Gaming Rules-design note One Hero Engine

One Hero Engine: Solo Play

The solo-play tools for One Hero Engine, centered on the Oracle, Chance and Risk dice, and Twist Points.

Oracle and uncertainty

The Oracle resolves yes/no questions and generates narrative twists.

How It Works:

  1. Ask a yes/no question.
  2. Roll 2d6:
    • Chance Die represents hope/fortune.
    • Risk Die represents danger/chaos.
  3. Add an extra chance or risk die as needed based on Tags or circumstances.

Chance and Risk dice

Die RangeMeaning
1-3Low
4-6High

Oracle results

OutcomeResult
Chance > RiskYes
Risk > ChanceNo
Both dice 1-3Yes/No, but… (drawback)
Both dice 4-6Yes/No, and… (extra benefit)
Equal valuesYes, but… + gain 1 Twist Point

Twist Points

  • You gain 1 Twist Point when dice are equal, a Trait or Spell grants it, or a major failure is narratively impactful.
  • At 3 Twist Points, you must introduce a dramatic twist (e.g., an unexpected NPC, reality warps, or a new threat emerges).
  • You may also spend a Twist Point before reaching 3 to add a complication, alter a scene, or foreshadow danger.

Scene questions and opening play

The current draft clearly supports asking scene-shaping yes/no questions, but it does not give a full formal procedure for preparing scene prompts, setting scene difficulty, or choosing when to cut between scenes.

Rules review required: This procedure is not fully defined in the current published draft.

When to use the Oracle

Use the Oracle when the answer to a yes/no question is uncertain and the draft does not already settle the outcome through a direct rule.

The current published draft does not define a separate scene engine, random event schedule, or formal list of situations where the Oracle must be rolled.

Rules review required: The current source material does not define this procedure consistently.

Oracle examples

Chance 5, Risk 2

  • Chance is higher than Risk.
  • The Oracle answer is Yes.

Chance 4, Risk 4

  • The dice are equal.
  • The Oracle answer is Yes, but…
  • Gain 1 Twist Point.

The earlier combat-oriented example turns used ability names that are not preserved consistently in the current published draft, so they are not treated as authoritative here.

End of article

Part of: One Hero Engine

View the complete series

Continue reading

Series

One Hero Engine

Tags

Solo Rpg One hero engine Homebrew rules