<aside> This toolkit is meant to be used with a deck of cards, a ten-sided die, and a set of narrative dice from Genesys in order to play the Genesys RPG without a GM. Handle what you can with Genesys rules, and only consult this Oracle if you require new information, or decisions on how NPCs may act; you may find Genesys’ Motivations helpful to these ends, as well.

This tool is adapted from the Apocalypse Solo Engine and the One Page Solo Engine (https://inflatablestudios.itch.io/one-page-solo-engine).

</aside>

How to Play

  1. Set the Scene. “My cop heads to the donut shop.” Not sure? Generate a Plot Hook.
  2. Check for complications. Roll a Scene Complication to see whether the scene unfolds as expected.
  3. Play the scene. Use Genesys rules to resolve actions. Consult oracles when you need answers about unknowns.
  4. Advance when ready. When your character accomplishes their goal in the scene, return to Step 1. Use Pacing Rolls to move the action along, or when you’re unsure what happens next between scenes.

When to Use Which Oracle

This table helps you choose the right tool for the job.

If you need… …use this oracle.
Yes/no answer Binary Question
To know what happens next Pacing Roll
Complications or twists Scene Complications
How big/good/many something is Quality & Quantity
NPC’s attitude toward PC NPC Disposition
What an NPC does NPC Moves
What drives an NPC NPC Motivations
Scenario hook/mission Plot Hook Generator
Scene description, details, fluff Focus Oracles

Cards

This toolkit uses a standard deck of playing cards (with Jokers) for thematic inspiration.

These suits provide consistent thematic context across all card-based oracles, and serves as a “Golden Rule” for when you want to improvise without a table. Each table has their own suits, however, which describe aspects or facets of the thing being generated. (Think, What is the [DOMAIN] of this [RANK]?)

♣ Physical—Force, tangibility, aggression, and the material world.
♦ Technical—Logic, systems, structure, and analysis.
♠ Mystical—The unknown, mystery, intuition, and transformation.
♥ Social—Emotion, connection, ethics, and internal states.

When you draw cards, leave them aside in a discard pile rather than shuffling them back into your deck after each draw. When you draw a Joker, resolve the effect depending on its color, and then shuffle your discard pile back into your deck. For each card oracle, the Joker entry should provide two complete interpretations: Option A and Option B; suit and rank are irrelevant.

Essential Oracles

These are the core tools you’ll use in every session. Master these first.

Scene Complication

Describe where your character is and what they are trying to accomplish, then roll a Scene Complication (⧫⧫⧫⧫).

The purpose of the complication is to determine whether the scene unfolds as expected and described, or if something unexpected happens, or whether a detail about the scene has been altered. Each result axis provides a separate element—combine them to understand the full situation.

Scene Complications