MARS is a streamlined and extensible Tabletop Roleplaying framework. Perfect for beginners, even better for GMs and Creators.
- Easy to learn
- Streamlined play
- Supports any Setting
- Emphasis on fun and collaborative story-telling
- Notoriously Safe For Work
- Endlessly extensible
- Deep Character growth
- Just one type of dice needed, d20s rock!
Under the MARS Rulesets, Players and NPCs (Non-Player Characters, given life by your GM) can do anything at any time. Your GM guides, narrates and arbitrates the action.
Your goal is to tell a cool story together.
GMs and Players are encouraged to go with the flow, and have fun: Following a narrative-first approach, using the ‘Yes And’ principle and ‘Rule of Cool’ wherever possible.
Three ways to MARS
MARS Core
MARS Core was designed primarily for running One-shots with new Players and has a strong focus on co-creative storytelling at the expense of more nuanced and strategic gameplay. It’s an RPG-on-a-page, so get up and running faster than light with MARS Core!
MARS Advanced
MARS Advanced Modules and Modes build on top of MARS Core and are ideal for more experienced Players who want a richer set of mechanics that provide a little more ‘game’ on top of their ‘narrative’. They’re especially useful for Campaigns where Character progression and rewards are more important.
Mix, Match, Extend
MARS was designed so you can easily mix and match Modules and Modes or design your own and extend the rules in ways that create. the game you want to play. You want powerful Loot but no Magic, you got it! You want Superpowers but no Magic, done! You want Magic, errr, really? Just kidding, all yours!
FAQs
Yet Another TTRPG? Really? Why MARS?
MARS is intended not only as a ruleset for TTRPGs in different Settings to be played. It’s also intended as a framework for GM’s and Creators to build upon and extend the ruleset itself. More than any other RPG System we’ve seen MARS has been set up with a series of consistent building blocks (Modules and Modes) to make it easier for GMs to build on top of, while introducing the least new rules necessary. So it’s as easy as possible to enjoy the type of game you want to be a part of.
So this is all FREE then?
Yes!
MARS Core Rulesets are provided as our gift to you under a Creative Commons License.
We want to see Tabletop Roleplay thriving in a highly cross-compatible way. In a way that’s easy for beginners and yet can scale in complexity to handle the most interesting mechanics as Players and Groups gain experience.
There will be things to buy if you want to support us in our goal, but you will always be able to learn, use the MARS Core rules and build upon them.
This RPG is set in space then I assume?
No! Well, err… that’s up to you.
MARS is designed to be Setting-agnostic. You can run a MARS game in any Setting you choose including but not limited to: High Fantasy, Low Fantasy (like High Fantasy just with Ant-people), Ninja Lizards, Alice in Wonderland or even Steamboat Mickey (because it’s in the Public Domain now too). In fact, if you don’t tell anyone you could probably run your own games set in any IP you choose or any world of your own making!
Just one type of dice?
That’s right! Just the mighty d20, AKA the king of dice.
Most RPG systems use a number of different types of dice for different situations, leading to complexity and often confusion, who needs it!
d20s are the best dice anyway, they provide a wide range of results from low lows to high highs. And who doesn’t love rolling a ‘Natural 20’ and receiving the applause and accolades you deserve for a result that comes around at random a full 5% of the time (we’re only kinda joking).
MARS is a ‘dice pool’ system too, which means you will soon be rolling a fist full of d20s at once and loving every minute of it.
