Boundless is evolving...
I’ve been working on the Boundless system for over a year now, playtesting it and requesting feedback from veteran TTRPG designers and hundreds of playtesters.
The engine has evolved quite a lot during this time, but this update is particularly significant, mostly because the system has been out for a few weeks and in the hands of many players, yet there were still things I wanted to make better for everyone.
So this is v2 of the Boundless system, the version used in Voidlight. (I’ll update Boundless Tides soon; I just need to spend some time redoing the character sheet’s graphical assets.)
Below is a quick rundown of what changed and why those changes were made.
Download the latest PDF at:
https://store.farirpgs.com/en-cad/products/boundless-rpg
Or read it on the web:
https://boundless.farirpgs.com/
Changelog
Solo Rules Update:
Before, there was only a solo oracle and that was pretty much it. Now I’ve added the Risk Oracle, which lets you determine the Risk rating of a Save when playing solo. The only thing that doesn’t yet have a solo-friendly trigger is advancement but I do think you could use the Question Oracle to handle that or just rule it yourself.
Advancements:
Before, advancement was only tied to story milestones. Now it can also be tied to major discoveries. When advancing, you can choose to increase either your HP by 1 or one Attribute by 1. In the past, it increased an Aspect’s HP by 3, which was too strong.
OSR-Style Attribute Generation:
As the game evolved, I realized how close it is to OSR and NSR play styles. I added a way to randomize Attributes using dice rolls for more old-school vibes!
Attributes Update:
To fit that OSR mindset, Attributes are now the classic Strength, Dexterity, and Willpower.
Starting HP tied to Strength:
When you create a character, your starting HP is now 2 + your Strength score.
Aspects have been Removed:
This is a big one. I love Aspects, and they’ll stay as an optional module for those who like them (I’ll update the website soon), but they caused too many odd situations. I loved the idea of Aspects having HP and losing access to them as you take damage, like a Horizon Zero Dawn–style system. But questions like “Why can’t I use my Keen Eye now that I’m hurt?” or “Which Aspect should take damage?” slowed play and weren’t fun to resolve. So Aspects are gone (as in Voidlight). HP is now unified, but I added another mechanic to keep damage interesting and lasting. See the next point.
Attributes Shrink on Death Saves:
With Aspects gone, I wanted lasting consequences for taking damage beyond HP. Inspired by Into the Odd and Year Zero Engine, Attributes now serve as backup HP. In Boundless, when you make a Death Save, you roll 1d6 for each point in your current Strength. If you get at least one Hit, you stay in the fight but reduce your Strength by 1 for each die that isn’t a Hit (up to 2). If you fail, you’re taken out. A Full Rest recovers all Attributes. This keeps damage meaningful and easy to manage while staying consistent with the rest of the game’s mechanics.
Encumbrance Rule:
To embrace old-school play, I added a simple encumbrance system. You have 10 item slots. Most items take 1 slot, but some take more. If your inventory is full, your HP drops to 1 because you’re encumbered. Simple but effective!
Deprivation:
If your character is deprived of vital needs, they lose 1 inventory slot per day and can’t benefit from Short or Long Rests. Both this and the Encumbrance rule are inspired by Cairn and Into the Odd, which are games I truly truly love.
2d6 Pools:
To better support depletable items, I added a mention of a 2d6 Pools. These are rarely used but great for things like consumables or spells that might break or fade after 1–2 uses.
Better Layout and Font Size:
The entire PDF was redone from scratch. I reworked all text styles and increased font size for better readability. This required rearranging some content, but the result looks amazing. I moved the design guidelines to the website instead.
Player and GM Guidelines:
Instead of design guidelines, the game now includes Player and GM Guidelines. This fits better with the nature of the document. I originally thought it would be more like an SRD, but it has become a full-fledged game that I print and use every week. The Design Guidelines still stay on the website.
Weapons and Armor:
Previously, these were only hinted at. Now they have clear, simple rules that work seamlessly with existing mechanics.
In a nutshell, I’m very happy with these changes, and I can’t wait to see what everyone creates with them.
Until next time, cheers!
Download the latest PDF at:
https://store.farirpgs.com/en-cad/products/boundless-rpg
Or read it on the web:
https://boundless.farirpgs.com/