The Story Building Game

The Story Building Game is a Tabletop Roleplaying Game ("TTRPG") similar to Dungeons and Dragons ("D&D") but with far fewer rules to get in the way of whimsical creativity. I made this game for the kids at my TTRPG Basics and Safety camp that I run each year at the JCC in Louisville, and in 2025 one of the kids wanted to run their adventure for their parents, so I made this webpage as a resource for parents to recap what we learned in camp and to be able to offer printable character sheets.

> D&D is to TTRPG as Kleenex is to Tissue Paper

The Story Building Game follows the same cycle of gameplay that all TTRPGs abide by: (1) Describe, (2) React, (3) Resolve.

It also divides the players into two groups: the Game Master ("GM") and the Character Masters ("CMs"). GMs are in charge of describing the world, playing the supporting cast of characters, known as NPCs (Non-Player Characters) and applying the rules of the game when necessary. CMs are in charge of a single character known as a PC (Player Character), who will be a main character in the adventure. If you have more than one PC, all the PCs form the "Party" of adventurers.

1) Describe

The GM is in charge of Describing the Scene.

Something like: "You arrive at the docks where a lone, empty ship sits. The ropes are loose but still holding, and there is a gang plank resting on the side of the boat and the side of the dock."

2) React

The CMs are in charge of Reacting to the GM's Description of the Scene.

Something like: "My character wants to walk near the boat and call out HELLO! ANYBODY HOME?" or "I walk across the gang plank and look across into the boat, do I see anything or anyone?"

> CMs can refer to their PCs by their name/in the third person or by using first person pronouns like I/me/my/mine, both are very normal. Each CM can choose what they find most comfortable.

3) Resolve

The GM is in charge of Resolving the CM's Reaction to the Scene.

That is to say, the GM decides if they think the Reaction succeeds, fails, or has a chance to either succeed or fail.

Something like: "You can walk up and call out HELLO! ANYBODY HOME?" (The GM thinks this has no chance of failure, so they allow it) or "The gang plank is a bit rickety, so I want you to make a Focus Check to see if you can safely walk across it." (The GM thinks there's a chance of both success and failure, so they call for a Check to help them resolve.

> See the section about "Rolling Dice" for how Checks work.

Since Resolve is followed by Describe again, and since both Resolve and Describe are the GM's job, it is common for GMs to combine the two.

Something like: "You walk up and call out HELLO! ANYBODY HOME? only to be met with silence... for about three seconds before before you hear a hearty voice call back WHO GOES THERE?"

Game Resources

Blank Sheets & Core Guidelines

Page 1 = Blank Character Sheet

Page 2 = Character Sheet Explanation

Page 3 = Blank Adventure Sheet (One-Shot = a standalone adventure)

Page 4 = Adventure Sheet Guidelines



9 Blank Monster or NPC Stat Blocks...

Rolling Dice

Whenever a CM ("Character Master") wants to do something that might fail or might succeed (such as talking their way into a private club, jumping across a large pit, or attacking something) the GM can call for a "Check". When this happens, it is because the GM wants to use dice and stats to check if the PC succeeds or fails at this particular action.

A Check has 3 parts: the Difficulty or "DC", choosing the stat/bonus that applies, and rolling the dice.

> The type of die used in The Story Building Game is a "d20" or twenty-sided die where the values of each die face start at 1 and progress to 20.

1) Setting the Difficulty

The GM will set the Difficulty or (if an NPC is being attacked) look at the Defense of the NPC. This will be a number between 5 and 30.

• 5 = Easy
• 10 = Average
• 15 = Hard
• 20 = Very Hard
• 25+ = "Impossible"

2) Choosing the Applicable Stat

After setting the Difficulty, the GM will also say what Stat applies to the roll.

For our example of "talking their way into a private club", they might say this is a Charm Roll or a Charm Check.

3) Rolling the Dice

The CM then rolls their d20 and adds their Charm Bonus to the dice roll.

• If this total is equal to or greater than the Difficulty, then the PC succeeds! To help us remember this, we use the mnemonic phrase "Meets it beats it!"
• If the total is less than the Difficulty, then the PC fails at this particular action. Remember, failure doesn't mean we lose—failing makes the game more interesting and gives us more to overcome!

In general, if a CM rolls a "Nat 1" it is a "Critical Fail" and if they roll a "Nat 20" it is a "Critical Success" or a "Critical Hit".

> If rolling a Nat 1 doesn't cause a failure, that means that the Difficulty was set too low (if there's no chance of failure, there's no need to roll), and similarly if a Nat 20 doesn't succeed then the Difficulty was set too high (if there's no chance for success, there's no need to roll).

Special Rule: If a CM rolls a Nat 20 on an Attack, they deal double their usual Damage! We call this a "Critical Hit" or just a "Crit" for short!



You can add legos into the mix with a special Master Builder rules addition!

> We call PCs "Master Builders" when using the lego inspired rules!

Master Builder Skill

On a CM's turn, they can roll a d20 and use that many lego pieces to start or continue building a lego creation.

Once the lego creation is finished, it becomes a temporary item their Master Builder can use within the scene!



In a fight, an NPC (often a monster, but sometimes just another character) only has four essential stats: Max HP, DEFENSE, ATTACK Bonus, and DAMAGE dealt on a hit.



Small Monster

• ♡ x 1 Max HP
• 10 Defense
• -1 Attack Bonus
• ♥︎ x ½ Damage

Medium Monster

• ♡ x 3 Max HP
• 13 Defense
• +2 Attack Bonus
• ♥︎ x 1 Damage
  

Big Monster

• ♡ x 5 Max HP
• 16 Defense
• +4 Attack Bonus
• ♥︎ x 1½ Damage
  

Big Bad Boss Monster

• ♡ x 7 Max HP
• 19 Defense
• +5 Attack Bonus
• ♥︎ x 2½ Damage
  

Dying Isn't Usually Very Fun

In The Story Building Game, PCs and NPCs don't die when they reach 0 HP, they are simply unconscious or out of commission for a little bit.

> The only way for a PC to die is if their CM says they're going to make a heroic sacrifice!

Marking Damage

In case I didn't mention it in the downloadable Character Sheet Guidelines, you mark Damage by filling in the Hearts under your HP. There isn't an emoji for half a heart of damage, but you can just fill in half a heart.

> Full Health with 4 Max HP: ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

> Half Health with 4 Max HP: ♡ ♡ ♥︎ ♥︎

> Also half Health with 4 Max HP: ♥︎ ♥︎ ♡ ♡

Taking Turns

When you're not in a fight, there isn't a set turn order. The GM will usually describe things until either a CM interrupts them or the GM asks the CMs what they want to do.

> If you're the GM, don't hog the spotlight too much and try to spread it around all the other players. If you're a CM, you'll have moments to shine but you should also try not to hog the spotlight. If you notice someone hasn't been involved for a little bit, ask them what they think their character wants to do.

When you're in a fight, each PC and each NPC in the fight should get 1 turn before anyone else gets to take a second turn.

> We call the time it takes for everyone to get 1 turn a "Round".

If the monster or NPC surprised the PCs, then the monster should go first. Otherwise, the PCs go first, then the monster, then any other NPCs.

On Your Turn

When it's your turn in a fight, you can do two things: (1) Move and (2) take an Action.

Your PC can move as far as the GM thinks is fair.

> If your PC has a high SPEED bonus, the GM might let your PC move further than a slower character.

Your PC can do 1 big thing on their turn, like attempting to charm someone, attacking, or putting a wheel back on the car they're driving.

We call this your "Action".

> A lot of Actions require a Check.

If your Party has 3 or more PCs in it, the GM might let the Monster have 2 or 3 Actions on their turn. We call this "balancing an encounter" because in general the side who can take the most Actions in a Round wins, and it might be anticlimactic if the big bad evil guy gets taken down before they can do anything.