Community-created content is one of the best parts of this hobby. That is why Breathless is released under the Open RPG Creative (ORC) License.

In a Nutshell

To publish works compatible with Breathless, follow these rules.

Requirements

You must:

• Include the ORC notice and the attribution text below in a visible place.

Restrictions

You may not:

• Imply endorsement, sponsorship, or official status from Fari RPGs.
• Use the content from Mythwork’s Breathless Frightmare Edition.

Permissions

You may:

• Use, copy, and modify the rules, procedures, tables, NPCs, and setting details of Breathless in your own published works.

Attribution Text

If Licensed Material from Breathless is used in your published work, include the credit text below.

This product is based on Breathless, published by Fari RPGs (https://farirpgs.com/), developed and authored by Rene-Pier Deshaies-Gelinas, and is licensed for use under the Open RPG Creative License. This product is licensed under the ORC License held in the Library of Congress at TX 9-307-067 and available online at various locations including www.azoralaw.com/orclicense and others. All warranties are disclaimed as set forth therein.

Compatibility Logos

Creators are welcome to use the “Compatible with Breathless” logos in products, and on storefront pages or websites where those products are promoted. It is optional, but appreciated.

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Breathless Library Listing

We love seeing what people make with Breathless, and finished products are welcome in the Breathless Library.

To be listed:

• Follow the rules of this Third Party License.
• Publish the product online (free or paid).
• Contact us via farirpgs.com/contact or farirpgs.com/discord.

Fonts

Use these typefaces if you want to match the official look and feel of Breathless.

• Heading text font: Spelltale
• Subheading text font: BNC Ringe Sans
• Body text font: Lato

The SRD uses, use these typefaces which look very similar.

• Heading text font: PT Serif Bold, 36pt
• Heading 2 text font: Rounded M+ 1c Bold, 12pt
• Body text font: Lato Regular, 9pt

License

This is the license text that applies to Breathless.

This product is licensed under the ORC License located at the Library of Congress at TX 9-307-067 and available online at various locations. All warranties are disclaimed as set forth therein. The following elements are owned by the Licensor and would otherwise constitute Reserved Material and are hereby designated as Licensed Material: all content in Breathless, without limitation.

BREATHLESS

The first sign of the infection was the memory loss. Then, for some, the change. Those became the Breathless; ravenous dead who tore the world apart. One bite wakes the sickness inside, and soon you join their endless swarm. You are alongside strangers, what remains is to LOOT, SHOOT, SURVIVE.

This is a survival horror adventure game in which one person acts as the game moderator (or GM). The GM guides the story, presents challenges, and relies on rules to handle uncertainty in the fiction. Everyone else is a player who controls a character’s actions in the story and plays to find out what happens as a result.

When creating a character, players write their name, pronouns, and prior occupation.

Characters rely on six Skills:

• Bash : wreck, move, force.
• Dash : run, jump, climb.
• Sneak : hide, skulk, lurk.
• Shoot : track, throw, fire.
• Think : perceive, analyze, repair.
• Sway : charm, manipulate, intimidate.

Each player assigns a d10, a d8, and a d6 to three Skills they think their character is good at, and sets the remaining Skills to d4. Then they set their Loot Skill to d12, choose one Item their character has with them, and note it down as a d10 Item.

ROLLING TABLES

WEAPONS

1. Splintered plank
2. Baseball bat
3. Sledgehammer
4. Crowbar
5. Cast iron pan
6. Golf club
7. Rusted katana
8. Shovel
9. Machete
10. Police baton
11. Pitchfork
12. Banjo
13. Chainsaw
14. Skateboard
15. Dumbbell
16. Cricket bat
17. Fire axe
18. Lead pipe
19. Pickaxe
20. Hatchet

LONG-RANGE WEAPONS

1. Revolver
2. 9mm pistol
3. Hunting rifle
4. Shotgun
5. Bow
6. Flamethrower
7. Sniper rifle
8. Assault rifle
9. Crossbow
10. Molotov cocktail
11. Grenade
12. Pipe bomb

OCCUPATIONS

1. Chef
2. IT technician
3. Nurse
4. Fitness coach
5. Content creator
6. Police officer
7. Architect
8. Teacher
9. Soldier
10. Mechanic
11. Park ranger
12. Student
13. DJ
14. Engineer
15. Drifter
16. Contractor
17. Bartender
18. Firefighter
19. Farmer
20. Scientist

LOCATIONS

1. Apartments
2. Mall
3. Market
4. Hospital
5. Church
6. Arcade
7. School
8. Hotel
9. Worksite
10. Club
11. Factory
12. Motel
13. Gas station
14. Parking garage
15. Subway station
16. Warehouse
17. Police station
18. Pharmacy
19. Fire station
20. Sewers

COMPLICATIONS

1. Another survivor is yelling for help.
2. You’ve attracted a swarm of Breathless.
3. Bandits are on your tail.
4. A new and nasty kind of Breathless.
5. A stranger firing at anything that moves.
6. You meet another group of survivors.
7. The zone you’re in is booby-trapped.
8. You’re out of ammo.
9. One of your items suddenly breaks.
10. The only way out is blocked.
11. You meet someone you knew before.
12. You face a pack of feral animals.

MISSIONS

1. Your group is almost out of supplies.
2. Someone in your group is very sick.
3. Thugs kicked you out of your safe zone.
4. The military is planning to bomb the city.
5. You’ve met someone who’s immune.
6. The government planned a supply drop.
7. A cult is giving people to the Breathless.
8. You’ve met a scientist who has a cure.
9. Someone in your group was captured.
10. You’ve heard of a sanctuary filled with survivors on the other side of the city.
11. There’s a fire raging across the district.
12. Your group has found itself in the middle of a gang war.

CHECKS

When a character tackles a challenge or tries to avoid a Consequence, the player makes a Check. First determines the risks. The player then chooses the Skill that best fits the character’s approach and rolls the die that matches its rating. If another character helps, their player also makes a Check, but shares the same risks.

Keep the highest result:

• 1-2 : The action fails. When facing a Consequence, it is suffered in full.
• 3-4 : The action succeeds, but with reduced effect. When facing a Consequence, it is lessened.
• 5+ : The action succeeds. The higher the result, the greater the effect. When facing a Consequence, it is fully avoided.

After the Check, every player who rolled steps down the Skill they used by one step: d12 → d10 → d8 → d6 → d4. A die rating can never step above d12 or below d4. This system can also be used to test for luck, choosing a die size based on the odds: 1–2 trouble, 3–4 twist, 5+ fortune.

POSITION

When the fiction has a significant impact on a Check, set the roll’s Position.

• Absolute : The action succeeds outright.
• Good : Roll a stepped-up Skill die.
• Standard : Use the Skill die as is.
• Bad : Roll a stepped-down Skill die.
• Impossible : The action is beyond reach.

GRIT

When a character performs a feat of pure determination, the player may consume their Grit, which acts as a single-use d12 rolled in place of a Skill die during a Check.

HARM

When a character faces a Consequence, they may suffer between 1 to 3 Harm, depending on the severity of the threat. Whenever a character reaches 5 Harm, they become Vulnerable. From that point on, failing a Check could mean being taken out or sudden death.

CATCH YOUR BREATH

When a character takes a second to Catch Their Breath, all their Skills reset to their initial ratings and their Grit is restored. Afterward, the GM introduces a new Consequence to the scene. This can happen even in moments of high tension. If multiple characters Catch Their Breath at the same time, it is resolved as a single event.

SAFE REST

When a character finds a safe shelter and rests there for at least a day, they gain the same benefits as if they were Catching Their Breath, but without having to suffer any Consequence as a result.

A Safe Rest clears between 1 to 3 Harm, depending on the conditions of the rest.

LOOT CHECKS

When a character scavenges a location, the player makes a Loot Check by rolling the die that matches the character’s Loot Skill.

• 1-2 : They find nothing, and a Consequence occurs.
• 3-4 : They find an Item of lower quality or quantity, with a lower die rating.
• 5+ : They find an Item. The higher the result, the higher its die rating.

After the Check, the player steps down the character’s Loot Skill by one step. Looting is only possible when the fiction allows for it.

ITEMS

Every Item a character carries has a die rating, from d4 to d12, that reflects its quality or quantity. When an Item is used, the player rolls its die.

• 1-2 : The Item die steps down. If it was Stressed, or would step below d4, it is depleted, worn out, or consumed.
• 3-4 : The Item is marked as Stressed. Its die rating does not change.
• 5+ : The Item remains unchanged.

A character may try to repair an Item with a Check, as long as they have the right tools or skills. Characters can carry as many Items as the fiction allows. Items are used to improve a Check’s Position or lessen a Consequence.

Breathless Design Guidelines

Use the following guidelines while developing your own “Breathless Game.”

Your Setting

The setting explains where the game takes place, what the story is mainly about, and what kinds of challenges the characters will face. Breathless works well when characters are pushed to keep going while their options slowly run out. This can mean survival horror, doomed expeditions, dangerous missions, heists gone wrong, political pressure, cosmic dread, or anything else where rest comes at a cost. For your game, think about what gives the characters a clear reason to act now. There should be pressure around them, danger ahead of them, and something worth risking themselves for.

Your Check

Checks resolve risky actions, challenges, and consequences, but each Check also prompts a character to step down one of their Skills. To resolve non-risky actions, Breathless uses the same outcome format as a way to test a character’s Luck. For your game, think about whether Skill dice should always step down after a Check, or whether another mechanic should affect when they do. For a more heroic feel that still stays true to the core of what makes a Breathless game, we suggest not stepping down Skills after every Check. Instead, use this mechanic:

Push Yourself: When a player is not satisfied with the result of a Check, they may have their character push themselves. When they do, they reroll the Check and keep the best result. Afterward, they step down the Skill die they used.

Your Position

Position helps the GM rely on the fiction and translate its impact into how Checks are resolved. For your game, think about what makes challenges easier or harder to overcome. You do not need to change how Position works directly, but answering this question will help you design character resources, enemies, obstacles, and Consequences more easily.

Your Grit

Grit gives players a break from constantly stepping down their Skills during Checks by giving them a one-off d12 to use for a Check. This drastically increases their chance of success for a challenge that matters to them. For your game, think about what characters rely on. Is it Hope, Focus, Fury, Faith, Blood, Instinct, Luck, or something else? How do they recover it? Also think about the kind of moment Grit is supposed to create. Is it heroic, desperate, violent, spiritual, reckless, cinematic, strange, or something else?

Your Harm

Harm allows characters to resist the most serious Consequences tied to their actions. It also acts as the default health pacing mechanism of the game. For your game, think about how much Harm characters can withstand before becoming Vulnerable. Should characters feel stronger? Weaker? Do characters have more than one Harm track? What happens when they fill their Harm track, and how do they recover from Harm?

Your Catch Your Breath

Catch Your Breath allows a character to reset all their Skills to their initial ratings, but prompts the GM to introduce a new consequence into the scene. For your game, think about how characters should Catch Their Breath. Can they do it at any time, do they need to rest, or do they need to be in a specific location? Is there a cost to doing this?

Your Safe Rest

Safe Rest allows a character to gain the benefits of Catch Your Breath without introducing a new Consequence. This gives characters a break when tension is lower. For your game, think about what counts as safety. Is a Safe Rest easy to find? Is there a cost to resting? Do characters need special resources to rest? Does it attract danger?

Your Loot & Items

Loot Checks allow characters to search for useful assets that can make their lives easier and improve their Position for future Checks. But looting always carries the risk of bringing more danger into play. For your game, think about what helps characters survive in your world. Do they scavenge supplies, search for treasure, gather clues, recover memories, call in contacts, or something else? Would it be useful to have more specific looting tables and ratings for the Items that can be found through this mechanic?

Your Skills

Skills allow players to tackle challenges and avoid Consequences from the fictional world through their characters. For your game, think about how to reskin the Skill list so it better fits the tone of your setting. Keep the list short, broad, and easy to understand. Each Skill should suggest a clear kind of action, while still leaving enough room for creative approaches and interpretation.

Kits (Classes)

Kits are not part of the original Breathless game, but have been used in other games we have published. They can work as archetypes, backgrounds, classes, or playbooks for players to choose from. Each Kit can include pre-assigned Skills, starting Items, a custom number of Harm boxes, special rules, questions for the player to answer, or flavourful rolling tables. For your game, think about whether all characters should start from the same baseline, or whether you want to offer a list of starter Kits.

Your Rolling Tables

Rolling tables allow the GM to disclaim decision-making, reduce friction during play, and make character creation, adventures, and enemy generation easier to manage. For your game, think about adding rolling tables for the things that matter most in your world.

Your Game

This is your game, so make it yours. The goal of this document is to give you a starting point and help break the blank page syndrome you may get when starting a new project. Start from here, make as many changes as you see fit, and finish your project. Once it is published, send me a message at farirpgs.com/contact so I can tell others about it and add it to the Breathless Games collection. Have fun!

• RP

Breathless for grand space opera adventures

Renegades Preface

Renegades is a Breathless game set in a sci-fi used future where you play as rebels who want to overthrow an evil empire called the Federation. Inspired by Star Wars related medias, this was the first ever Breathless hack I did. This was published it in the scope of the first Breathless Jam in 2022.

Mechanically, this game diverges from Breathless in the following ways:

• There are no concepts of items , no looting , and no stunt mechanics. Those weren’t reinforcing the themes of the game, so I got rid of them and replaced them with something else.

• To reinforce space opera tropes as much as possible, the game adds the declare a truth mechanic which gives a lot of narrative freedom to the player by allowing them to establish new facts in the fiction once per refocus (“catch your breath”).

• This is the first Breathless game I designed that is “kit-based”. Here, players have to pick a certain type of character archetype, which determines the kind of die ratings they start with.

Website: https://fari-rpgs.itch.io/renegades

Renegades SRD

It Started When…

the Federation took control of the galaxy. They now govern with an iron grasp, leveraging the power of tyranny and propaganda to prevent anyone from overthrowing their ruthless empire. There are rumors in the mists about pockets of rebellion. Renegades who haven’t lost hope in the face of impossible odds. The Federation is not invincible. They have flaws, and with a bit of luck, we might overthrow their regime.

Before We Start

Before you start, define lines that should not be crossed. Pause or rewind the game if something uncomfortable happens during a session. Always make sure everyone is comfortable with the direction of the story.

The Game

One person is the game master (GM), the rest are players.

GM : Guide the story, and present challenges to the group. Make them meet friendly and shady NPCs. Design villains who think they are the good guys. Be a fan of the players. Ask them questions, fill the world with their answers. If it’s cool, let them try. Split complex challenges into multiple checks. Encourage players to change what is true in the fiction.

Player : Narrate what your renegade does. Make checks when things are risky. Give everyone a time to shine. Fill the world with your ideas. Take risks, and rise up from failures. Interact with the world, and assist the GM in finding interesting complications and plot twists

Checks

When there’s a challenge that needs to be overcome, you make a check to see how it plays out. You only need to roll if what you are doing is risky.

The GM telegraphs the risk of your action, you then pick a skill , and roll the die that matches its rating. If an ally helps you, they also make a check , but share the same risks as you.

Take the highest die and interpret the results.

• On a 1-2 , you fail , and there’s an additional complication.

• On a 3-4 , you succeed , but there’s a complication.

• On a 5+ , you succeed. The higher the result, the better the effect.

Fighting the Federation is hard and tedious work. Everyone who rolled reduces the rating of the skill they used by one level: d12 » d10 » d8 » d6 » d4. Skills cannot go lower than a d4.

The GM can disclaim decision-making by testing for luck. To do so, pick a die rating simply based on the odds of a thing happening, roll, and interpret the results.

Refocus

To reset all your skills to their original rating, you can ask to “ refocus ”.

This is a brief break in tension. It can be done at any time, even during combat, escapes, or dog fights.

When a character refocuses, the GM looks at the scene and introduces a new complication to the group.

Choose A Kit

THE PILOT is always aware of their surroundings, and can remain calm under pressure. They are incredible flyers and are accompanied by an astro-droid. Pilots get the extra Focus skill , set at a d10.

THE MYTHIC is a member of a strange society, and is connected to the world in ways others just aren’t. They are passive, just, and empathetic. They wield peculiar weapons, and wear long robes. Mythics get the extra Feel skill , set at a d10.

THE SCAVENGER is smart, practical, and capable. They carry around their tool belt, which gives them many options to solve the many problems coming their way. Scavengers get the extra Tinker skill , set at a d10.

THE SENATOR is intellectual, eloquent and emanates trust. They know how to influence people to get what they want, and always have a plan in case things go wrong — which they will. Senators get the extra Sense skill , set at a d10.

THE SMUGGLER is talented, resourceful, and reckless. They have numerous contacts and relations from their criminal background, which acts as a two-edged sword. Smugglers get an extra Contacts skill , set at a d10.

THE DROID is knowledgeable, pragmatic, and calculated. They know a lot about the different cultures and customs in the galaxy, and can make complex calculations in record times. Droids get the extra Lore skill , set at a d10.

THE EX-SOLDIER is loyal, selfless, and courageous. Their military background from the old-days makes them very competent and knowledgeable on the battlefield. Ex-soldiers get an extra Tactical skill , set at a d10.

Your Renegade

On your character sheet, write down your kit , your character’s name, and preferred pronouns.

By default, skills have a d4 rating. Assign a d10 , a d8 , and a d6 to three skills you think your character is good at.

Characters have a total of 6 skills:

• Bash : wreck, move, force.

• Dash : run, jump, climb.

• Sneak : hide, skulk, lurk.

• Shoot : track, throw, fire.

• Think : perceive, analyze, repair.

• Sway : charm, manipulate, intimidate.

Declare A Truth

When the situation is dire, or if you are looking for a way out, you can declare a new truth about the world. If your fact is a small truth , it just happens, but for big truths the GM adds a “but…” afterwards.

The GM gets the final say on this, so work with them to make sure your fact works well with what has already been established. Once used, you’ll need to “ refocus ” to declare a new truth.

Stress

When you face a complication as a result of one of your actions, the GM can decide that you take 1 stress. If your character reaches 4 stress , they become “ vulnerable ”. When vulnerable , failing a dangerous action could mean being taken out, being captured, or worse.

Healing

To heal up and clear your stress track , you need to lay low someplace secure awhile. Look at the fiction and work with the GM to decide how much stress you clear when you rest.

Rolling Tables

LOCATIONS (d10): 1. Bar | 2. Spaceport | 3. Spaceship | 4. Factory | 5. Underground City | 6. Temple | 7. Arena | 8. Hidden Base | 9. Palace | 10. Government Building

BIOMES (d10): 1. Tropical World | 2. Desert World | 3. Water World | 4. Frozen World | 5. Lava World | 6. Gas World | 7. Swamp World | 8. Forest World | 9. Rocky World | 10. City World

Renegades Design Points

Your Truths

Declaring new truths is what makes Renegades truly unique. It allows the player to take a lot of agency over the narrative and declare new facts about the fiction. The GM could throw a very complex obstacle, like a heavily guarded checkpoint, and a player could come up with a creative solution on the fly and simply say, “I know one of the guards currently on duty at the checkpoint and actually saved their partner’s life from the local raiders. They still owe me for this!”

For your game, think about how truths are introduced. Is there a cost to doing so? How big and impactful can the new fact be? Does it relate only to the player character or can it also affect the setting as a whole?

Your Kits

Kits allow games to easily reinforce the classic tropes and archetypes of a specific genre of media. They are the starting points for players and one of the first things presented to them. Every single option should matter and be a core piece of what makes the world and setting interesting. In Renegades, they guide players into that archetype even more by providing a unique skill that nobody else has.

For your game, what constitutes a kit? Is it just a description and a unique skill, or does a kit also set the other die ratings like bash, dash, sneak, shoot, think, and sway? How many kits will there be? Can someone design their own kits using tables or other means? Is everything in the kit already pre-established, or can some pieces be randomly generated (like background, details, goals, etc.)?

Breathless for solo exploration

Nomadic Preface

Nomadic is a tragic solo tabletop role-playing game focused on exploration and survival. In this game, you play as a pilot exploring the depths of the universe in search of humanity’s new home after the Primordials retook Earth. Inspired by No Man’s Sky and the eponymous song by Ben Prunty, this game is simultaneously harsh, hopeless, and beautiful.

Nomadic was the first time I felt comfortable enough with the Breathless engine make major changes to it in the hope of fitting a drastically different type of game.

Mechanically, this game diverges from Breathless in the following ways:

• There are two oracles used by the player throughout the game. The question oracle is used to answer questions about the world where the player character may not be involved. The risk oracle is used to answer whether the player should or should not perform a check as they attempt to do something risky in the fiction.

• Instead of a single stress track, there are four (body, mind, gear, ship) and the game tells you exactly when and how many boxes should be marked. On top of this, each resource track is linked to a table full of possible complications.

• There’s a strong gameplay loop that forces the solo player to go through the same steps over and over again, guiding them both mechanically and in the narrative.

• There’s an event that gets triggered when all four resource tracks are filled, which offers a choice to the player and prompts them to choose whether they want to abandon the game or continue.

Website: /nomadic

Nomadic SRD

Nomadic is a solo tabletop role-playing game of exploration and survival. You study dangerous worlds in a quest to find a new home for humankind. During the game, you use oracles when there are uncertainties, perform dangerous actions, and try to keep your body, mind, equipment, and spaceship in good shape.

Nomadic explores themes of isolation, despair, futility, and mental/physical health. Your safety is more important than anything. Don’t hesitate to rewind, rewrite, pause, or take a break as you see fit.

To play, you will need:

• A set of polyhedral dice

• A pencil

• Something to write on or a recording device to use during journaling phases of the game.

Leaving Earth

Humanity abandoned Earth as it was destroyed and retaken by the Primordials. The Earth United Front sent hundreds of pilots into the depths of space to explore, document, and survive the harshness of the void in the hope of finding a new planet where humans could prosper again. During that time, what’s left of humanity is waiting in giant cryo ships for a new planet to be discovered.

Your Gear

You are a nomad , one of the pilots sent to look for inhabitable worlds. You are equipped with a high-tech exo-suit that lets you survive some of the harshest environments. You carry with you a blaster, a portable drone, scanners, and various sensors. Furthermore, you pilot a NOD class starship equipped with a light engine and an astro-droid.

Intro

Start your adventure on your ship. You’ve been navigating in the void for weeks and are about to enter a new solar system. This system has planets that are worth exploring, either because of their resources or their potential to become humanity’s new home.

Your Nomad

On the character sheet located on the back, write down your character’s name and pronouns. There are six skills you can use to perform risky tasks in the fiction.

• Muscle : overcome, wreck, force.

• Skulk : hide, sneak, lurk.

• Dash : run, jump, climb.

• Learn : analyze, investigate, grasp.

• Tinker : repair, revamp, restore.

• Finesse : gather, befriend, pilot.

Assign a d10 , a d8 , and a d6 to three skills you think you’re particularly good at. The rest are set to a d4.

Question Oracle

To disclaim decision-making over something, ask a yes/no question imagining the outcome, and roll a die based on the odds of it being positive.

• If it is very unlikely : roll a d4.

• If it is unlikely : roll a d6.

• If it is likely : roll a d8.

• If it is very likely : roll a d10.

• If it is almost certain : roll a d12.

Then, interpret the result.

• On a 1-2 , the answer is “ No, and… ”.

• On a 3-4 , the answer is “ Yes, but… ”.

• On a 5+ , the answer is “ Yes, and… ”.

Risk Oracle

When you attempt something challenging, roll a die based on your level of control over the current situation. When in doubt, use a d6.

• If the situation is chaotic , roll a d4.

• If the situation is precarious , roll a d6.

• If the situation is manageable , roll a d8.

• If the situation is predictable , roll a d10.

• If the situation is stable , roll a d12.

Then, interpret the result.

• On a 1-2 , the situation is very risky. Make a perilous check.

• On a 3-4 , the situation is risky. Make a check.

• On a 5+ , the situation is not risky. You simply do it.

Check

When you use the risk oracle and the situation is risky or perilous , you make a check to see how it plays out. Pick the skill that best matches what you are trying to accomplish, roll the die that matches its rating, and interpret the result.

• On a 1-2 , you fail , and there’s an additional complication. Mark one box on a resource track of your choice. Two boxes if the situation was perilous.

• On a 3-4 , you succeed , but there’s a complication. Mark one box on a resource track of your choice. Two boxes if the situation was perilous.

• On a 5+ , you succeed. The higher the result, the better the effect.

Then, step down the rating of the skill you used by one step ( d12 » d10 » d8 » d6 » d4 ). Skills cannot go lower than a d4.

Determination

Your skills aren’t all you have to survive the harshness of space. You can also rely on your sheer determination to push forward and to make the mission a success. When you use your determination , you use a d12 instead of a skill rating to do a check. Once used, you’ll need to focus to use it again.

Focus

When you focus , you quickly take the time to assess the situation, calculate all the variables, and recenter yourself for what’s to come. You can do this at any time, even during highly dramatic moments.

When you focus , reset all your skills to their initial rating. Then, you have to introduce a new complication in the story. When that happens, mark one box on a resource track.

Look at the “complications” section for a list of possible options to use depending on which track you marked.If all your resource tracks are filled, you need to make a choice.

Will you abandon the mission, or will you push forward into the unknown?

Resource Tracks

You have four resources tracks : body , mind , gear , and ship. When a complication arises, either as a result of you focusing or from a check , you mark boxes on one of the tracks. Look at the fiction to decide which track to mark. You can also pick a random one and link it with the fiction later.

If there are no more boxes to mark, you have to make a choice.

Make A Choice

When you need to mark a box, and all your resource tracks are filled, you have to make a choice.

Abandon : You can’t go on, and must abandon the mission. As a result, you will die in the coming hours/days. The cause of your death is directly related to the last resource track you marked. Make a last log entry to describe what happened, and beam it. The game is over.

Push Forward : You knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and you aren’t about to give up. Leave the current system, and fast forwards weeks/months in time. Then, clear all your resource tracks. You are now in a new system. Make a new log entry, and continue your journey.

Resource Checks

Resources are an abstract value that represents what you scavenge as you explore the cosmos. When you leave a planet, roll a d20 to know how many resources you scavenged.

• On a 1-2 , you find 0 resources.

• On a 3-4 , you find 1 resource.

• On a 5-6 , you find 2 resources.

• On a 7-8 , you find 3 resources.

• On a 9-10 , you find 5 resources.

• On a 11-12 , you find 8 resources.

At anytime, you can consume as many resources as you want to clear the same number of boxes on any resource track.

When you do this, you take the time to heal yourself, and repair your equipment so that you can continue the mission.

Planet Scanner

Scan: Roll a d10 and interpret the result.

• On a 1-5, t he planet shows signs of life. Roll for region, wild life, and flora.

• On a 6-10, t he planet shows no signs of life. The planet is either dead (6), frozen (7), volcanic (8), irradiated (9), or noxious (10). It may still be worth exploring for its resources.

Region Scanner

Biome (d10)

1. Freshwater (pond, river, lake)

2. Marine (ocean, coral reef, estuary)

3. Grassland (prairie, steppe)

4. Tropical Grassland (savanna)

5. Tropical Forest

6. Temperate Forest

7. Boreal Forest

8. Hot Desert

9. Cold Desert

10. Tundra

Weather (d10)

1. Clear

2. Cloudy

3. Drizzle

4. Rainy

5. Storm

6. Fog

7. Snow

8. Storm

9. Blizzard

10. Sandstorm

Terrain (d4)

1. Mountains

2. Hills

3. Plateaus

4. Plains

Advanced Analysis

Gravity (d6)

1. Minimal gravity

2. Low gravity

3. Earth-like gravity

4. High gravity

5. Crushing gravity

6. Unstable

Gravity (d6)

1. Minimal gravity

2. Low gravity

3. Earth-like gravity

4. High gravity

5. Crushing gravity

6. Unstable

Average Temperature (d6)

1. Frigid

2. Cold

3. Temperate

4. Hot

5. Scorched

6. Unstable

Wild Life Monitor

Size (d6)

1. Tiny

2. Small

3. Normal

4. Large

5. Very Large

6. Gigantic

Diet (d6)

1. Herbivore

2. Carnivore

3. Omnivore

4. Fungivore

5. Photosynthetic

6. Saprotrophic

Behavior (d6)

1. Calm

2. Curious

3. Territorial

4. Aggressive

5. Scared

6. Hunting

Type (d6)

1. Mammal-like

2. Bird-like

3. Reptile-like

4. Amphibian-like

5. Invertebrate-like

6. Fish-like

Trait (d4)

1. With Fur

2. With Scales

3. With Feathers

4. With Slimy Skin

Flora Detector

Biome (d6)

1. Tiny

2. Small

3. Normal

4. Large

5. Very Large

6. Gigantic

Weather (d8)

1. Mushrooms

2. Herbs

3. Flowers

4. Trees

5. Shrubs

6. Climbers

7. Creepers

8. Trees

Body

When traveling through space or exploring new worlds, one certainty remains: everything out there is trying to kill you. The work is dangerous and takes a toll on your body.

Body (d8)

1. You realize you haven’t eaten anything in the last three days, and your stomach growls in pain.

2. You made a bad move and sprained your ankle.

3. You feel a huge pressure on your lungs that makes it extremely hard to breathe.

4. Your vision becomes dizzy, and you feel nauseous.

5. You feel like you are on fire as numerous parts of your body start itching.

6. You feel a huge pain across your back.

7. Your ears are constantly ringing, causing a huge feeling of vertigo.

8. You can’t feel your hands and feet anymore.

Mind

You sacrificed so much to start this journey, and there are moments where remembering your old life does you more harm than good.

Mind (d6)

1. You’re struck by a memory about a hobby you used to love while on Earth. What was it? Did you do this hobby with someone else?

2. You’re thinking about a person you will probably never see again in your lifetime. Who is it?

3. Someone dear to you wasn’t able to board the last cryo-ship leaving Earth. Who is it? Why couldn’t they leave?

4. A long time ago, you met another nomad on your journey. What news did they bring to you?

5. Many people wanted to become nomad, but you did something that made them choose you over many others. What was it?

6. You were allowed to bring one personal object with you. What is it?

7. You’re remembering a place you used to visit a lot when you were on Earth. Where is it? Why did you go there that often?

8. You’ve received a strange transmission from a nearby planet. What does it say? Did you hallucinate it?

Gear

Nothing lasts forever, and your equipment is the ultimate shield against the harshness of space. It is essential you keep your gear in good shape. If damaged, fix it ASAP.

Gear (d10)

1. Your suit’s radioactive shield is degrading. You only have a couple of hours of protection left.

2. A crack has formed in the outer layer of your helmet’s visor, making it harder to see and weakening its protection.

3. The air quality inside your suit has just gotten a lot worse.

4. The heat/cold protections of the suit are failing.

5. A part of your suit is showing signs of wear and tear.

6. There’s an oxygen leak in the breathing system, cutting your oxygen supply in half.

7. Your suit’s numerous sensors aren’t sending any signals to your HUD anymore.

8. Your blaster’s battery is drained.

9. There are interferences rendering your suit’s scanners useless.

10. Your drone’s controls are fried and need to be replaced.

Ship

Traveling across the stars would be impossible without your ship, and you never know if the next planet is going to be the last one you ever visit.

Ship (d10)

1. You are almost out of fuel and will need resources to fill up the ship.

2. There are interferences causing the ship’s scanners to malfunction.

3. The ship’s light engine travel calculator is uncalibrated.

4. Toxic gas has damaged the ship’s outer frame.

5. Something is blocking the ventilation system in the ship.

6. Numerous systems have started to overheat as of late.

7. The water filtering systems seem to be having issues.

8. The astro-droid’s battery drains awfully quickly. It will need to be replaced.

9. Something has entered the docking bay and is hidden in the storage room.

10. The electrical systems are acting up, and half of the ship has lost power.

Nomadic Design Points

Your Oracles

The oracles are one of the main components that make Nomadic a truly enjoyable solo experience. The question oracle allows the player to disclaim the decision-making process over basically anything, while the risk oracle helps guide the player as to whether or not they should make checks. Their goal is to help remove indecisiveness as much as possible.

For your game, consider these two oracles and think about whether you may need other tools to help the player make decisions. Are the odds of your oracles decided by the player, or are they tied to the location in which they are used?

Your Resource Tracks

Nomadic is part solo experience, part resource management. The resource tracks help pace the different phases and narrative triggers of the game over time. Additionally, these tracks are amazing at guiding the types of consequences you get from trying to perform a dangerous asking.

For your game, consider the types of tracks you want to have. What are the core aspects that the character can sacrifice to pursue their journey? Are all tracks the same length, or are some shorter or longer? What happens when a track is filled? Are there ways to clear the tracks over time, or is marking a box a permanent action until all of them are filled?

Your Resources

What are Gasps

Gasps are additional mechanics and rules that you can add in your Breathless games to mimic certain types of gameplay or to tailor the game to a specific themes.

The Gasps hosted here were developed by numerous members of the Fari RPGs Community. You will then find information about their respective authors and links to their games, so go support those amazing creators!

Licensing

All Gasps listed here have been open licensed, and all creators who have submitted those additional mechanics have done so knowing that the original Breathless CC-BY license encompasses the legal rights to their work. This means that creators using a Gasp aren’t legally required to include an additional license, apart from the original Breathless attribution text, in their game.

That being said, each Gasp includes a small license blurb that designers are highly encouraged to include in their game to give proper attribution to the original Gasp creators.

Releasing a Gasp

Want to release your own Gasp to the community? Here’s the format you need to use, then simply contact us to submit your Gasp, and we’ll add it to the list!

# {Title}

{title} is a Gasp designed by {author} of {design studio} used in {game} that {description}.

{itch widget}

## Rule

{rule text}

> ### Designer Notes
>
> {notes}

## Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the {name} Gasp, designed by {author} of {design studio}.

The Boy is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies of Fari RPGs inspired by God of War, for use in Breathless. It introduces a solo companion system where your character’s “son” is represented by a separate stat die, reflecting his mood, energy, and ability to help.

Rule

• Your companion is tracked as a separate stat die (d10, d8, d6, d4), representing his current mood, energy, and willingness to assist.
• As the adventure progresses, you can use the Boy die to tackle tasks instead of using your normal stats. When you do, roll the Boy die and interpret the result as a normal check.
• Each time you use the Boy die for a check, it steps down one level (d10 → d8 → d6 → d4), just like your normal stats. The Boy die cannot go lower than d4.
• The Boy die resets to its original rating when you Catch your Breath, just like your other stats.
• As you explore the world and want to know how your companion reacts, match his current die level with one of the following tables. Each table represents a different level of mood or energy.

Designer Notes

This Gasp models the emotional and physical toll of adventure on a close companion, inspired by the dynamic between Kratos and Atreus in God of War. The Boy Die creates narrative variety, introduces new complications, and encourages scenes of rest and connection. Adjust the prompt tables to fit your game’s tone or the specific relationship between characters.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off The Boy Gasp, designed by René-Pier Deshaies of Fari RPGs.

d10 — Confident

d8 — Curious/Investigative

d6 — Tired/Cranky

d4 — Extenuated/Withdrawn

Adventure Frame is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs used in Renegades that easily allows the creation of adventure modules for Breathless games.

Rule

The Adventure Frame format divides the plot into many events that the player characters (PCs) will need to resolve in order to move forward with the story. This format gives you just enough flavor to get started while keeping things flexible for when players will do something unexpected.

When bad rolls appear, or when you need to raise tension, introduce new complications, but if none directly matches the fiction, take a random one and adapt it to the story. There is no wrong way to play this, so if the players don’t follow the events to the letter, find a new way to stitch things back together later.

### The Premise

_{Premise short description.}_

### 1. {Event Name}

_{Event short description.}_

**Goal:** {2-3 goals for the players to accomplish.}

**Scene:** {3-5 descriptors for the GM to get a sense of the scene.}

**Complications:** {2-3 complications for the GM to use in case something bad happens}

Designer Notes

Adventure Frames have been designed especially for Breathless games. Since no plot survives an encounter with the players, Adventure Frames focus on goals, scene descriptors, and complications. This leaves a lot of space for the GM to change the story on the fly, and just glue things back together when necessary.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Adventure Frame Gasp, designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs.

Crafting is a Gasp designed by Liv Merryman of Liv’s Game Corner, used in The Last of Us to simulate the post-apocalyptic scavenging (using Breathless loot checks) and crafting of gear that appears in the video games of the same name. This Gasp is generalized for adaptation into whatever context you desire for your system.

Rule

Once you have some scavenging materials (which you can gain via Breathless’s base rules for Loot Checks), you can craft useful materials you’ll need to survive. Based on how well players do on loot checks, they’ll be able to collect anywhere from ⅓ of a material to a full material. They’ll need full materials to craft items.

Players can carry up to three crafted items at once, as they will count as items in your Backpack. In appropriate situations, they can be used in place of your skills in order to make checks. They each get a die rating, which reduces over time just like skill checks. Once they reach the d4 tier, the item breaks, is lost, or otherwise disappears from use or the story.

Aside from the listed items, you may figure out other things you can craft with the stuff you find scavenging. Decide between players and GM what the rating of the item is, as well as its function. Improvisation is encouraged!

Designer Notes

As the system designer, you’ll need to decide what scavenging materials work best for your system. In The Last of Us, there are 6: Alcohol, Adhesive, Blade, Cloth, Explosive, and Shroud. I don’t recommend more than 6, as you’ll keep track of the amounts of scavenging materials you have on your character sheet.

Below are some crafted item examples from The Last of Us, as well as their uses. You’ll have to decide what the use of each item is in the context of gameplay, as well as a reasonable starting dice rating for that item.

DIY Medkit

• Materials: 1 Alcohol, 1 Cloth
• This removes 2 Stress from 1 Survivor’s Stress meter. Starting rating of d10.

Shiv

• Materials: 1 Adhesive, 1 Blade
• This can be used to kill an Infected or another enemy without being noticed. Can also be used to pick locks. Starting rating of d8.

Nail Bomb

• Materials: 1 Blade, 1 Explosive
• A can of blades that can damage a group of enemies. Rating of d10, decays to d4 immediately.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based on the Crafting Gasp, designed by Liv Merryman of Liv’s Game Corner.

Declare a Truth is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs used in Renegades that allows player more control over the narrative, but like most things Breathless, it might come at a cost.

Rule

When the situation is dire, or if you are looking for a way out, you can declare a new truth about the world. If your fact is a small truth, it just happens, but for big truths the GM adds a “but…” afterwards.

The GM gets the final say on this, so work with them to make sure your fact works well with what has already been established. Once used, you’ll need to “catch your breath” to declare a new truth.

Designer Notes

This simple mechanic gives players a lot of control over the story, and will encourage them to roll less often, since declaring a truth is easier than using a skill. In order to prevent players from becoming too reliant on this, they can only use it once per “catch your breath”. In your game, you might want to rely on another meta-currency or require the players to be in certain situations before they can declare a new truth. The GM can always decide to throw bigger problems at the scene if they feel the new truth is too big, so this usually balance things out fine.

Flashback is a Gasp designed by Patrick Dubuc of Big Bite Games used in Crank It Up! that allows the player to recount a situation that took place in the past that has the potential to change the current scene.

(Crank It Up! is not released yet!)

Rule

A flashback can be triggered anywhere, anytime as long as it is declared and only one flashback is allowed per player/per session. It allows a player to add a new information that becomes true and now exists in the game world. The GM must now take this new information into account.

To determine to which extent did the player’s Flashback is accurate, the GM rolls a D12:

• On a 1-2, the Flashback is highly inaccurate and the GM can use the new information provided to introduce a complication.
• On a 3-4, the Flashback is fairly accurate but the GM can introduce a complication (if desired).
• On a 5+, the Flashback is 100% accurate and the higher the result, the better it helps in the current scene.

Designer Notes

This simple mechanic is similar in purpose as Declare A Truth but with a more random outcome. It gives players some limited control over the story as it unfolds. Letting a Flashback occur only once per player/per gaming session is a way to prevent players from relying solely on the fact that they “can change the story”. If, as a gamemaster you think that once per gaming session is too harsh, you can choose to raise the number of times that the Gasp can be used per gaming session OR allow it to recharge when “Catching Your Breath”.

Example: In a playtest, my son used his cellphone to contact a powerful ally. Without wishing to railroad him, I decided that he was not going to answer the phone. He used his Flashback to recall that that ally had also a pager for emergencies and that he always answer messages on his pager, no matter what … So in the end, he was able to reach his ally and ask for a favor.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Flashback Gasp, designed by Patrick Dubuc of Big Bite Games.

Investigation Checks is a Gasp designed by David Haslem (therabidbanana) to allow games with investigative focus to present players with opportunities to gather clues, and then roll to determine if their theory is sound. It is used in Task Force JADE.

Rule

When players encounter an opportunity to gather evidence that might help them understand what they are investigating, they may make an investigation check. This check works like a loot check and yields clues. These clues can be rolled to build a theory that might help solve a case or deal with a threat.

Investigation Check

When you do an investigation check, roll a d20.

• On a 1, something bad happens.
• On a 2-14, you find a d4 clue.
• On a 15-16, you find a d6 clue.
• On a 17-18, you find a d8 clue.
• On a 19-20, you find a d10 clue.

Using Clues

When players are ready to make a theory from the clues they have gathered and resolve their case, they make a statement about the situation and how they plan to solve the problem and make a pool of dice from clues that support this statement. Take the highest value on the following table:

• On a 1-2, your statement is fundamentally flawed and leads you to danger - the GM decides an appropriate complication.
• On a 3-4, your statement is mostly right, but there is a twist - the GM decides what the twist might be.
• On a 5+, your statement is right on - you get a benefit from understanding the problem completely.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Investigation Check Gasp, designed by David Haslem.

Locker is a Gasp designed by Ryan Lucas of https://theyoungking45.itch.io/%7D used in Ore that provides a form of advancement by emphasizing scavenging rolls.

Rule

Characters have additional gear storage that they alone have access to. Though the setting dictates where and what form this takes, this rule refers to additional storage as the “Locker” to differentiate from a Character’s “Backpack.”

The Locker allows Characters to bring scavenged equipment back after a successful (or at least survived) adventure. Each Locker has 3 slots for items. Before an adventure, Characters may freely decide what is stored in their Locker and what comes along in their Backpack.

Designer Notes

The Locker does a few things for the themes and focus of your game: It enables a sort of Character “advancement” that doesn’t rely on experience or boosting Skills - you instead “level up” via gear. It also emphasizes scavenge rolls and loot in general. Lockers presuppose a “home base” and work best when sessions are more “mission focused” with some kind of downtime in between.

Whether the other Characters can recover the contents of a deceased/vanished comrade’s Locker is at your discretion. It may require some challenge (such as recovering the victim’s eye for use on a retinal scanner!)

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Locker Gasp, designed by Ryan Lucas.

The Oracles is a Gasp designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs used in Nomadic, Stoneburner and Tales of the Burned Stones that easily adds solo oracles to Breathless games.

Rule

The Game

As you play the game, go through the following steps:

1. […]
2. […]
3. […]
4. […]

If your character’s action isn’t directly involved in your question, use the Question Oracle to get your answer.

If your character is directly performing an action and the outcome is in doubt, use the Risk Oracle to know how it goes.

Question Oracle

To disclaim decision-making over something, ask a yes/no question imagining the outcome, and roll a die based on the odds of it being positive.

• If it is very unlikely: roll a d4.
• If it is unlikely: roll a d6.
• If it is likely: roll a d8.
• If it is very likely: roll a d10.
• If it is almost certain: roll a d12.

Then, interpret the result:

• On a 1-2, the answer is “No, and…”.
• On a 3-4, the answer is “Yes, but…”.
• On a 5+, the answer is “Yes, and…”.

Risk Oracle

When you attempt something challenging, roll a die based on your level of control over the current situation. When in doubt, use a d6.

• If the situation is chaotic, roll a d4.
• If the situation is precarious, roll a d6.
• If the situation is manageable, roll a d8.
• If the situation is predictable, roll a d10.
• If the situation is stable, roll a d12.

Then, interpret the result:

• On a 1-2, the situation is very risky. Make a perilous check.
• On a 3-4, the situation is risky. Make a check.
• On a 5+, the situation is not risky. You simply do it.

Check

When you use the risk oracle and the situation is risky or perilous, you make a check to see how it plays out. Pick the skill that best matches what you are trying to accomplish, roll the die that matches its rating, and interpret the result.

• On a 1-2, you fail, and there’s an additional complication. Mark one box on a resource track of your choice. Two boxes if the situation was perilous.
• On a 3-4, you succeed, but there’s a complication. Mark one box on a resource track of your choice. Two boxes if the situation was perilous.
• On a 5+, you succeed. The higher the result, the better the effect.

Then, step down the rating of the skill you used by one step (d12 » d10 » d8 » d6 » d4). Skills cannot go lower than a d4.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Oracles Gasp, designed by René-Pier Deshaies-Gélinas of Fari RPGs.

Survivor Points is a Gasp designed by Andrew Boyd of Pandion Games that allows characters to become better suited and potentially survive longer in harsh environments.

Rule

This advancement system is written to be used with Breathless by Fari RPGs and any game game based on Breathless. While many Breathless games are purposefully difficult, Survivor Points allows your characters to become better suited and potentially survive longer in their new found environment.

Earning Survivor Points

Earn one Survivor Point for each Stress you end the session with. Survivor Points can accumulate.

Spending Survivor Points (SP)

Survivor Points can be spent in two ways: Before the Session and During the Session.

Before the Session

• Skill Advancement (once per session) - Spend 1 SP to increase a Skill by 1 rating up to a max of d10. Each additional Skill Advancement costs an additional 1SP.
• Item Improvement - Spend 1 SP to increase an Item you hold by 1 rating (max of d10).
• Stress Reduction - Spend 1 SP to remove 2 Stress.

During the Session

• Stress Reduction - Spend 1 point to remove 1 Stress.
• Avoid Consequences - When you roll or take an action that would incur a consequence, spend 1SP and avoid it instead.
• Adrenaline - Spend 1SP to fully recharge 1 Skill without a consequence.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Survivor Points Gasp, designed by Andrew Boyd of Pandion Games.

Talents is a Gasp designed by Groov of Groov Games used in Critterforce 5 that emphasizes unique character mechanics and advancement. This Gasp makes characters just a little bit stronger by giving them small passive effects, or a larger once-a-session ability.

Rule

Once at character creation and after story milestones, players may choose or create their own Talent to represent a slight edge the character has. Each Talent may be used once a session unless it says otherwise. Most will use one of the following templates:

When you use your stunt, you can do something nearly superhuman or supernatural.

“When I use my stunt, I can summon a lightning storm.”

“When I use my stunt, I can reveal that an NPC was me all along!”

You gain a +2 bonus on a narrow use of an action. You can use this after a roll.

“I get a +2 bonus when using Bash to strike while hidden.”

“I get a +2 bonus when using Talk to gather information”

You gain a specific narrative freedom. These are usually passive and ongoing.

“I always know when someone is lying to me”

“If there’s ever a question of who acts first, it’s me.”

You gain a game specific bonus. Depending on the game, some of these may be passive and ongoing, while others are usable once as usual.

“I can hold an extra item in my backpack.”

“I can avoid the consequences of one roll when assisting someone else.”

Designer Notes

Talents, Masteries, Upgrades, or whatever you decide to call them will vary a lot from game to game, and there will always be players wanting to come up with their own. In your game, include 5 or 10 so your players understand the bounds of this Gasp in your game.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Talents Gasp, designed by Groov of Groov Games.

Transformation is a Gasp designed by Nick Potter of Sustain a Spell used in Let’s Be Magical! that models empowering transformations for magical girl, super sentai, or other similar character types.

Rule

When you transform, you are filled with power and confidence. All of your skills increase by one level while transformed, and lower one level when your transformation ends. If any of your skills are at a d4 by the time you end your transformation or if you Catch Your Breath while transformed, you take one point of stress.

Designer Notes

This mechanic is intended to provide a mechanical representation of the battle transformations seen in anime or sentai — it can be magical girls, Power Rangers, Super Saiyans, or any other sort of powerup meant for battle.

It obviously provides a power boost, and can help the players tackle harder obstacles and challenges, but it comes with the downside of possible Stress and limiting Catch Your Breath opportunities.

You can feel free to alter it as you wish, introducing threats that can only be taken while transformed, or removing the drawback entirely to just add a bit of a power fantasy to the game.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Transformation Gasp, designed by Nick Potter of Sustain a Spell.

Mythos and Eldritch Artifacts is a Gasp designed by Dylan Greene of Silver Lantern Games used in Unseen that models eldritch influence and how it interacts with eldrtich artifacts and weapons.

Rule

Mythos

Mythos begins with a d4 rating for all characters. The more you interact with eldritch beings, artifacts, and rituals, the higher its die value goes— capping out at d10. This represents your knowledge and awareness of the Great Old Ones. Unlike other die rolls, you want to roll low. Your Mythos resets when you catch your breath.

• 1-2,success
• 3-4, success with a cost
• 5+, failure

Using Eldritch Artifacts and Rituals:

Using an eldritch artifact or ritual will always give you the maximum die value (a d6 is always 6, d8 is always 8, d10 is always 10). But it costs a point of stress. It will also increase your Mythos skill rating. Eldritch power emanates from the object, you must make a successful Mythos roll if you want to discard it. If you succeed at a cost, the artifact will return at a later point or the ritual will have unintended consequences.

Designer Notes

I wanted to bring Cthulhu Mythos rules to Breathless. It was designed to interact with Breathless’s base “catch your breath” mechanic and I wanted to avoid adding a separate “sanity” attribute. Additionally, making the eldritch artifacts and rituals powerful adds a risk/reward tradeoff as opposed to giving the player no reason to interact with artifacts and rituals.

Attribution

This game uses mechanics based off the Mythos and Eldritch Artifacts Gasp, designed by Dylan Greene of Silver Lantern Games.