Free to Download: Aetherfly Games publishes RPXpress Basic

RPXpress Basic is a free download on DriveThruRPG from Gary Lange and Aetherfly Games.

The name says it all; it’s basic and quick. I argue that it works and gives you a direct insight RPXpress.

How basic is it? The download is barely over a page long and is essentially a single table with instructions on how to use it.

I won’t share the table here, I think it’s fair to let Aetherflyer Games grow their permission-based email list of DriveThruRPG customers who download it, but I will explain it.

Across the top of the table is the challenge and down the left is your action skill. In combat, this same table becomes defender and attacker. Where the rows and columns align, you’ll find the target number for a d20.

For example, a “Moderate ” challenge versus an Action of “Heroic” gives us a score of 5. In RPXpress, you’ll need to roll 5 or more on a d20 to succeed.

The rest of the download translates that mechanism into;

Wound Results
Shock Results
Treatment Effects

There are also rules on spending luck points and working out the turn order.

The second page of the freebie gives us a heads up of what Aetherflyer Games are working on;

Coming soon! Aetherflyer Games generic roleplaying rules RPXpress. This elegant rules-light system emphasizes roleplaying. Easy to learn rules and quick character generation allows players to almost immediately begin playing. RPXpress uses common English words to describe skills and attributes. Actions and results are resolved by one d20 roll. One dice to roll them all!

We’re given some ideas;

High Adventure for pulp adventures
HyJynx High School for solving mysteries and fighting monsters
Bronze Heroes for Mycenaean Age gods and more monsters
Swashbuckling Adventure for pirate action
Dwarves in Space as a humourous RPG

At the time of writing, Extraordinary Adventures Players Handbook is already out, a steampunk setting of horror and two-fisted action. It’s 14-pages and $3.00.