What type of game is Glyfi?

Glyfi is a system that can be used to support a tabletop RPG adventure or be used for making other games! It is a system reference document, or SRD, that can be used to play a game as-is or can be used to build into other games and variations.

Glyfi doesn’t use dice to randomize!

Instead of using dice, Glyfi uses printable tokens that players draw from a cup or other container. As players succeed in challenges throughout the course of the adventure, they can choose additional tokens to add to their cup or boost existing tokens by “forging” them with extra power!

This lets players increase their chances of success later and to pull off some epic magic!

Think of Glyfi like a deck building game where you can tweak your probability over time, except you don’t have to worry about piles of cards that kids may have trouble tracking and reading – you have clear pictures on tokens that you’re matching and earning as you play.

Challenges and encounters in Glyfi

Mechanics are designed to support challenges that players may face, like climbing a mountain or sailing a ship through a storm, and for supporting encounters. Encounters in Glyfi are NOT synonymous with combat since they also include social situations, contests, and much more. The encounter mechanics and sheet are built to support that variety and encourage options beside fighting. You gain prowess from completing both challenges and encounters, and non-violent solutions are rewarded!

The importance of teamwork in Glyfi

Glyfi can be used for solo games, but, when played with a group, players can team up to match their glyphs and utilize stronger magic to overcome larger obstacles together. Challenges and encounters are easily adjustable (with a handy chart included in the game) so you can gage when and how to push for those teamwork moments.

Glyfi guides and sheets based on TTRPGkids learning

When I play a new tabletop RPG (and I play a lot of them because of all the reviews on this blog), I usually make my own quick reference guide, challenge sheet, and encounter sheet to keep track of my notes and keep the system straight. I need this since it can be really hard when I’m trying a new system every week or two.

For Glyfi, I made my typical set of quick reference sheets part of the SRD so you have an easier way to track everything without having to keep going back to the main document. Everything has charts or bullet points in a clear layout that lets you quickly fill in your encounter plans and reference the game rules at a glance.

Glyfi’s character sheet is also streamlined – there’s no stats to track since everything is built from your glyph choices, so it only tracks WHO your character is and their essence (in the form of fill-in bubbles) I wanted this game to be accessible to everyone regardless of reading and math level, so your character sheet covers the who, which kids tend to remember anyway, and the mechanics happen in your glyph vessel instead of in the character sheet.

Bonus Glyfi coloring pages!

At the end of Glyfi, I’ve included some bonus coloring pages of all the glyphs used in the game! Either for grownups who like to color between rounds or kids who need a coloring break to get the wiggles out and shift attention, they’re available and ready for you to use alongside the game!

Am I allowed to use the Glyfi system to publish a game?

Glyfi is a system reference document, or SRD, that can be used to create other games. It is licensed under the Creative Commons in a way that allows other creators (including you) to publish your own adventures, tweaks, and ideas using or based on Glyfi as long as you give credit in your work to the original game. My hope is that you do make games with this and that you have a fun new system (and a new mechanic) that you can enjoy!

Go check out Glyfi!

Check out Glyfi on my itch.io page, and either follow me on itch.io or sign up for the TTRPGkids newsletter to stay up to date on Glyfi adventures and add-ons that I’ll be publishing AND for news on game jams and other events! Thank you, and I hope you enjoy both Glyfi and the rest of the TTRPGkids site!