5 Dice of Fate 

A story and interaction-based dice game for 2 to 6 players.

5 Dice of Fate is a collaborative game in which players use dice to create their characters and work together to navigate a shared story filled with challenges.

The game is designed as a story—and interaction-based game for 2 to 6 players. One person acts as the Master of Fate (MoF). They are in charge of the story and play all the Non-Player Characters (NPCs).

Let’s jump straight into what you need.

What you need:

• One person to be the Master of Fate (MoF). This is the person in charge of the plot and plays all the NPCs. (Non-Player Characters)

• 1 to 5 players to play as the Characters

• Five six-sided dice (D6) (a set for each person is ideal, but not necessary)

• Something to keep track of things with. Paper and pencil, notes on an electronic device, or our awesome merch, like our Fated Adventure books (coming soon).

A word about playing

Above all else, this game exists so you and your party can have a great time making memories and building relationships. I firmly believe that our best memories are those made together. That being said, this game is about what happens between the characters. The rolls are built to add the sense of uncertainty and chance that makes games fun. Be your character and let yourself have fun with it.

Discussion is encouraged: Players are encouraged to explain creatively how their attributes apply to actions. However, the Master of Fate’s decision on dice is always final after one rebuttal. Enjoy these conversations—they’re an essential and fun part of the game!

Why is it called 5 Dice of Fate? 

(Adding Dice to the Dice Pool)

When attempting any action, clearly explain to the Master of Fate (MoF) how your character’s attributes (Nature, Skill, Gift, Allies, and Specializations) logically support your intended action. Each attribute or specialization that clearly applies can add +1 die to your dice pool, up to a maximum of five dice (5D6).

Example: If you’re trying to persuade a guard to give you keys to escape, you might argue for dice additions this way:

• You automatically get +1 die for trying.

• Nature: Shady (+1 die)

• Nature Specialization: Deception (+1 die)

• Skill: To Control (+1 die)

• Skill Specialization: Fast Talk (+1 die)

• Gift: Mental - Telepathy (+1 die)

You suggest five dice, but the MoF has the final say. If the MoF decides that "Deception" does not clearly apply here, you roll only four dice instead of five.

Remember, discussion and friendly negotiation are part of the game’s fun—embrace it!

Creating your Character:

Creating a character should be quick and easy. There are two options to choose from: players pick one option from each list or roll each. How it’s decided is initially up to the Master of Fate. For story or ease of flow, they can choose the style or have everyone vote on the way. The majority wins. In case of a tie or indecision, MoF rolls a die, and if it lands on even, everyone rolls, and odds they choose their fate.

Remember, each attribute or specialization clearly linked to your intended action can grant an additional die, up to five total dice.

Choice or Roll:

Choice: Choose one of each type. You must choose in less than 2 minutes or go to the end of the line. If players take more than 3 minutes, pull out a timer. Let them know this phase is just the start of making a character, and most of the character work comes from playing.

Roll: roll for each of the five categories. There can be more than one of each, as fate dictates. 

Next, everyone rolls a six-sided die. The player with the lowest number creates their character first. Then, counter-clockwise around the room. Don’t worry, we’ll explain this in detail a little later.

Nature

This is who your character is on the inside. We break Nature down into its base elements of Chaotic, Shady, Neutral, Good, and Heroic. We don’t normally use Evil, since it deals with being a level of self-interest that promotes destruction or destructive behavior toward others for self-gain. If you choose to use Evil, just replace “Player to your left chooses for you.”

Chaotic: Which means you can never really tell what they would do. It’s not Evil or Heroic, just unpredictable. That unpredictability means their actions might be beneficial or destructive to them or others and doesn’t follow any codes or laws but their own.

Shady: Your character is more interested in what is good for them than others. They don’t harm others if they don’t have to. Harming others can draw unwanted attention and make your life more difficult, but you do need to break a couple of eggs to make an omelet..

Neutral: Good and evil don’t really have meaning. All that matters is your code. Working with the law or criminals doesn’t really matter, they don’t like to take sides and do what seems to be the best thing in the moment. 

Good: Your not willing to let others be harmed for your benefit. You follow most laws and are willing to fight against those that harm others for their own gain.

Heroic: Law does not make something good. You will defend those that cannot defend themselves from whatever and whoever is trying to hurt them every time.

Skill:

The first choice in Skill is a foundation for the Specialization choice you make. It is based on these six skill foundations.

 To Hurt: at its core, is the physical ability to cause damage to someone or something. This can be through the use of weapons or the character’s physical prowess.

To Heal: is the intention of healing the physical damage of a living being. That healing can be done with medicine, magic, or other means agreed upon by the MoF.

To Control: the essence of control is to use your ability to manipulate the environment or those it to you will or want. Controlling is neither inherently good nor bad. This manifests in ways such as magic, charisma, psionics, and hacking in a digital world.

To Repair: deals with fixing non-living objects and their physical, or physical to them, damage. It can also deal with invention and creation when dealing with non-living objects.

To Drive: means to control a vehicle or living being as a mode of transportation. That transportation can range from riding a horse or driving a car to flying a spaceship.

To Take: deals with acquiring non-living objects in a non-consensual manner. This presents itself as burglary, extortion, piracy, fraud, shoplifting, and mugging.

Skill Specialization

Once you have a Skill Foundation, you discuss a one-word modifier, or specialization, with the MoF that defines how your skill interacts with the world. The goal is to clearly justify how your Specialization logically relates to your intended action, earning you an additional die for your dice pool (up to 5 dice total).

For example, if you roll To Take, you could say you're a Cat Burglar. This would give you additional dice whenever you are rolling to do something a cat burglar would generally be able to do. Let’s say you’re running away from an assailant, and you go to rush up a fire escape. You would get two additional dice to add to your Fate. One for To Take and one for Cat Burglar because second-story heists are what you do.

As a second example, if you are in a medieval fantasy world and roll To Drive, you could use “Drayman”, historically the term for the driver of a low, flat-bed wagon without sides. It was generally pulled by horses or mules and used to transport all kinds of goods. They were medieval truck drivers. This means that every time the character drives a wagon or wagon-like vehicle, they would get an additional dice to add to their Fate.

Gift:

Gift represents the thing that makes your character special, like a superpower. The key to this section is twofold. So the character isn’t overpowered, you don’t say something like “Superhuman” and expect to have all the abilities of a godlike character and the approval of the MoF. This is meant to be a short discussion between you and the MoF to help set you up for a good time playing through the story.

Physical: is based on your physiology. It is grounded in your physical body. With specializations like you’re either strong, you heal quickly, or maybe your skin is super tough.

Energy: this gift bestows the character power from either the environment or within themselves. It manifests in the form of Magic or one-off abilities similar to Optic Blasts, Teleportation, and Psionics.

Spiritual: the difference between Spiritual and Energy is where the power comes from. For Spiritual, it comes directly from an advanced being and usually, because you are in service to or are devoted to them. Specializations could be paladins, priests, vampire killers, and spiritual healers.

Technology: the character has an innate understanding of and can use technology relevant to the environment they came from. This can be anything from mechanics, inventors, hackers, alchemists, and engine room crew chiefs.

Mental: your power comes directly from your mind. Powers include things like extrasensory perception, telepathy, pyromancy, and psychokinesis.

Gift Specialization

Like the other traits of your character, you choose a one-word specialization that deeper describes how your character interacts with that Gift. We’ve outlined some of those in the above examples. Like Spiritual with a specialization in vampire killing. This could possibly give the character an extra die when understanding Vampire lore, improvised vampire weapons, and tracking undead.

Resources:

This represents the character's income and wealth. It’s used in the story to determine what characters can and can’t purchase. We don’t really track characters spending money. If someone that is middle class could afford to buy it, let it happen. If it’s intricate to the story, make it hard to buy or a quest reward. I use a simple equation for money personally. $1 USD equals 1 Copper coin, 100 Copper equals 1 Silver, 100 Silver is 1 Gold, and 100 Gold is 1 platinum.

Destitute: The character spends the equivalent of $2 USD per day or less. This could equate to 2 coppers as well. This means the character makes only about $700 USD or 7 Silver a year.

Poor: The character makes about the equivalent of $12,500 to about $45,000 USD, 12 to 45 Gold a year. 

Middle Class: The character makes about the equivalent of $45,000 and up to $150,000 USD, 45 to 150 Gold a year.

Upper Class: $150,000 and up to $350,000 USD, 150 to 350 Gold a year.

Rich: Over $350,000 USD or 350 Gold per year. 

Resource Specialization

How do you have that level of wealth? Did you inherit it? Are you a specialist or a merchant? Use a word to describe how you make your money.

Allies:

Allies are your character’s closest friends and confidants. We use this mechanic to understand how you know or acquire things in the game.

Government official: This ally is connected to the governing body of where your character came from. They could be anything from a Mayor or Senator to a Sanitation Worker.

Savvy Merchant: These allies could be great resources as they move goods and information.

Underworld Lieutenant: These allies are more than your average street thugs. They know things and can get you black-market items. They are not crime lords or bosses, but they know them. Caporegimes and Midlevel Hackers are some of the specializations.

Snitch: This ally knows almost everything going on and is willing to tell you about it. They sell or barter information for fear or money.

Advanced Being: Is an alien, angel, demon, or god helping your character? These allies use their powers, technology, or advanced knowledge to guide the character usually to the advanced being’s wants and motivations.

Ally Specialization

This is a great storytelling opportunity. Just like before choose a one word modifier to explain who youre ally is.

What if I get stuck and can’t decide a Specialization?

Just ask the person next to you or call for ideas from the group. Don’t let this slow you down, the fun happens as you play.

Remember, each attribute or specialization clearly linked to your intended action can grant an additional die, up to five total dice.

What’s Next?

The game also includes mechanics for Weapons and Armor, Magical/Advanced Technological Items, and Magic/Psionics/Advanced Technology, which add dice to players' attack and damage rolls or grant them additional abilities and powers.

Quick Reference - Building Dice Pools

Clearly justify how your character’s attributes or specializations (Nature, Skill, Gift, Allies) logically support your action to add dice to your roll:

• 1 Die: Always for attempting.

• +1 Die per applicable attribute: Nature, Skill, Gift, Allies, etc.

• +1 Die per applicable Specialization

• Maximum of 5 dice per action.

• MoF has final approval after one rebuttal.

Gear

Everyone starts with the essential general attire for their skill. For example, "To Hurt" would give you a weapon to cause pain. Getting a sword or gun is based on the world and the time period of the story the MoF is telling. Additional gear is done in-game based on your resources.

Weapons and Armor

Weapons and Armor add dice to your attack and damage rolls. 

Melee: Melee weapons are anything you hold in your hands to cause damage, everything from daggers and swords to clubs and fire extinguishers. They come in two kinds, One-Handed and Two-Handed. Two-Handed weapons give you two additional dice for damage. You can use a two-handed weapon in one hand, but you only get a One-Handed bonus.

• One-Handed - +1D6 

• Two-Handed - +2D6

Ranged: Ranged weapons are things that move from a character to their target and include blow guns, pistols, laser rifles, and high-heeled shoes from your Aunt Rita. They also come in two kinds: Light, which is considered a One-Handed weapon, and Heavy, which is a Two-Handed weapon. Unlike Melee weapons, you cannot use a Heavy weapon with just one hand.

• Light - One-Handed - +1D6 

• Heavy - Two-Handed - +2D6

Armor: Armor is something that protects you from damage. Depending on the level of the armor, it automatically stops that many points of damage.

• Light Armor stops 2 points of damage

• Medium Armor stops 4 points of damage

• Heavy Armor stops 6 points of damage

Magical/Advanced Technological Items

Magical or Advanced Technological Items grant you additional dice, depending on what they do. For example, a Frost Amulet L1 either gives the user the ability to cast Frost at Level 1 or adds 1 level to the spellcaster's spell level. A level 2 neural link interface adds a +2d6 at any time you connect it to acceptable technology. You cannot have more than one modifier to spell, weapon, or ability. Always use the better modifier.

Frost Bite Bob has a level 2 frost spell and gets a level 1 Frost Amulet. He can now cast Frost with an additional 3D6.

Magical Item Modifiers:

• Level 1 - +1D6

• Level 2 - +2D6

• Level 3 - +3D6

• Level 4 - +4D6

• Level 5 - +5D6

Magic/Psionics/Advanced Technology

What game would be complete without special powers? We handle these simply. You can have up to 5 levels worth of Special Gear. In the story, you can change loads (gear and abilities) as long as the MoF deems it workable in the story. For example, you’re preparing to sneak into a fortress and want to change out your gear and spells. The Mof says, “Sure, but it’s going to take a few hours to do that. You might miss your guard window.” You agree to take the risk and switch out the gear. Remember, everything is story-centric, and you need to be able to justify what and why based on your character, the situation, and the story.

Some actions need concentration, which means you cannot take another action while concentrating. If you take damage while concentrating, roll a D6, and if you succeed, you keep concentration.

For example, Frost Bite Bob (a level 3 wizard) wants to have a Level 3 Frost spell (which causes things to freeze, it can hurt or create ice things). They also want to have a level 1 sword and level 1 armor. 3+1+1=5 As long as the MoF agrees, it’s a win.

You cannot use items above your level. For example, if Frost Bite Bob was a Level 2, he couldn’t use a Level 3 spell.

Example List of Spells:

• Frost - causes things to freeze; it can hurt or create ice things

• Fire - causes things to burn; it can hurt or create flame things (keep in mind Fire spreads and can’t sustain a form itself without concentration.)

• Splash - causes water to appear; it can hurt or create liquid things (keep in mind water can’t sustain a form itself without concentration.)

• Fix - repairs simple objects to their like new condition

On Your Turn:

You have five possible actions you can do on your turn. You can do two of them on your turn. Any two, even the same one twice. In most instances, you should never need more than two minutes to declare your actions. If you use more than two minutes, the MoF has the right to declare your turn forfeit. If that happens, you can still use your turn to help someone.

Possible Actions

1. Look Around

2. Talk to someone

3. Move (Up to 1D6 spaces in combat)

4. Fight

5. Use

When to Roll Your Fate:

There are only four times a player rolls. We call this Rolling Your Fate.

1. You'll need to roll whenever you try something risky, heroic, cool, or important to the story. The roll is based on your character's abilities, resources, and teamwork. You'll always start with a D6. Each success boosts the outcome, and each flub hinders it. You add D6 based on your character's abilities, resources, and teamwork up to 5D6.

2. Whenever they are searching/looking for/deciphering more information, then the MoF freely gives. For example, Alex enters a room, and the MoF tells them that a mutant is dead on the floor in front of them. Alex asks whether they can see what killed it. The MoF says to roll for it. They roll a D6 plus additional D6s based on any gear, skills, help, or resources the MoF agrees they have available. As always, you cannot roll more than five dice.

3. Roll for First Blow. At the start of combat the MoF will have all players and a general roll for the Rogues and Baddies to see who goes first. Everyone rolls 2D6. The player who rolls highest goes first and play moves clockwise. This order remains until the fight is over.

4. If Fate requires it. (Basically, anytime the Master of Fate says to.)

Rolling the Dice

When you are required to roll the dice, how well you do is based on the number of successes you roll.

• 1 is a Flub (Explain)

• 2 or 3 is a Miss

• 4 or 5 is a success

• 6 is a super success and cancels a flub too. Roll all the dice with a super success and have a legendary moment! Where the player describes the event and gets a free "3 successes" on their next rolled event.

Levels of Success

• 1 success - Barely made it, and a real consequence happens

• 2 successes - Just got it, but a minor consequence happens to you

• 3 successes - Got it

• 4 successes - Nailed it, and a minor consequence for the bad guys

• 5 successes - Kicked it hero style, and the bad guys have a real consequence

Consequences

“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction” - Newton's third law of motion

Consequences are the spice of engaging stories and add instant tension. They make our games dynamic and always interesting. They should never take away from the experience though, only add new dimension to characters and plots.

They should always have the same weight as the number of flubs and what the character was trying to accomplish. For example, If Chuck is trying to sneak past a dragon and rolls a flub but succeeds, the dragon shouldn’t “see” Chuck. It could become alerted to something being wrong but not outright attack the character. That being said, it should also make the next check harder.

On the flip side, if Ray tries to disarm a very deadly trap and flubs three times without succeeding, it warrants a huge consequence such as having their arm dissolve from an acid spray.

Consequences are for NPCs (Non-Player Characters) as well. They make great moments for the players to rally and band together.

Teamwork

Any player can forfeit their next turn at any time to help you, but they can only forfeit once per turn per action. They roll a die and add that success or flub to your roll. 

For example, Carlos is trying to move a Boulder without alerting the creature. He rolls 3D6 and gets two successes. Kris forfeits her turn to roll 1D6 to add to his success rate. She rolls a 5, bringing them to 4 successes. Bob also forfeits his turn to help, adding another D6 for a total of 5D6. No one else can help with this action. Bob rolls a 1, a flub. The total successes go down to 3, and the team earns a "Got it" success.

Damage

Each player has a D6 of health and a D6 of Armor/Natural Resistance. (Roll the base armor starting value at the start of the game.) Reroll 1

All damage is 1d6 damage unless you're the To Hurt character. They have an additional 1D6. 

Damage is roll - armor.

Healing

Non Healing characters start with four 1d6 healing salves. Healing characters heal with an additional 1D6 to all healing potions, salves, and spells.

Death

When a character goes to 0 life points, they fall. On your next turn, roll two dice if no one has healed you yet. If you roll a 6, you go back up to 1 life point. If you roll a 2, 3, or 4, nothing happens on your turn. This continues on you your turn until either you are healed, combat ends, or if you roll two 1’s… If you roll two 1’s, your character dies.

Master of Fate (MoF)

Your job is simple on paper and hectic to accomplish. You will guide the characters through the story. You're their eyes, ears, and dealer of fate. 

The 5 Dice of Fate can be set in any world at any time.

Horror Western? An Epic Space Opera set underwater? It all fits. It fits because we're not going to bog things down with too many rules. The idea is to have fun together going through the story. 

The successful completion of a story will depend on two factors. Did the players solve the central mystery or puzzle, and did they play together as characters?

Rogues and Baddies

There are three types of bad guys. Minions, mini-Bosses, and Big Bosses.

Minions never have armor and can never be in a group bigger than 1D6, plus the number of players. Odds against the players winning should never be insurmountable, challenging to the point of death but obtainable. Minions always use 1d6 and no more.

Mini-Bosses have armor equal to the number of player levels combined. They can have a weapon, and their life is the number of players plus 1D6. 

Bosses are not easy. They have armor equal to the number of player levels combined plus 1d6 and attack with 1D6 twice per round. This means the group must find a special way to defeat them to even the odds. They have D6 equal to the number of players for life points.

Each Chapter or game should consist of something the group must solve/fix and a mini-boss or boss to fight/defeat.

Leveling Up:

At the end of a campaign, each player gains a level and can enhance their character by doing one of the following:

Add +1 to any existing attribute or specialization (Nature, Skill, Gift, Allies, or Resources), OR

Gain a New Specialization: Choose and add an additional one-word Specialization to an existing attribute (Nature, Skill, Gift, Allies, or Resources). Pick something that emerged naturally during the campaign or an ability you frequently relied upon. Clearly discuss and confirm this new Specialization with the Master of Fate (MoF).

Example:

If during the campaign your character repeatedly relied on deception but had no formal specialization, at leveling up, you could add "Deception" as a new specialization under your existing Nature, "Shady." Next campaign, this new specialization will help you clearly justify additional dice during relevant actions, further enhancing your gameplay experience.

Game, Story, and Campaign: What's the Difference?

Game (One-Off)

A game is a single session of play designed to be completed within one sitting, typically lasting between 1-3 hours. It usually involves a clearly defined goal or objective for players to achieve. This makes games perfect for quick gatherings, parties, or trying out new characters and ideas without commitment beyond that session.

Story (Extended Game)

A story is essentially a single game that extended beyond a single session. Perhaps players explored more deeply, enjoyed interactions, or found themselves facing extra challenges that couldn't be resolved quickly. A story typically spans multiple play sessions, usually 2-4 meetings, and provides more time for character development and deeper storytelling, even though it originally began as a single-session scenario.

Campaign

A campaign is a series of multiple games or stories intentionally connected by a shared narrative or ongoing storyline. Each session within a campaign directly influences future sessions, creating opportunities for richer storytelling, ongoing character growth, and long-term consequences and rewards. Campaigns allow players to fully explore and evolve their characters, making choices that shape an expansive, memorable journey together.

Understanding these distinctions helps players and Masters of Fate (MoFs) set appropriate expectations and pacing, ensuring everyone has a satisfying gaming experience.

Gameplay Examples:

Example – Convincing a Guard:

Let's look at a quick example of persuading a guard. Jamie's character wants to convince a guard to hand over the keys to their cell. Jamie’s character sheet has the following attributes: Skill - To Control with a Specialization in Fast Talk, Nature - Shady with a Specialization in Deception, and Gift - Mental with Telepathy. Jamie explains clearly to the Master of Fate (MoF) that they're using persuasion and deception combined with subtle mental influence to manipulate the guard. Jamie gets one die automatically for attempting the action, one additional die for Skill: To Control, another for Specialization: Fast Talk, another for Nature: Shady, one more for Specialization: Deception, and finally, one for Gift: Mental (Telepathy). That's six potential dice, but since the maximum allowed is five, Jamie can only roll 5 dice. The MoF considers and decides that Deception isn't justified in this situation, reducing Jamie's dice pool to four. Jamie rolls these 4 dice, aiming for success to secure their freedom.

You try to convince a guard to give you the keys to escape.

You explain:

• One die automatically (you always get this).

• +1 die: Skill – To Control (You're manipulating the guard).

• +1 die: Specialization Fast Talk (You're using your words quickly and persuasively).

• +1 die for Nature: Shady (You have experience in morally gray interactions).

• +1 die for Specialization: Deception (This involves actively deceiving someone).

• +1 die for Gift: Mental (Telepathy) (You subtly influence their mind).

You justify five dice. The MoF decides that Deception doesn’t fully apply in this scenario and awards 4 dice total. You roll 4 dice for your Fate.

Example Fight Scene:

Let’s look at an example combat roll. Jeff wants to attack a goblin using his two-handed axe. Jeff’s character sheet shows Skill - To Hurt with Specialization Barbarian, Gift - Physical with Specialization Strength, and a two-handed axe as his weapon. Jeff clearly justifies his dice pool to the Master of Fate (MoF): he gets one die for attempting the action (always), one die for his Skill (To Hurt), another for his Skill Specialization (Barbarian), one for his Gift (Physical), one for his Gift Specialization (Strength), and two additional dice for his two-handed axe—totaling 7 dice. However, since the maximum is 5 dice, Jeff must roll 5 dice. Jeff rolls the five dice and gets a 3, 4, 5, 3, and a 6, achieving a super success! Now, Jeff rolls for damage: one die automatically, plus one more for his Skill (To Hurt), and two more for the two-handed axe, totaling 4 dice for damage. He rolls impressively with a 3, 4, 4, and 6, totaling 17 points. The goblin’s heavy armor reduces this by 6 points, leaving the goblin with 11 damage from their total health of 13, leaving it with just 2 points remaining.

A Final Note

This game is the most fun when three things come together. 

1. Everyone listens to Master of Fate. So the game keeps moving; you can't argue with the MoF. If they say, you can't have a resource because of your resources and characteristics. You get only one rebuttal. After that, the decision is final. For example. You say you have a tuxedo, but the MoF says you can't because you have "Destitute" as your resource. You rebut, "True, but my ally is an Underworld lieutenant. They obviously have them." The MoF has three options. First, they can agree, and you get a tux. Second, they could disagree (with or without explanation. You never know what is in the story). Third, they can roll two Fate Dice. Two successes and you get it with style. One success and you get it with a cost, and no successes, not only don't you have one, but you also get a consequence.

2. Story Above Success. Sometimes failing can be way better for your story than succeeding. 

3. Remember, It's a game. This is supposed to be fun. Don't let small things ruin your game. 

Honestly, it's that easy. Want some help building a grand adventure? Use our handy one-sheets to help guide your adventures.