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Early TTRPG Concepts & Development

Some TTRPG Concepts

Within the past two days I thought of a few concepts for a ttrpg. They are just base ideas that need some life. The first one I am going to call 9 Lives: A Narrative Dice RPG.

The core game uses a d20, the primary DC is an 11. In tense settings if you fail the DC you get a strike. On your third Strike you get a Wound, reset Strike counter. Three wounds and you are out. At the end of a session remove any Strike you may have but keep all Wounds.

Character creation should be short and to the point. You can choose three traits. A trait can decrease the DC of rolls that reflect the trait. I’ll need to think on example traits to give players a base idea on what they can come up with. I think it best for players to give their characters a trait they created over a long list of them provided by the game itself. They can work with the GM to build something unique.

The game is primarily narrative. The GM gives a player a scenario, if the player needs to roll they describe what they are going to do and roll. The player narrates what happened, be it success or failure. They describe the outcome based on the dice roll. The GM could offer some suggestions or limit what a player can do. Only if a player tries something too outlandish.

The game is more so an imagination engine. Allowing for a group to roll some dice and play in a theater of the mind. The game could even be GM-less. Allowing for players to dictate the narrative as a group. I am also thinking of solo rules for it. If that is something someone wants.

The second game I call: Mission Critical. Its first iteration is a bit lacking. Yet I will flesh it out over time. The base ideal is that each character, be it NPC or Player has 100 HP. You roll a d20 and automatically hit and deal damage equal to the d20 and the weapons damage (could be set number, or more dice)

The core loop is for a GM to set up encounters in a world that is created by them or something premade (I am thinking about creating my own). The encounters are to get intel, to survive or defeat a specific NPC.

The real catch is that the player characters are expendable. They can be caught or killed in action. There can be safe zones, or checkpoints. This allows for players to regroup, restock and heal up. Or other actions that can be created by a GM.

Before a character even goes on a mission they need to prep and load out. Buy gear, set up randevu points or other tactical actions that may be available for that mission. Once more it is up to the GM to give out some basic information on the mission and what players can expect. There could be NPCs that are allies to the players. Each with their own unique twits.

That is what I have so far. IF you want more information let me know. I am going to flesh out the game systems more. May create some lore for them at some point. I also try to run a few one shots with each system.

Early TTRPG Concepts

Over the past two days, I’ve been thinking through a few tabletop RPG concepts. These are still early, foundational ideas—more sparks than systems—but they feel worth nurturing. Below are two concepts in their current form, cleaned up for clarity and coherence while leaving the core ideas intact.

9 Lives: A Narrative Dice RPG

9 Lives is a narrative-focused tabletop RPG built around simplicity, tension, and imagination.

The core system uses a d20, with a primary Difficulty Class (DC) of 11. In tense or dangerous situations, failing a roll results in a Strike. When a character accumulates three Strikes, they suffer a Wound, and their Strike counter resets. A character can sustain up to three Wounds—upon gaining the third Wound, they are out of the game (dead, incapacitated, or otherwise removed from the story, depending on tone).

At the end of each session, all remaining Strikes are cleared, but Wounds persist. This keeps tension high during play while allowing longer-term consequences to matter across sessions.

Character Creation

Character creation is intentionally brief and focused. Each character chooses three Traits. A Trait represents something core to who the character is and can lower the DC of rolls that strongly align with that Trait.

Rather than relying on a long predefined list, players are encouraged to create their own Traits, working with the GM to ensure they are flavorful, fair, and meaningful. The game may include a handful of example Traits to give players a starting point, but creativity and customization are the goal.

Narrative Play

The game is primarily narrative-driven. The GM presents a scenario. When a roll is needed, the player describes what their character attempts, rolls the die, and then narrates the outcome, whether the result is a success or a failure.

The GM may offer guidance, constraints, or suggestions—particularly if a player’s narration stretches beyond the tone or logic of the scene—but in general, the player’s imagination leads the moment.

Style and Flexibility

At its heart, 9 Lives is an imagination engine. It is designed for theater-of-the-mind play, minimal rules overhead, and collaborative storytelling.

The system could function with:

A traditional GM
A GM-less group, where narrative authority is shared
Solo play, with optional rules for players who want a reflective or journaling-style experience

These modes are ideas I’m interested in exploring further.

Mission Critical

Mission Critical is a mission-based, high-risk tabletop RPG with a more tactical edge, though its first iteration is intentionally lean.

Every character—player or NPC—has 100 HP. Combat is fast and brutal:

Attacks automatically hit.
Damage is determined by rolling a d20, dealing damage equal to the roll.
Weapons add additional damage, either as a flat bonus or extra dice (this is still flexible).

Core Loop

The GM sets up missions within a setting of their choosing (original or premade). Each mission has a clear objective, such as:

Acquiring critical intel
Eliminating or capturing a specific NPC
Surviving an encounter or extraction

Expendable Characters

A defining feature of Mission Critical is that player characters are expendable. Characters may be injured, captured, or killed in action. Loss matters.

To balance this, the world contains safe zones or checkpoints. These locations allow players to:

Regroup
Heal
Restock gear
Recover or plan next steps

Additional downtime or support actions can be introduced by the GM as needed.

Preparation and Loadouts

Before embarking on a mission, characters must prepare:

Purchase or select gear
Establish rendezvous points
Plan tactical advantages
Leverage available allies or intel

The GM provides baseline mission information—enough for informed decisions, but not full certainty. NPC allies may assist players, each with their own strengths, flaws, and narrative twists.