Minimalist mechanics for maximum story—everything you need to start playing now
Ensemble’s core rules are intentionally compact so the focus stays on what happens in the fiction. Everything revolves around descriptive Tags, the Chance/Risk Dice mechanic, and clear procedures for conversation at the table.
Tags are short, powerful descriptors that define characters, places, objects, and situations. Instead of numbers, you write things like Wood Elf Archer, Cursed by Shadow, Flickering Torchlight, or Crumbling Bridge—phrases that both describe and invite action.
Common types of Tags include:
Character Traits: Concept, Skills, Frailties, Motives, Relationships, Goals, Conditions, Gear.
Details: environmental and situational features like Spice Aroma, Luminous Ice, or Laughter and Songs.
Conditions: temporary states such as Severely Wounded, Terrified, Recognized Hero, or Cursed.
Tags matter whenever they are relevant to what is happening. If a Tag helps, it usually grants Chance Dice; if it hinders, it adds Risk Dice or suggests new complications
When the outcome of an action is genuinely uncertain or risky, Ensemble calls for a roll:
Roll one Action Die (a standard six‑sided die).
Add Chance Dice if your Tags, gear, or fictional position give you an edge.
Add Risk Dice if the opposition’s Tags, the environment, or your own frailties work against you.
You compare the Action Die to the table of outcomes, which ranges from strong success with added benefits to strong failure with extra complications. This creates rich Yes, and… / Yes, but… / No, but… / No, and… results that keep the story moving forward even when things go badly.
Ensemble supports several modes with the same core engine:
Classic: one Game Master presents the world, portrays NPCs, frames scenes, and describes risks, while the other players control their characters.
Masterless: the GM role disappears and everyone shares narrative authority, often using an Oracle‑style procedure for questions and twists.
Hybrid with Loner: use Loner’s solo tools to prepare or continue stories between sessions, then bring those developments back into Ensemble.
Players are responsible for portraying their characters, asking questions, collaborating with others, and listening closely so they can reincorporate details back into the story. The Game Master, when present, acts as a “fan of the characters,” setting up situations that spotlight their drives, weaknesses, and hard choices rather than trying to defeat them.
To play Ensemble, you need only a few things: a handful of six‑sided dice in three colors, character sheets, some index cards or sticky notes for Tags, and basic writing materials. The rules include recommendations for safety tools like CATS and Script Change so your table can align expectations and manage tone and content while keeping play welcoming for everyone.