RIVEN is a solo-first narrative wargame for 1–3 models. You play a small warband (or a single hero) through procedurally generated missions, dungeon crawls, and campaigns — no GM required.
It uses a two-tier dice engine: a d6 activation pool (borrowed from Song of Blades and Heroes) that creates meaningful risk with every model activation, and a 2d6 test engine (in the tradition of World of Dungeons and Ironsworn) that produces narrative outcomes — not just pass/fail.
The same rules run two settings: low-magic iron-age fantasy and hard sci-fi exploration. Same stats, same tables, different flavour overlay.
Each model has four attributes rated 1–5 and a Mettle tier. Starting heroes distribute 9 points across the four attributes (no attribute above 4 at creation).
Mettle is not rolled as an attribute. It is an assigned tier that determines how reliably a model activates. Higher-quality models have lower Mettle thresholds.
RIVEN uses two distinct dice systems for two distinct purposes. Learn them both on Day 1 — they are both simple.
Before activating a model, choose to roll 1, 2, or 3 d6 dice. Roll each die independently against that model's Mettle threshold. A die that meets or beats the threshold is a success; a die below it is a failure.
| Result | Actions | Turn |
|---|---|---|
| 0 successes | No actions | Passes to opponent immediately |
| 1 success + any failures | 1 action | Passes to opponent after |
| 1 success, no failures | 1 action | Activate another model or pass |
| 2 successes | 2 actions | Activate another model or pass |
| 3 successes | 3 actions | Activate another model or pass |
Turns alternate between you and your opponent. In solo play, the Enemy Oracle governs how enemy models activate (see the Oracle module).
Whenever the outcome of an action is uncertain — attacking, climbing, persuading, casting, hacking — roll 2d6 + the relevant attribute against a target number (TN).
| Roll (2d6 + Attribute) | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2–5 | Miss | Fail with a complication. Something gets worse. Consult the Complication Oracle. |
| 6–8 | Partial | Success, but at a cost. You do it — but something else goes wrong. |
| 9–11 | Hit | Clean success. You do it, no cost. |
| 12+ | Critical | Exceptional outcome. +1 Momentum token to the warband pool. |
| Difficulty | TN | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 6 | Routine actions under mild pressure |
| Standard | 8 | Default for most tests in dangerous situations |
| Hard | 10 | Challenging conditions or skilled opposition |
| Brutal | 12 | Near-impossible; reserved for pivotal moments |
Each success in the activation roll grants one action. Choose from the list below. A model may take the same action multiple times if it earns multiple actions.
When two models are in base contact and melee occurs, both roll 2d6 + Might simultaneously. Neither side is passive.
| Outcome | Effect |
|---|---|
| Tie | Parry — nothing happens. Both hold their ground. |
| Win by 1–4 | Opponent recoils 2" directly away. May trigger a Morale test. |
| Win by 5+ | Opponent takes 1 wound. |
| Winner doubles loser's total | Critical hit — 1 wound and the loser gains the Dazed condition. |
Outnumbered: -1 to your roll per additional enemy in base contact beyond the first.
Charging: +2 to the first strike only (the Charge action bonus).
The attacker rolls 2d6 + Agility vs the target's Evasion TN.
| Cover | Evasion TN |
|---|---|
| No cover | 8 |
| Soft cover (foliage, partial) | 10 |
| Hard cover (walls, stone) | 12 |
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| Miss | Shot goes wide. Roll Complication Oracle. |
| Partial | 1 wound, but attacker loses cover or exposes position. |
| Hit | 1 wound. |
| Critical | 1 wound and the target is pushed back 3". |
Cannot shoot into melee unless the shooter is adjacent to a friendly model in that melee.
A model reduced to 0 wounds is Down — not dead. It cannot activate. At the end of each of its turns, roll 1 activation die vs its Mettle threshold. Failure = the model is Out (removed from the battle).
An ally within 3" may spend 1 action to stabilise a Down model, stopping the Out rolls. The model remains Down but stable.
Failed morale is not abstract. It causes a model to physically move toward the nearest table edge. This creates real tactical cascades — panicking troops may flee into the open, pull away from objectives, or fall off the board entirely.
Morale triggers:
Morale test: Roll 1 activation die vs the model's Mettle threshold. On a failure, the model moves d6+3" directly toward the nearest table edge. If it reaches the edge, it is removed.
Momentum is a shared pool of tokens for the whole warband (or a personal pool in solo hero mode). It represents building advantage, narrative flow, and the warband pressing their edge.
| Generate | Spend |
|---|---|
| Any 2d6 test results in a Critical (+1) | Reroll one die before resolving a test |
| Complete a mission objective (+1) | Boost a result one tier (Miss → Partial, Partial → Hit) |
| A model uses the Focus action (+1) | Give another model a bonus action this round |
| Certain Talents (listed on the Talent) | Activate abilities with a Momentum cost |
Strain is individual to each model. It represents physical and mental pressure. Each model's Strain track maximum equals Wit × 2.
Using Strain: Spend 2 Strain to convert one Miss into a Partial result (once per test).
Exceeding the maximum: When a model's Strain exceeds its track, it gains one of the following Conditions:
The Rest action removes 4 Strain (no movement, no attack that activation).
Roll 1–3 d6 vs Mettle threshold
0 successes = pass turn
1 success + failures = 1 action, pass turn
1 success, clean = 1 action, continue
2 successes = 2 actions, continue
3 successes = 3 actions, continue
2–5 = Miss + complication
6–8 = Partial — success with cost
9–11 = Hit — clean success
12+ = Critical — exceptional + Momentum
Tie = Parry, nothing
Win 1–4 = recoil 2"
Win 5+ = 1 wound
Double = 1 wound + Dazed
Easy = TN 6
Standard = TN 8
Hard = TN 10
Brutal = TN 12
RIVEN v0.1 — Core Rules | gamerofthenorth.com | Free to use and share