The
Pocket Universe Basic Rules Set is the core rulebook of the Pocket Universe system. It comes as a 16 page booklet, 4-1/4 x 7 inches, with a color cardstock cover in a zip-lock bag. Also in the bag is a one-page character sheet and a single page adventure in a fantasy setting. Cover price is $4.95.
The game is written by Jeff Dee - author of, amongst other things, TWERPS - The World's Easiest Role Playing Game. While TWERPS was a joke - a parody of rpgs - Pocket Universe is a real game you can actually play.
While it seems incredulous that you could fit a generic role-playing system into 16 miniatures pages and have something you could actually play, Pocket Universe succeeds. There is no setting material in the book, no fictional prose, and only one piece of artwork after the cover. The writing of the rules assumes some experience with rpgs, being concise and to-the-point.
Rules Facts
Characters are built around four characteristics: Physique, Deftness, Intellect and Willpower. Each starts with a value of 8, and you get 10 extra points to distribute amongst them. You may then purchase Disadvantages (worth 1 or 2 points each), which allow you to purchase Advantages (again, 1 or 2 points each).
Physique determines your Hit Points and how much damage you do in unarmed combat. Deftness determines your initiative and your Move score. Intellect determines how many points you can spend to purchase skills and languages. Willpower gives you points to purchase Contacts with.
Skills are based off one of your attributes; buying one level of the skill allows you to use the skill without penalty. Spending additional points allows you to add to the appropriate attribute when making skill rolls.
The resolution mechanic is quite simple: roll 2d10, with a target of your attribute, or attribute skill. Success is scored rolling less than or equal to your target. A critical success occurs if you succeed and roll a double, while a critical failure occurs if you fail and roll a double. When you are opposed on a roll, such as attacking in combat, your target number is adjusted by substracting your opponent's skill - 10.
An interesting mechanic is used in both initiative and weapon damage. These values are expressed as three digits, a low number, a medium number, and a high number. When you go to roll initiative or damage, you roll a d10. On a 1-2, you take the low number. On a 9-10, you take the high number. In all other cases, you take the middle number. This has the effect of making your result more predictable, and taking some of the extreme highs and lows out of the picture.
Opinion
Pocket Universe is a compromise between crunchy systems and rules-lite games. Game play moves very quickly, and an experienced GM can do a lot of off-the-cuff stuff in a game without having to stop and examine the rule book. The framework is very flexible, and you can do all sorts of modifications and tweaks to the system without breaking it. Character construction is very GURPS-like in feel; people that like point-buy systems should find Pocket Universe very agreeable.
For my playtest, I created a near-future cyberpunk setting. I invented a few additional weapons and armor types, added a couple of obvious advantages and disadvantages to match the setting, and added a few skills. This took a couple of hours, along with creating the initial scenario. Then it was off to the races.
In eight hours of play, I think I picked up the rule book once to check how something in combat worked, and a second time to check the critical success table. That was it. Play was very smooth. One of my players, who dislikes 'systems' and usually plays systemless games, simply said "I didn't even notice the rules."
Some strengths of the game: a unified mechanic that handled opposed actions very well. Even though this is a roll-under system, combat will rarely become the hairy affair some roll-under systems (GURPS, for isntance). Two evenly scored characters, whether their combat skills are 12 or 20, will only successfully hit about half the time. One skill or attribute point makes a big difference in play, so it is very easy to create encounters or opponents to challenge your player characters and adjust their 'threat level' accordingly. Since contacts, skills and advantages/disadvantages all come from separate point pools, there is some balance enforced in character creation. The combat system, while being short, contains plenty of options including subdual damage, called shots, grapplking, disarming, and morale.
Weaknesses? The basic rules book contains only one sample creature (though inventing them is fairly straight-forward). No rules for magic are included, though they can be downloaded free from the official web-site. Skills and weapons are more geared toward fantasy or historical settings than modern or futuristic ones.
Who will like this game?
People who enjoyed the old pocket games or remember The Fantasy Trip may well enjoy Pocket Universe. If you like GURPS in principle but feel it may be have become too complex will also like it. If you want a game you can play off the cuff with a lot of improvisation and not burdened by a rule for everything, this is for you. There isn't a lot that is new and innovative here, but it works - clean and simple - and you can bend, fold, staple and mutilate it to your heart's content.
Disclaimer: I write and edit a fanzine called "Microscosm", which is dedicated to Pocket Universe. I wanted to wait until I had run several sessions before writing up this review.
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