Unisystem

Infobox RPG
title=Unisystem


caption=Unisystem logo
designer=C.J. Carella
publisher=Eden Studios, Inc.
date=2003
genre=Universal
issystem=t
footnotes=

"Unisystem" is a generic role-playing game system produced by Eden Studios, Inc. It is used in "All Flesh Must Be Eaten",cite web
last=Baugh
first=Bruce
title=Review of All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Revised Edition
accessdate= 2007-10-14
url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10049.phtml
publisher=RPGnet
month=January
year=2004] the Buffyverse role-playing games, "CJ Carella's WitchCraft", "Conspiracy X (2nd Ed.)",cite web
url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12262.phtml
last=Richeson
first=Christopher
title=Review of Conspiracy X Second Edition
publisher=RPGnet
year=2006
accessdate=2007-10-14] and several other games. Games designed using "Unisystem" have been nominated for, [cite web
title=Origins Awards 2006 Nominees List
publisher= GamingReport.com
url=http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=20532
accessdate=2007-10-14] and won, [cite web
title=Origins Award Winners for 2003 and Hall of Fame Inductees
last=White |first=Damon |publisher=GamingReport.com |month=June| year=2004
url=http://www.gamingreport.com/article.php?sid=13423&mode=thread] Origins Awards.

"Unisystem" was developed by C.J. Carella for the first editions of his "WitchCraft"cite web|url=http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7443.html| title=CJ Carella's WitchCraft (Review)| last=Davenport| first=Dan| publisher=RPGnet| year=2002| month=October| accessdate=2007-10-14] and "Armageddon" role-playing games,cite web
url=http://scifi411.com/Opinion/interview-eden.html
title=Interview with M. Alexander Jurkat
publisher=Sci•Fi 411 [http://www.scifi411.com/index.html]
last=Pyle
first=Marx
accessdate=2007-10-14] [cite web
title=Interview with CJ Carella
url=http://www.flamesrising.com/interview-with-cj-carella/
publisher=FlamesRising.com (webzine)
date=2005-01-10
accessdate=2008-02-19] published from Myrmidion Press. Eden Studios uses "Unisystem" under an exclusive license, but has offered other game companies to license the system from them. Eden Studios published "WitchCraft 2nd Edition" and their original "All Flesh Must Be Eaten" games as "Unisystem" games. "Armageddon 2nd Edition" and a new 2nd Edition of Eden's own "Conspiracy X" were later published, also using this gaming system. [cite web | title = What and Who is Eden Studios| publisher = Eden Studios| url = http://www.edenstudios.net/edeninfo.htm| format = bios, information| accessdate = 2008-02-19]

Gameplay

"Unisystem" games use a point-buy system to generate characters. Points are then spent on Attributes, Skills, Qualities and Metaphysics. Drawbacks can then be used to gain extra points.

Attributes represent the character's main six abilities, which in this case are three physical attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution; and three mental attributes: Intelligence, Perception, Willpower.cite web| url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12023.phtml| title=Review of Army of Darkness Roleplaying Game| publisher=RPGnet| year=2006| month=March| accessdate=2007-10-14] Characters also have a variety of Skills, and Qualities and Drawbacks to give the character added perks or faults (respectively). Other Qualities and Drawbacks are of a Supernatural sort and are used to designate a character as a particular type of character (be it a Gifted human, a Vampyre, a Spirit, and so on) or detail what sort of magic they can do.

Actions are resolved by adding together the character's relevant Attribute, the applicable Skill, and a ten-sided die roll, plus any modifiers for difficulty; if the total is nine or greater, the action succeeds. Gamemasters (called 'Chroniclers' in "Classic", and 'Directors' in "Cinematic Unisystem") are also given tables of successes: characters that get a higher roll than the required nine have bonuses on their final outcome; this table describes how successful they turn out to be, and gives guidelines to figure out the resulting bonuses.

"Classic" versus "Cinematic"

"Unisystem" can be divided into two sub-systems; "Classic" and "Cinematic". "Classic Unisystem" was developed first and is featured in "All Flesh Must Be Eaten", "Armageddon", "Conspiracy X 2.0", "Terra Primate" [cite journal
title=Pyramid Review: Terra Primate
url=http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/login/article.html?id=3177
journal=Pyramid (online)
publisher=Steve Jackson Games
last=Pook
first=Matthew
date=2002-12-27
accessdate=2008-02-19] and "WitchCraft". It is typified by grittier, more realistic play, greater attention to detail in skills and combat, and the use of Secondary Attributes that are typically derived from the Primary Attributes. Essence, or the measure of life-force and magic, is also central to "Classic Unisystem" play.

"Cinematic Unisystem" was designed to mimic the “cinematic” exploits of characters. First developed for the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Roleplaying Game", [cite web|title=Buffy the Vampire Slayer Roleplaying Game: Designer Notes|last=Carella |first=C. J. |publisher=Games Unplugged| month=July |year=2002| pages=25 |url=http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showarticle&articleid=4101] cite web
url=http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7083.html
title=Buffy the Vampire Slayer Role Playing Game (Capsule Review)
last=White
first=Alex
publisher=RPGnet
month=May| year=2002
accessdate=2007-10-14] it was later adopted for use in "Angel", [cite web
url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10947.phtml
title=Review of Angel Roleplaying Game
last=Davenport
first=Dan
publisher=RPGnet
date=2005-01-03
accessdate=2008-03-07] "Army of Darkness" and "Ghosts of Albion". "Cinematic" features a limited set of skills that cover most situations, no Secondary Attributes or Essence, simplified combat and flat damage resolution. "Cinematic" games also feature the use of Drama Points which allow the character to do things above and beyond what they could do under the system alone.

The chief difference between the systems are the use (or lack of) Drama Points, and differences in magic sub-systems; essence-based vs. Sorcery/Magic.

Despite the differences the two are still largely compatible, though every "Cinematic Unisystem" game offers an appendix for a more complete conversion and the "Buffy RPG"’s Magic Box supplement offers an appendix on converting between "Buffy"’s Sorcery magic system and "Classic Unisystem’s WitchCraft RPG" based essence.

"Beyond Human" is a more complete merging of the two game systems.

References