COGENT Roleplay

Rules Reference

A complete guide to the COGENT Roleplay system and the tablerp web application. All mechanics on one page.

Sign in

Section 1

Core Mechanics

COGENT Roleplay uses a dice-pool system built on six-sided dice (D6). Every check starts with a base pool of 3D6.

Base Pool

3D6

Win Threshold

4+

Challenge Level

CL 1 – 8

Minimum Dice

1D6

How a Check Works

  1. The GM sets a Challenge Level (CL) from 1 (trivial) to 8 (nearly impossible).
  2. The player assembles their dice pool: 3D6 base + attribute + skill modifiers.
  3. Roll the pool. Each die showing 4 or higher counts as one win.
  4. If total wins >= CL, the check succeeds. Wins above the CL represent degrees of success.

Even if modifiers reduce the pool below 1, the player always rolls at least 1D6. You always have a chance.

Section 2

Attributes

Every character has three core attributes. During character creation, you distribute points among them. In combat, ALL attribute points are added to your dice pool.

Strength

STR

Can reduce incoming victory levels in combat by 1 per STR point, once per encounter. Represents physical power, resilience, and the ability to survive a telling blow.

Reflex

REF

Determines turn order priority (highest REF resolves first). Required for ranged weapon proficiency. Governs agility and reaction speed.

Intelligence

INT

Grants +3 skill points per INT point during character creation. Represents knowledge, reasoning, and mental acuity.

Attributes in Skill Checks

For a non-combat skill check, add the governing attribute to the base 3D6 pool along with the skill value.

Skill Check = 3D6 + Attribute + Skill Value

Attributes in Combat

In combat rolls, ALL three attribute values are added to your dice pool, not just one.

Combat Roll = 3D6 + STR + REF + INT + Proficiency + Weapon Bonus

Section 3

Skills

There are 15 skills, grouped by their governing attribute. Skill values range from -1 to +4. You may have at most one skill at -1 (a weakness).

Attribute Skills
Strength (STR) Endurance Athletics Grip Swim Throw
Reflex (REF) Perception Acrobatics Ride / Pilot Sleight of Hand Stealth
Intelligence (INT) General Knowledge Deception Infiltration Persuasion Survival

Skill Value Range

Value Meaning
-1Weakness (max 1 allowed)
0Untrained (default)
+1Novice
+2Competent
+3Expert
+4Master

Section 4

Proficiencies & Vocations

Proficiencies

Proficiencies represent trained combat and specialist abilities. Maximum 2 points per proficiency. Each point adds +1D6 to combat or proficiency-based checks.

Weapon Proficiency Categories

Category Examples
Light meleeDaggers, short swords, rapiers, hand axes
Heavy meleeLongswords, greatswords, maces, halberds
PolearmsSpears, pikes, glaives, lances
RangedBows, crossbows, firearms (requires REF)
UnarmedFists, martial arts, grappling
ShieldsBucklers, kite shields, tower shields

Vocations

Vocations represent life paths, trades, or backgrounds (e.g. blacksmith, sailor, noble). Maximum 4 points. They most often assist another character's roll, but the GM may also call for a direct vocation check when the task is primarily about that trade, background, or expertise and no existing skill already covers it.

A vocation like "Herbalist" could assist a Survival check, while "Runemaster" or "Mastercrafter" could be rolled directly for designing a rune, judging a forge process, or another vocation-led task. If the vocation only supports a different primary roll, treat it as an assist instead. The GM decides when a vocation is relevant and which attribute best fits the attempt.

Section 5

Combat

Combat Dice Pool

Combat Roll = 3D6 + STR + REF + INT + Proficiency + Weapon Bonus

Turn Structure

  1. Declaration Phase -- Characters declare their actions in order from lowest REF to highest. This gives faster characters the advantage of reacting to slower ones.
  2. Resolution Phase -- Rolls are resolved from highest REF to lowest. The fastest characters act first.

RAW Round Resolution

  1. Each combatant declares one action and, for attacks or charges, one target.
  2. When execution begins, the app queues one combat roll for every declared RAW combatant. That roll represents the whole round of fighting, not a single isolated swing.
  3. If a combatant is targeted while moving, readying a weapon, or standing up, they still roll a normal combat roll for the comparison. The action changes what they are doing fictionally, but it does not remove their defensive performance from the round.
  4. After both sides of an exchange have rolled, compare wins against the declared target. If Mara rolls 9 wins against a hound that rolled 7 wins, Mara has 2 victory levels against that hound.
  5. Only the higher result may apply a victory outcome. The lower result does not also deal damage just because its own roll succeeded against the base challenge.
  6. If the rolls tie, or if STR reduction brings the victory level to 0, no victory outcome is applied.

This is the key RAW distinction: a combat roll is a summary of how well the character fought during the round. It is not an independent attack button that always deals damage on success.

Opposed Rolls & Victory Levels

In combat, each character's combat roll stands as both offense and defense for the round. Compare your wins against the opponent you declared as your target. The positive difference in wins determines the Victory Level against that specific target.

Victory Level Wins Above Opponent Outcome
1 1 Stagger -- opponent loses next action, Level 1 injury
2 2 Disarm -- weapon knocked away, Level 2 injury
3 3 Trip/knockdown -- prone, Level 3 injury
4+ 4+ Dismember/devastating blow -- Level 4 (fatal) injury

Strength Vs Victory

Before combat outcomes are chosen, the defender may reduce the incoming victory level by 1 per point of STR, once per encounter. This reduces the level of the victory itself, so it can also prevent maneuvers like trip, disarm, or stagger if the level drops too low.

Defense Stance

A character may choose to defend instead of attacking. The defender gains +2D6 to their roll but cannot score any victory points even if they roll more wins. In tablerp RAW mode, defense still rolls so attackers can be compared against it, but the defender cannot apply a counter-outcome from that defensive roll.

Small defensive movement, bracing, or giving ground can be described narratively, but defense is not a full disengage unless the GM rules the fiction allows it. Use Flee / Disengage when the character spends the action leaving close combat; if threatened, the app locks that roll to Defense (+2D6, no victory outcome).

Move / Reposition is not a disengage by itself. It can describe footwork, shifting cover, or changing position inside the fight, but only Flee / Disengage clears close combat in the app.

Prone And Ready-Up

Lying down or prone applies -4D6. If the character spends their action getting back up while threatened, their comparison roll is still made with that prone penalty, because the penalty counts during the action of getting up while defending. Once the ready-up action is resolved, the prone state is cleared unless the fiction says they cannot get up.

Armor

Armor reduces injury level, not victory level. It also penalises the combat roll of the wearer based on how much armor they are carrying. Shields stack with worn armor for armor level.

Armor Level Examples Combat Penalty
1Leather armor, gambeson, chain shirt, small shieldNone
2Breastplate, full chainmail, large shield-1D6
4Full plate armor-2D6
6Full plate armor + shield-3D6

A character can reduce incoming injury levels by their armor level across the encounter, except while in close combat. STR reduces victory level first; armor then reduces the injury level if an injury outcome is still applied. The app records the reduction so the attacker can see when STR or armor changed the final result.

Dual Wield

Dual wielding does not grant a second combat roll. Instead, the offhand weapon adds a bonus to the same combat roll if the character has at least 1 proficiency point in both weapons. The primary weapon still supplies the normal proficiency and weapon modifier.

Offhand Weapon Bonus
Small secondary weapon+2D6
Medium secondary weapon+1D6

If the primary weapon is lost or disarmed, the dual wield bonus is lost as well. The offhand weapon then becomes the primary weapon until the original weapon is recovered.

Section 6

Injuries

Injuries penalise physical checks by reducing your dice pool. They stack with other injuries.

Injury Level Dice Penalty Description
1-1D6Minor wound -- bruise, shallow cut, sprain
2-2D6Moderate wound -- deep gash, cracked rib, dislocation
3-3D6Severe wound -- broken limb, heavy bleeding, concussion
4-4D6Fatal wound -- incapacitated, dying without aid

Injury Reduction Order

In RAW, STR reduces victory level first. If an injury is still inflicted after that, armor can then reduce the injury level itself. For example, a Level 3 victory against STR 1 and Armor 2 becomes Level 2 first, then a chosen Level 2 injury could still be reduced or negated by armor.

A fatal injury (Level 4) that is not reduced results in the character being incapacitated and potentially killed, at the GM's discretion.

Section 7

Assists

Any character with a relevant skill or vocation can assist another character's roll. Assists are powerful but carry risk, and they remain the default use of vocations when a more specific direct check is not warranted.

Assist Procedure

  1. The assisting character declares which skill or vocation they are using to help.
  2. They roll against a fixed CL of 3.
  3. On success: every win above CL 3 is added to the primary character's final wins.
  4. On failure: each loss is subtracted from the primary character's final wins.

Assists can backfire. A failed assist actively hurts the primary roller. Choose your helpers wisely.

Section 8

Destiny Points

Destiny Points are a meta-currency awarded by the GM for excellent roleplay, clever ideas, or dramatic moments. The GM may also deduct them for poor conduct.

Effect

Each point spent adds one WIN (not one die) to any roll

Stacking

Multiple Destiny Points can be spent on a single roll

Timing

Spent after the dice are rolled, turning near-misses into successes

Destiny Points add guaranteed wins, not dice. This makes them extremely valuable for clutch moments.

Section 9

Roll Modes

The GM can apply different roll modes to reflect circumstances. These change the win threshold on each die.

Mode Win Threshold When Used
Standard 4+ Normal circumstances. The default for all rolls.
Advantage 3+ Favourable conditions -- high ground, surprise, environmental aid.
Disadvantage 5+ Unfavourable conditions -- darkness, fatigue, hostile terrain.
Defense 4+ Defending in combat. Adds +2D6 to pool but scores 0 victory points.

Section 10

How It Works in tablerp

tablerp is a web application that brings COGENT Roleplay to the browser. Here is the typical flow of play.

  1. Create a Campaign -- The GM creates a campaign, sets the name and description, and invites players by sharing a join code or link.
  2. Build Character Cards -- Players create character cards within the campaign, distributing attribute points, choosing skills, assigning proficiencies and vocations.
  3. Start a Session -- The GM opens a session. The session workspace shows a shared map canvas where tokens can be placed and moved.
  4. Prompted Checks -- The GM sends prompted skill checks to specific players. The player sees the check prompt and resolves it with a roll in the app.
  5. Combat Flow -- The GM selects combatants and starts a combat round. Everyone declares an action and target first, then one combat roll per combatant resolves the whole round. The app compares each result to its declared target before unlocking any outcome.
  6. Apply Outcomes -- Only the winner of the comparison applies victory outcomes to their declared target. The UI labels Player action and Monster action outcomes separately so the GM can avoid applying the wrong side. STR and armor reductions are shown when they change the result. All card changes sync to connected players in real time.

Section 11

Magic

COGENT Roleplay deliberately does not define a fixed magic system. Magic is setting-dependent and left to the GM to design for their world.

Magic as Proficiency

Each type of magic is treated as a separate proficiency (e.g. "Fire Magic", "Necromancy", "Healing"). The proficiency adds dice to the roll just like a weapon proficiency.

Focus Items as Weapon Bonuses

Magical focus items function like weapon bonuses, adding extra dice to the pool.

Focus Item Bonus
Wand or minor focus+1D6
Staff or major focus+2D6

Each GM defines the specific rules, limits, and costs of magic for their setting. There is no universal spell list -- this is by design, giving every campaign its own magical identity.