Aristocracy: One System, Infinite Worlds.

Setting Agnostic

Aristocracy allows you to play any game from high fantasy to space opera. The core rule book contains tools to assist you in building your setting and making sure all the character options within are satisfying for both GM and players. Setting documents called Broadsheets are available for GMs looking for inspiration for their games. Broadsheets contain an overview of a setting, an introductory adventure, and pre-generated characters that allow you to start playing straight away.

GM Run Game - With A Player Driven Twist

Aristocracy is designed for a gamemaster and multiple players. While there is no maximum number, it works best with between three and six people overall. GMs are given a variety of tools to design their campaign; including player facing systems to make sure everyone knows what to expect from the game before the first character is made.

The antagonist system allows even a starting GM to put together a combat scene in seconds, however they see fit. By selecting a power level, a simple template, and a preferred characteristic, a bad guy can be designed and thrown up against the players in moments.

Character careers in Aristocracy are designed as flexible frameworks, not rigid limitations. No matter your choices, you can take your character in whatever arc you choose; a Merchant Prince can be a powerful swordsman, a Veteran can be a cold-blooded corporate socialite. Each career supports multiple play styles, all depending on what you want to play. Moreover, every character can select two careers out of the fifteen provided, meaning no two characters are likely to be alike.

Players in Aristocracy games have access to powerful narrative abilities that allow them to shape the description of a scene and even the course of the current adventure. These abilities mean that no matter what your character build, you’ll have an opportunity to show off during the game.

Every Aristocracy campaign is a collaboration between GM and their players; eveyone gets a chance to contribute.

Flexible Characters - Built The Way You Want

Fun, Fast, Unpredictable Conflict

Conflict in Aristocracy is fast and flexible, and does not require learning additional sub-systems. The same system used for combat is used for social conflicts, investigating a murder, acquiring new equipment, moving through dangerous environments, and almost any other situation where success matters and the situation can change in a heartbeat.

Character species options are tied to their physiological abilities, rather than a specific race or breed. You can choose from classic styles of character such as the hardy and versatile Protagonists or powerful Brutes, or you could choose an Uplifted animal, energy-charged Elemental, or a Drone - the local body of a Hive Mind or AI.

Players in Aristocracy use experience to advance their characters. You can choose exactly where this experience goes, allowing you to increase your skills and characteristics for more reliable rolls, or unlock powerful new abilities.

Equipment serves to enhance your character, not the other way around. You can choose the gear you think is the coolest, without being penalised for taking something less efficient. A knife throwing assassin is no less powerful than one that prefers a sniper rifle - they’re just different.

There’s nothing standing in the way of you making your character the way you want to.

The damage system in Aristocracy focuses on changing the situation the characters find themselves in, rather than just reducing a number to zero. The damage system is fast and flexible, and often changes the battlefield in ways that encourage players to rethink their tactics and objectives on the fly. Damage is a narrative, rather than numeric, result; a gunshot can drive an enemy to cover, knock a weapon out of their hands, set them up for your friend’s attack, or take them out for good - it’s your choice.

In addition to worrying about their physical health, characters in Aristocracy can be in different types of danger. Push your abilities too far and you may find Enemies from your past appear to cause trouble, some of your closest held Secrets may be released, or you may completely lose control of your Power.
Every danger type uses the same system. Whether you’re attempting to increase a rival politician’s Enemies danger, or indimidating a bandit to increase their Willpower danger, you only need to learn one simple set of rules.

Aristocracy

One System, Infinite Worlds