat of 2 would mean that
guessing anything from 3 to 7 with a target number of 5
Mental, or “soft stuff,” is anything that uses the would be a success). Otherwise, they fail.
character’s mind.
If the player can describe a way to use their equipment
Each character is also given at least one piece of to help them with the Challenge then they get a +1 bonus
equipment that can conditionally grant +1 to either stat to their stat.
if it narratively 昀椀ts the Challenge, or open new narrative
options (e.g., breathing underwater, 昀氀ying, seeing in the Other player characters can assist and grant a +1, and if
dark). Storytellers can also opt to allow characters to their own equipment is relevant they grant an additional
start with two or more items if they think their scenario +1. Consequences of failure in such cases, however,
is su昀케ciently challenging to warrant it. a昀昀ect all participating characters.

Equipment can be consumable (e.g., a potion) or Combat is resolved as a Challenge, or series of them
durable (e.g., a multitool, a cattle prod). Characters can in the case of powerful opponents. Defeating a Goblin,
also acquire additional equipment during adventures, for example, might be a single 10-point challenge, while
particularly in appropriate areas (e.g., a shovel might be defeating a Dragon might require three separate 30-point
found in a garden shed). challenges. Such Challenges might variously be to harm
an opponent or withstand the e昀昀ects of its attacks.

Challenges
Challenges are any situations players have to respond Success & Failure
to in which the outcomes are not guaranteed, and they If a character succeeds in a Challenge then they remain
are what stand between the characters and their goals. in the current scene, and either accomplish their goal or
move closer to it. If a character fails a Challenge they
Such obstacles are based on either a character’s Physical may be presented with another one or be taken out of
prowess or their Mental faculties. Things like breathing the scene (e.g., because they are dead or disabled).
or walking, for example, are generally not considered to
be a Challenge, while things like weightlifting, taking the If a character survives a scenario the storyteller may
SATs, or battling enemies generally are. opt to award them with a permanent or temporary stat
increase or a special piece of equipment.

Table: Challenge Di昀케culties by Character Experience

Novice/2-point Seasoned/5-point Heroic/8-point
Difficulty of Challenge (average stat 1 each) (average stat 2.5 each) (average stat 4 each)
Challenge Level Target Value Chance of Success Chance of Success Chance of Success
Easy 5 60% 120% 180%
Moderate 10 30% 60% 90%
Hard 15 20% 40% 60%
Very Hard 20 15% 30% 45%
Extremely Hard 30 10% 20% 30%
Nearly Impossible 100 3% 6% 9%