AxiomRPG is a passion project. A group of old gamers trying to build something to share with the TTRPG community at large.

Welcome to my weekly blog about developing a game system. The active diary of a madman.

First, none of this is particularly unique or industry shattering. It’s math rocks with at least a page of rules and charts. There are so many ‘build a game’ resources available to aid anyone with the patience and time to seek and consume it all. Much of it becomes rather repetitive because 99% of the actual ‘innovations’ have been discovered and refined. In my experience, mechanics are all derivative when you boil them down to the essentials.

This whole exercise started as a “can we do it” discussion after the conclusion of a regular game. Now, over a year into the process, we understand more and realize there’s alot more that goes into a balanced, playable mechanic system.

We started by trying to bolt on and expand an existing minimalist system. Complexity skyrocketed, quality degraded, confusion grew and ultimately it fell flat. Trying to codify house rules into actual rules isn’t as easy as it seems when you’re fundamentally altering how core systems apply.

Then we decided to try and create a ‘new’ system based on what we liked. Getting the “what we liked” part was easy enough, it’s all the other less interesting details that sucked. Only having bi-weekly discussion (in place of actual game time) didn’t really speed things along. Day jobs and real-life distractions are entirely un-helpful.

I began 2026 a bit discouraged. So, I took what we learned and developed through 2025 and began again, starting with some very basic core mechanics. I am shooting for something between legacy crunch and minimal narrative. Many similar modern systems use a 2D6 base, so I started there. I like the idea of escaping the shadow of d20.

The 2026 Math-Rock Essentials

  • All challenges that require a dice roll use 2D6. [effectively managing success-failure
  • Attributes + Talent provide roll modifiers [currently: Attributes up to +3, Talents up to +5]
  • Add the rolled results and any Modifiers
  • Meet or exceed the Threshold

Dis/Advantage

  • Advantage – Add a Die, roll 3D6, keep two highest
  • Disadvantage – Subtract a Die, roll 1D6

Wild Die

  • Explode – Re-roll once and add to the total roll
  • Implode – Drop the highest rolled value

(Optional) Degrees of Success

An optional meta-currency rule.

[‘Pip’ is a working name for now. Still considering application and impact. I like the concept of players being able to affect the action of a scene by spending a limited and random meta currency. This should also apply to GM controlled characters of course. Might require a narrative trigger explaining how the spent Pip manifests.]

  • For every 3 points beyond a Threshold the player earns a Pip. [haven’t played out a scene yet so the target number might increase]
  • Pips are accumulated and used during a single scene

Once per Turn Players can spend a Pip as a Free Action to: [a working list, subject to revision]

  • Add 1 to your roll after it’s been rolled
  • Add 1 to an ally’s roll, declared before they roll
  • re-roll an Imploded Wild Die
  • Apply Advantage to a single roll
  • Apply disadvantage to a single roll
  • Increase an opponent’s Threshold by 1 on a single roll

Pips expire after the scene in which they are generated.

The next post will break down an initial concept for Attributes and Talents.