TiGGR

Tiny Game for Generalized Roleplaying

Components: 2d6, pencil and paper, LLM optional but encouraged.
Players: 2-5 (1 GM, 1-4 players).
Playtime: 30-45 minutes.

INTRODUCTION

TiGGR is a fast, flexible roleplaying game for exploring the stories you already love. Pick a cultural touchstone—a movie, band, book, or moment that resonates with your group—then dive into the gaps and margins where new tales live. Build characters, set a goal, and collaborate on fresh stories inspired by familiar worlds. It's all about quick setup, wild imagination, and zero fuss.

GETTING STARTED

Pick your cultural touchstone (a movie, band, book you all know). Together, spend a few minutes on:
Scene: Where and when are you?
Goal: What does winning look like?
Factions: Who's causing problems?

YOUR CHARACTER

Stats: Spread 3 points across Body (physical), Mind (mental), Charm (social)
Role: What's your thing? (Pilot, Fixer, Muscle, Face—whatever fits the story)
Special Ability: +1 to rolls in specific situations, once per scene ("Smooth Talker: +1 Charm when lying")
Signature Gear: One standout item, +3 to any roll, once per scenario.
HP: Start with 5. Hit zero? You're knocked out or flustered until the next scene—describe how.

VEHICLES

For stories with big gear—mechs, cars, magical assistants—add a vehicle:
Stats: Use the same 3 stats as players (Body, Mind, Charm), assign 3 points.
HP: Vehicles get 10 HP. Non-heavy weapons deal 0 damage unless paired with a +3 Gear bonus, which allows 1d6 damage.
Attacks: 2d6 + Body vs. 8. No defense rolls.
Damage: Can inflict 2d6 damage to vehicles and characters.
Special Ability: A signature feature (e.g., "Cannon: +1 damage," "Chrome spoilers and fins: +1 to Charm rolls"), can be used once per scene.

CORE RULES

Core Mechanic: Roll 2d6 + Stat vs. Difficulty (Risky: 6, Dramatic: 8, Climactic: 10).
Success: You nail it (hit a foe, charm a lord, hack a drone).
Failure: GM throws a wrench (you miss, the lord snubs you, the drone zaps).
Special Abilities: 1 use per scene. Boosts a stat roll or triggers a cool effect.
Signature Gear: +3 to a roll (usually once per scenario).
Roleplay: Narrate your action. If it’s not risky, you just do it—no roll.

CONFRONTATIONS

When characters clash—fighting, chasing, debating, or facing off—here's how it works:
Attack: Roll 2d6 + Body vs. 8 to hit with physical force, or 2d6 + Mind/Charm for mental/social attacks.
Defend: If an NPC attacks a player character, they get a defense roll — 2d6 + appropriate stat vs. 8. If they fail, they take damage.
Damage: If hit, take 1d6 damage (plus any bonuses from Special Abilities or Gear).
Zero HP: You're knocked out, stunned, or overwhelmed—describe how. Between scenes, all characters return to full HP. TiGGR isn't about attrition — it's about momentum.
NPCs: Goons and minions have 1-3 HP and can't defend. Roll 2d6 vs. 8 to hit, players can defend. 1-2 damage if the attack succeeds (roll 1d6, divide by 3 and round up–or flip a coin, no big deal).
Turn Order: Players act first, then GM runs NPCs. Keep it moving—if someone has a cool idea, let them jump in.
Beyond Fighting: Confrontations aren't just combat. Heated negotiations, hacking duels, and high-speed chases all use the same rules—just pick the appropriate stat.
Tip: You’ll need +3 gear—or another vehicle—to hurt big machines. Plan accordingly!

GAMEPLAY LOOP

A scene is a single encounter or moment; a scenario is a complete story, typically three scenes. Pick your touchstone, create characters (and vehicles if needed), set the goal.
Turns: Each player acts—move, fight, talk, or try something risky. GM responds with consequences and complications.
Resolution: Success means achieving your goal. Everyone at 0 HP? Total Party Knockout—but that's just another story to tell.

PROGRESSION: NO CAP, ALL VIBES

TiGGR characters grow through stories, not grinding. Here's how:Carry Them Forward: Bring characters to new scenarios. That Kraftwerk cyclist? Now they're repo agents in Neo-Tokyo.

Tweak One Stat: After a scenario, shift 1 point between stats if the story supports it. Outsmarted the villain all night? Move a point to Mind.
Evolve Your Special: Redefine your ability based on what happened. "+1 Charm when performing" became hacking? Now it's "+1 Mind when jacking tech."
Just Talk It Out: No dice, no charts—discuss what changed after each session. Keep it tied to the story, not the rulebook.

Example:
Start: Repo Agent (Body 1, Mind 1, Charm 1, Special: +1 Mind when tracking targets).
After: Spent all night smooth-talking informants and dodging thugs. Group agrees: shift 1 point from Mind to Charm. Special becomes "+1 Charm when working contacts."
Stuck? Just recap the coolest moment—growth flows from there.

GM TIPS

Keep it moving: Default to Difficulty 8 when unsure.
Roll only for risk: If it's not dramatic, just let it happen.
Scale the stakes: More enemies or higher difficulty for bigger scenes.Vehicles crack under pressure: Let players rely on them until they don't.
Fail forward, gently: A failed roll never stops the story — it bends the shape of success and usually makes things funnier and tighter.
Ask Yourselves: "What would happen in a cartoon?"
Stuck? Ask an LLM: "What's Kraftwerk's worst gig?" "Why is the barn cursed?" Grab the weirdest answer and run.

BUILD YOUR OWN SCENARIOS

TiGGR thrives on fast, fresh stories—here's how to craft your own:

Pick Your Touchstone: Start with something you love—a movie, book, band, historical moment. What story do you want to explore in the margins?
Set the Scene: One vivid location and timeframe. Space freighter, rural barn raising, neon-lit dive bar. Make it specific, not sprawling.
Define the Goal: What does success look like? Raise the barn, escape the cops, finish the gig, solve the mystery.
Create Factions: 2-3 groups with conflicting interests. Give each simple stats (Body/Mind/Charm), 3-5 HP, and one signature ability.

Plan Three Scenes:
- Scene 1: Setup - introduce the situation and complications
- Scene 2: Escalation - things go sideways, stakes rise
- Scene 3: Climax - final push to achieve the goal

Add Hooks: For each scene, prepare 2-3 complications to deploy—"storm clouds gathering (Body 8 to work faster)" or "rival crew arrives (Charm 8 to negotiate)."

Optional Gear/Vehicle: If the genre needs it, add signature items (+3 once per scenario) or vehicles (10 HP, one special ability).

Don't overthink it. Start with "What if [beloved story] but [new twist]?" Let the players fill in the details through play.

Example Scenario

Touchstone: Classic noir films - shadowy figures, rain-slicked streets, double-crosses
Scene: Grimy spaceport bar, neon signs flickering through dirty windows, ship departing in two hours
Goal: Find the snitch before the transport leaves

Factions:
Dock Thugs (Body 2, Mind 0, Charm 1, 3 HP, Brass Knuckles: +1 damage)
Shifty Locals (Body 0, Mind 1, Charm 2, 3 HP, False Tips: +1 Charm when lying)

Three Scenes:
- Scene 1: Arrival - Question the regulars, scope the room
- Scene 2: Complications - Thugs get suspicious, time pressure mounts
- Scene 3: Revelation - Final confrontation before ship departure

Hooks:
Jukebox plays coded message (Mind 8 to decode)
Thug starts following you (Body 8 to lose them)
Barkeep offers suspicious help (Charm 8 to read their intentions)
Ship departure announcement echoes (raises tension)

Gear: Smoky Shades (+3 Mind roll once per scenario)
Vehicle: Beat-Up Hover Car (Body 2, Mind 1, Charm 0, 10 HP, Emergency Boost: +1 Body when escaping)

QUICK REFERENCE

Difficulties & Examples:
Risky 6: Pick a lock, sweet-talk a guard, remember a name
Dramatic 8: Hack security, leap between buildings, bluff the boss
Climactic 10: Defuse the bomb, outsmart the mastermind, save everyone

Stats in Action:
Body: Fight, climb, drive, break down doors, endure pain, chase
Mind: Hack, investigate, recall facts, solve puzzles, notice details
Charm: Lie, inspire, seduce, negotiate, read people, perform

Sample Special Abilities by Genre:
Cyberpunk: +1 Mind when hacking, +1 Charm when dealing with corps
Fantasy: +1 Mind when using magic, +1 Mind when studying lore
Noir: +1 Charm when bluffing, +1 Mind when investigating
Space Opera: +1 Body when piloting, +1 Charm when dealing with aliens
Heist: +1 Mind when planning, +1 Charm when creating distractions
Horror: +1 Body when fighting monsters, +1 Mind when staying calm
Western: +1 Body when riding, +1 Charm when intimidating
Spy Thriller: +1 Mind when gathering intel, +1 Charm when going undercover

Quick Reminders:
Core Mechanic: Roll 2d6 + Stat vs. Difficulty
Special Abilities: once per scene
Signature Gear: +3 once per scenario
0 HP: knocked out until next scene
NPCs: 1-3 HP, can't defend
Vehicles: 10 HP, characters need +3 gear to damage

CREDITS & LICENSING

Created by The Grey Ledger Society with the CGCG Helix, a Coterie of Digital Daemons

Inspiration: Every cultural touchstone that sparked a scenario, every table that played these stories, every parent who wanted to share imagination with their kids.

Special Thanks: The communities that keep these stories alive—punk historians, film nerds, electronic music obsessives, and anyone who believes folktales belong to everyone.

License: TiGGR is released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. Use it, hack it, share it. Make your own scenarios, publish them, sell them. Just credit the original and keep the same spirit of openness.

For More Information: Please visit www.greyledger.org and hotelkilo.itch.io